Soon there will be news ...

Stay tuned.

Trying to Sci-fi Myself

I've started three science fiction novels in the last few weeks and tossed them all down before finishing. Not because they were terrible. No. They just didn't grab me. Then I got my mitts on THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi. Ahhhhhh. Good stuff. Solid entertainment. Good work, Mr. Scalzi. I've also enjoyed (very very much enjoyed) Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades. Somehow Zoe's Tale slipped thru the cracks, but I'm, sure I'll get back to it sooner or later.

Again, Scalzi = awesome.

Trev Maviano ... back in action

During the first run of Plots With Guns, there was this fearless dude who wrote a column. His name? Trevor Maviano. This guy ain't afraid to stir the pot, and it looks like he's coming back to the new Plots With Guns to spit warm gin in your eye. Catch the attitude over at Anthony Neil Smith's blog.

Thanks for playing

Much obliged to those who helped shape my world view by giving me a thumbs up or down on some controversial issues in my previous post. Now the answer key:

Anchovy pizza is definitely a thumbs up. I used to tell people I ordered little fish on my pizza to keep bum pals of mine from asking for a slice. But the fact is I really do like the taste. Coors Light. Alas, a thumbs up. This almost not beer serves a purpose when mowing the lawn on a 99 degree day or slaving over a hot grill. Deep down, I know it's bad beer, but a fellow needs to hydrate. Abba is soooooo far down that it is back up again. This is simple pop culture physics, people. The Wii is cool and I love the golf. But it's expensive and my wife nagged me or one. Thumbs down. Phil Mickelson. Up, douchebags. Roy Orbison. Up. But my pals made fun of me in high school, so I wasn't sure. American Idol. Down, and yet for some reason I watch it anyway. I'm ashamed. The film DEATH PROOF is a sluggish up. I heard from so many people that it sucked, that my expectations were rock bottom when I saw it. And naturally it wasn't that bad. Real wives of ANYWHERE is a thumbs down. (The show, I mean. Not actual wives.)

I forget the rest. Meh. Who cares?

Extremely controversial issues

Folks, for years I've found myself in the middle of a storm of controversy over some issues which seem to pop up again and again in my life. I've decided these important issues can only be solved by blog readers. So I need you to weigh in on the following issues which remain of paramount importance to our nation ... indeed to the whole world.

Please give me your thumbs up or thumbs down on the following:

1. Roy Orbison
2. Anchovies on pizza
3. Coors Light
4. The film DEATH PROOF
5. Real Wives of Atlanta
6. The Wii
7. Texas
8. Abba
9. the Kindle
10. the McRibb sandwich
11. Air France
12. Phil Mickelson
13. Shaving
14. Grits
15. Wal-Mart
16. Aqua Teen Hunger Force
17. Fresh water fishing
18. James Joyce
19. American Idol
20. any card game where you "bid"

"Conan the Barbarian Meets Mad Max"

It warms my heart parts that Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse is still getting some nice mentions.
Thanks to the folks at Arcon Citadel for this great review.

John Mortimer R.I.P.

Word is making its way around the blogs that author John Mortimer has passed away. This is sad for obvious reasons. On a personal level I'm even a bit more sad. My wife and I do not share the same tastes in television shows, but Rumpole of the Bailey was one of the few programs we watched together and both loved. We own all the episodes on DVD, and each episode is introduced by Mortimer himself. Might be time to watch those again.

Gischler says: "Pay attention to Scott Phillips"

You can do that by going HERE.

Do it, damn your eyes! I have commanded you.

Pulpy Sci-fi Goodness

Everyone has checked out the new Emerson LaSallle web-joint, right?

Well, do it. DO IT, I SAYS!

Gischler sucks / Gischler's awesome

In a recent one-star Amazon review for Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse, Jayna Pavlin writes, "I love the genre when it's well done and this book was not. It is full of predictable and flat supporting characters, female characters fully content with the loss of rights, sexual stereotypes, and a main character that is just not very interesting at all. The writing is about on par with a work of puberty fueled fan fiction."

Ouch. No hard feelings, Jayna. I appreciate your giving the book a try. I hope you get all the Dr. Who stuff on your Amazon wish list.

On the other hand, horror author Bryan Smith's Top Ten Reads of 2008 lists Go-Go as one of his favorites. So, that's worth like at least eleven stars, right?

So really I'm way ahead.

So bad it's good?

Every word of this negative review just made makes me want to subscribe more and more. Thanks to Professory Fury for the heads up.

Sean Doolittle Gets Bloody

Check out Sean's new novel RIGHT HERE.

Emerson LaSalle

I think there will soon be some interesting Emerson LaSalle news. It will probably be announced (eventually) right HERE .... so stay tuned.