Bitter Steel Revisited

Thanks everyone for the excellent feedback on my last post. Most folks did not like the first paragraph of the possible back cover blurb. The blurb, btw, is for a collection of my short heroic fantasy stories called Bitter Steel. I’ve talked about it before, back when I was putting together the introduction and organizing the contents of the volume. I think the points made on my post were good ones and that the opening paragraph sounded more like something for an introduction rather than a back cover “come hither.” I’ve revised that while leaving the second paragraph largely the same. Thanks everyone.

In other news, I just got my latest shipment in from this new fangled inter-net thingie. I’m now the proud owner of three books that readers of this blog may recognize. First up is Arkansas Smith, by Jack Martin. How could I pass up a western novel named after my home state? Second we have Pallid Light by William Jones. I’ve been looking to read about a good zombie holocaust. Third, there is Heroes of the Fallen by David J. West. This is heroic fantasy, in the same vein as the stories in Bitter Steel. It’s obviously a genre I love very much.

Much as I would love to read and review all three of my new acquisitions tonight, that will not be happening. Although I did not want the blogosphere to find this out, I am only human. My reading card is pretty full. Unlike my dance card, which is limited just to the Lovely Lana.

I did actually finish a book by some blogsphere friends. This was Then Comes the Child by Christopher Fulbright and Angeline Hawkes. Wow, it rocked! This is the true horror, the down and dirty stuff. If you’ve got a strong stomach and like your gore with style, you’ll love it.
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Going to Arkansas, and Other Cool Things

I’m leaving tomorrow to go visit my mom in Arkansas. I’ll be gone until at least Friday and most likely won’t be posting or visiting blogs during that time. I’ll be staying at my mom’s and they don’t have internet. And it’s not like there are a lot of wi-fi hot spots in small town Charleston, Arkansas. I may check in at the library on occasion to get email. But, I only see my family about once a year so I want to spend every moment I can with them. I’m sure you’ll all survive for a week without commentary from me. I’ll catch up next weekend. After that, though, school will be starting again and I’ll have to make some adjustments in posting.

In the meantime, I got a couple bits of good news. My poem, “Blue Soul,” has appeared in Dreams and Nightmares #80. I’m in the company of some very fine poets, including Gary William Crawford, Ann K. Schwader, Bruce Boston, Deborah P. Koladji, and our own Greg Schwartz.

Also, William Jones has accepted my story, “The Vivarium,” for his anthology Tales out of Miskatonic University. I did the Psychology Department story. I’ll post more about that in the future, of course.

I'll be visiting blogs today and responding to comments. After that, see you in a week.

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