Struggling Word Guy

My First Gift From a Fan (updated)

2012-01-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

I wrote a story called "Blood Tusk: Lord of All he Surveys - A Child's Primer" about a vampire elephant that takes over the world. I'm currently in the process of trying to sell the thing, but in the mean time I read it to my writer's group. One of my colleagues, Tamsie, enjoyed the story so much she bought me this.

It plays a song every time you touch its foot and makes me impossibly happy. I'm going to paint the beast so he resembles Blood Tusk and someday, I'll bring him with me to signings.

Update:

And this is him painted, in action.

I'm going to show him off at my writer's group tonight.

2012-01-26T10:45:00.001-08:00

...and we're back.

Bees vs Hornets with Epic Music

2012-01-19T16:55:00.000-08:00

I feel so sorry for the bees, this has to feel like a freaking kaiju invasion. Can you imagine is 30 Godzillas appeared in your city?

Awesome (nonfan) Cosplay

2012-01-16T16:59:00.000-08:00

For a video game called Firefall.

Honestly, I'm surprised more writers who work in genre don't subsidize their fans (or do contests) for their fans to do cosplay because an awesome/interesting costume is a great way to get introduced to something new.

via Kotaku

MutantLand - Awesome Short Film

2012-01-12T17:57:00.000-08:00

MutantLand from Tippett Studio on Vimeo.

Impossibly Cute Video

2012-01-11T23:40:00.000-08:00

School Portrait (2011) from Michael Berliner on Vimeo.

Why I Write Action Horror

2012-01-09T16:43:00.000-08:00

Occasionally, I'm reluctant to tell people that I write horror. My problem is that -for a lot of people- 'Horror' means movies like Hostel or Saw, gleefully gory scholckfests in which the characters exist for no other reason than to murdered (or worse) horribly. The term 'torture porn' is wholly appropriate for this sort of work.

Picture above, what I don't write.

I know good people who like that sort of thing so I won't speak ill of the (sub)genre. And to be fair; I've been known to enjoy stories with violence, gore and despicable acts happening to both the innocent and guilty alike. So why split hairs?

For me, I'm interested in efficacy. I'm interested in characters who fight. Whether they live or die is immaterial; I'm interested in the struggle. And I think this struggle is often in its purest form in Action Horror.

Pictured above, the kind of book I try to write.

My most important goal in everything I write is to tell a compelling story populated by Characters the reader cares about. If there's a secondary goal, it's this: to remind readers that -no matter how f***ed up the situation they are never powerless. Things don't always work out for my Characters but that's not the point. The struggle is the point. The pushing past fear is the point.

I use horror tropes and a fixation on fear because I believe that one of the greatest challenges in modern life is mastering our fear.

George Carlin - The Male Disease

2011-12-27T21:35:00.000-08:00

Supercut of All* of 2011's Studio Movies

2011-12-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

*Jack and Jill deliberately omitted because it isn't so much a movie as an exercise in sadomasochism.

Rock-afire Explosion (aka Chucky Cheese Robots) Cover Nine Inch Nails

2011-12-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

Daft Punk Charleston

2011-12-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

Man I'm a sucker for these kinds of videos... these sort of mashups always make me smile, and make me appreciate both component parts more.

Virgins Share First Kiss, Making You Feel Super Awkward

2011-11-30T18:21:00.000-08:00

I've been a virgin. Hell, I'm 28 years old and I can say I was a virgin for most of my life. But I can say, unequivocally, that I was never, ever this much of a virgin.

The Devil Inside Trailer

2011-11-28T16:01:00.000-08:00

I know they're cheap thrills, but exorcism movies scare the s**t out of me. While the current dominance of the 'found footage' and "Faction" tropes seems increasingly cliche, I must say that the use of a contortionist(?) for the central posesee seems inspired. More importantly, I'm extremely grateful that these kind of films have chased torture porn out of the box office.

One Second Film Festival

2011-11-27T23:50:00.000-08:00

Seconds Of Beauty - 1st round compilation from The Beauty Of A Second on Vimeo.

Every Political Ad Ever

2011-11-24T17:00:00.001-08:00

What I'm Thankful for...

2011-11-24T16:32:00.001-08:00

My family first and foremost.
My health
Friends
My dog
Writing
My wife's photo business
Odd jobs and odd people
Skyrim, even if I've sworn off playing
My books
Internet access
Holidays
L4D2
Learning something everyday
Occupy protests
Roller derby bouts and after parties
San Diego
Bars and beer
Potlucks
My NetBook
My awesome phone
My kindle
My publications
My writers group
Cheesy movies
Awesome podcasts
Time to pursue my art
Posting down debt

And all the things I forget to mention!

Happy Turkey day everyone!

Just your Average Homeboy

2011-11-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

I found this and this thing, and then my day was over.

A Deep Psychological Analysis of what your Ninja Turtle Preference Says About You...

2011-11-22T14:40:00.001-08:00

Which Ninja Turtle Are You? Life's Most Important Question -- powered by Cracked.com

I've been Playing Skyrim so Much That This now Makes Sense...

2011-11-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

...and is utterly hilarious. Yeah, sleep deprivation is taking its toll. When you gaze into the eyes of madness what do you see? Techno Viking apparently...

Lovecraft Parody: Late Bloomer

2011-11-21T02:32:00.000-08:00

Horrible Imaginings Film Festival Trailer

2011-11-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here's the very, very serious trailer for my friend's film festival 'Horrible Imaginings.' Guys, I don't think I can stress how extremely serious this trailer is. I'd even go so far as to say it's seriously serious.

In all (actual) seriousness, the thing was a blast to shoot. I was trailer golpher and 'starred' as Frankenstein. If you're in San Diego you should definitely come out to the festival this weekend. This line up kicks all kinds of ass. Plus, the art show is going now through Sunday.

Horrible Imaginings Film Festival

Stop

2011-10-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

Esquire's 78 Word Flash Fiction Contest

2011-10-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, Esquire held a flash fiction contest (http://www.esquire.com/fiction/short-short-fiction-contest-2011) based on the notion that you could tell a complete story in 78 words. The contest specifically references Hemmingway's "For Sale. Baby shoes. Never worn." I thought it would be fun to share my own entry.

Quest

By J.M. Perkins

Con the Sumer quested. He fought off the assaults to his senses: the black magic of advertising, trailercraft and the other dark arts of the pushermen. All were attempts to divert him to false idols. Ages ago, he'd sworn off rest till he'd found the object of his desire.

Con listened to the words of the sages, wandered endless reviews and forded the hundred thousand streams of media. Searching, always searching. Finally, he found it. Finally, he found

Rule of Three: Submission - Week 4

2011-10-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

Prompt - The Final Event Becomes Another Secret for Generations to Come

Words 591

Rule of Three Info Here

Week 1 Submission
Week 2 Submission

Week 3 Submission

---

Stalking down the hallway, dragging his daughter behind him, Emanuel Stevens had only one thought in his head.

Damnit.

“Oww! Dad, you're hurting me.” Rosalie said.

He turned back with a sharp remark waiting on his tongue one he never got a chance to say. Two Maesterkin flashed towards him and fingers as strong as steel gripped his upper arm.

“Mr. Stevens, come with us.”

---

They led Emanuel to a spartan room with a table and two chairs. His 'escorts' exited, locking the only door on the way out. After a moment, a different Maesterkin entered and sat. Motioned for Stevens to do that same, Emanuel noted he was the same color as Tompkins.

“There is nothing I'd like more than to smash your face until there's nothing left.” The Maesterkin said, practically spitting. “Did you actually think you could get away with it? Even if the accord meant we couldn't bug Renaissance properly, you had to know that we'd have a sat watching, recording. And while your deceipt might have been good enough to fool the suspicion algorhythms, it only took a couple dozen hours for the analysts to figure out what you'd done.”

The posthuman continued. “And now four children are dead at your hand. It would have been five if not for the actions of your daughter.”

Emanuel whispered, “Don't talk about Rosalie.”

“What was that?”

Emanuel looked up from the ground. “I said, don't talk about my daughter you wirefucker.”

The Maesterkin laughed. “It's been a long time since I've been called that that, probably in your grandfather's time."

He shook his head. "Since I can't kill you, I'll have to settle with the fact that your daughter is going to become the celebrity lover of a 'wirefucker.' Tompkins is already on board, his minder should guide him away from thinking about the tragedy overmuch within minutes. And of course Rosalie is in another room, talking with a media-consultant about what's expected of her and what she stands to gain as 'hero of Renaissance'... all with your approval.”

“Wait, you're not going to kill me?”

"Sadly, no. My bosses have decided that it wouldn't serve to stir up tensions between post and stock humanity. But the accord has been broken. Renaissance and the rest of the reservations are being bugged as we speak. And if you have any delusions of continued 'resistance,' I'd like to remind you that your daughter--while still passing for baseline--will be needing some augments to function in her new role. And new augments can malfunction in agonizing ways. Do I make myself clear Mr. Stevens?"

Silence.

"Good."

---

Emanuel Stevens returned home, tried to resume his old routine. At least he'd managed to destroy Tourism; wary Maesterkin now avoided Renaissance. But within four seasons of the attack the town was busier than ever; making a pilgrimage the site of the attack (deemed 'an accidental discharge of munitions leftover from the dolphin war).

They installed a screen in his home, programmed it only to show updates about Rosalie and Emanuel was too terrified to take it down. Mrs. Stevens prattled on about how happy she was that Rosalie was doing well, proving it had been a mistake for him to marry someone outside the movement. Maybe that's why Rosalie had been soft on the wirefuckers, maybe that was why she had become a wirefucker too. But even watching her, happy, wasn't the worst of it.

No, the worst of it was when his new son in law came over for dinner.

I'm Attending World Fantasy 2011

2011-10-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hey all. Just a quick note to let you know that I'm attending World Fantasy 2011. If you'll also be there, be sure to say hi.