tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31224332257317138382012-01-01T00:01:00.828-08:00Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.comBlogger1371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-16836404955142345662012-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:002012-01-01T00:01:00.863-08:00

Well, here we are, another year in the books. I hope 2011 was great for you. I hope you took some chances and discovered new talents, I hope you laughed a lot and cried a little, I hope you're ending this year in a better place than you began. It's certainly been a crazy year for me (and 2012 is undoubtedly going to start off even crazier)! I just wanted to get one last blog post in for the year

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-20884800268922182712011-11-03T17:00:00.000-07:002011-11-03T17:00:03.951-07:00

So it's the third day of November, aka "National Novel Writers Month." How goes your NaNo? At this time last year I was already well on my way to completing INDIGO. How am I doing THIS year you ask? HA!I am morbidly over-ambitious when it comes to things I love doing or have an interest in. I have this delusion that I can do anything I put my mind to (and I really can...given an infinite amount

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-70758762598133940422011-10-31T17:00:00.000-07:002011-10-31T17:00:05.159-07:00

Living in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast has the advantage of being able to view changing seasons: leaves changing color in the fall, melting ice over the creeks in the spring time, blizzards on Halloween weekend...wait, what?Normally, Halloween around these parts is either incredibly crappy (cold and rainy) or unbelievably gorgeous (60s/70s and clear). This year, Mother Nature decided to change it

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-7507709179073981512011-10-21T17:00:00.000-07:002011-10-21T13:51:34.466-07:00

Halloween is fast approaching. (Do you have your costume picked out already? Or are you the type that wraps a sheet around yourself like a toga and calls that a costume?) I’ve got nothing spooky going on at the moment. Lucky for you, the master of “Goosebumps” has a nice Trick-or-Treat contest. Or should I say, Trick-or-Tweet? R.L. Stine is hosting a contest through his Twitter account for one of

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-59193646710703330732011-10-10T14:35:00.000-07:002011-10-10T15:19:13.907-07:00

Living in Pittsburgh has its benefits (he said before winter hits and he starts suffering through 5 degree mornings). We recently had The Dark Knight Rises film here, our sports teams are pretty good and it's often voted one of America's most livable cities. All that aside, Pittsburgh recently played host to Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. Though, Southside is more amenable to Dionysus, the God of

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-24204056543312762572011-09-28T16:30:00.000-07:002011-09-28T16:55:48.776-07:00

Here's a quick post for you dead-heads out there. Are you a fan of Jonathan Maberry? Of course you are. (And if you're not, click here to read up on him.) As for "Dead of Night," here's the brief book jacket description:A prison doctor injects a condemned serial killer with a formula designed to keep his consciousness awake while his body rots in the grave. But all drugs have unforeseen

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-3744588602504664492011-09-11T21:01:00.000-07:002011-09-11T22:18:41.448-07:00

As I mentioned at the end of last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to read an advance copy of Michelle Davidson Argyle's spy-thriller novel, "Monarch." I'll jump right into the review after another look at the back-cover blurb: Nick’s life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness—a wife who committed suicide, and two daughters who resent everything he has

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-46227209760202977802011-09-09T13:23:00.001-07:002011-09-09T14:04:52.057-07:00

Almost a year ago to the day, I finished reading the novella "Cinders" by author Michelle Davidson Argyle. As soon as I put it down I knew I'd be checking back to see when her next story became available. It wasn't long (mere weeks, actually) before Ms. Argyle signed with a publisher and started planning a roll-out of her projects over the next couple of years. So it was with great excitement

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-84203539832359846032011-09-02T13:40:00.000-07:002011-09-02T13:54:49.466-07:00

Skynet is live. Computers are aware. For some reason, they're after me. Personally, it's been an odd day as far as technology goes: my phone refuses to do what I tell it and responds with snarky "error" messages, my computer fails to load webpages while my co-workers zip through Facebook and kitten videos unperturbed and a query email to a literary agent may have gotten lost in the

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-39117131588620169372011-09-01T11:19:00.000-07:002011-09-01T13:59:39.492-07:00

(Picture courtesy of the awesome reviewer mentioned below.) It's always nice to hear from people who read my stories. Whether they're blog posts, short stories, serials or novel-length fiction, I love hearing people's reactions. In all honesty, it's a dream of mine to be able to sit in a room with a handful of die-hard fans who just want to discuss a particular story/character/scene. So getting

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-61985679557100619402011-08-27T13:43:00.000-07:002011-08-27T14:08:35.379-07:00

As I mentioned earlier this week, I've been working on getting my adult sci-fi novel INDIGO available for purchase. Well, wait no longer! It's now ready for you to buy through Lulu.com and in only a few short days (or seconds if you buy the eBook version!) it'll be in your hands! Here's a short book description to peak your interest: In a future where waters have reclaimed much of the land and

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-76414359352188607812011-08-23T14:43:00.000-07:002011-08-23T15:29:33.786-07:00

As summer begins to draw to its inevitable close, I'm already looking forward to my favorite time of year: Autumn. The changing leaves, the cool nights, the monstrous beasts lurking in the lengthening shadows on the eve of Halloween...what's not to love? But I'm getting ahead of myself. Things have been scary enough around here lately. Why just today I survived a devastating earthquake that

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-52910291230214127512011-08-15T15:59:00.000-07:002011-08-15T16:04:42.573-07:00

Hi friends, Vinny here! Still alive despite all evidence to the contrary. My alter ego has been very busy with the likes of Comic Con, interstate travel to concerts and other non-writing goings on. If only I could get my work done while he sleeps... Anyway, look for another update later this week. We have much to discuss, you and I! ~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-68808242515997250332011-07-11T16:00:00.000-07:002011-07-11T16:02:18.904-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock in a galaxy far, far away, you've probably heard that the last installment in the Harry Potter movie series premieres this week. What you probably haven't heard is that online book retailer Lulu.com has a special promotion running this week that'll get you 20% off any order. Just enter the word BIG at checkout and save some green! You can use it to purchase

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-80692599112558654272011-07-08T14:30:00.000-07:002011-07-08T10:42:52.474-07:00

Earlier this week, I posted the three entries for the Mad Libs contest. After much deliberation, I have decided on a winner! Here is Keith's entry:The redundant, rigor-mortis-induced, mottled purple Fairly Oddparent galloped up the hill to visit the feverish Princess. Unfortunately, the Princess was out whimpering over word counts, so the Fairly Oddparent went to Anchorage, Alaska and made some

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-34750670431911593632011-07-05T14:27:00.000-07:002011-07-05T14:52:41.235-07:00

On Friday, I asked for volunteers from the viewing audience to submit ten words to be plugged into a Mad Libs story. I only received 3 submissions, so I'll be able to show you all of them today. I'd imagine most of you had better things to do like visit with family, hit the beach or...eat 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes. America is gross. Anyway, here is the following basic template I had for the Mad

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-91448667367023916122011-07-01T05:30:00.000-07:002011-07-01T07:42:07.966-07:00

You may have heard the news that earlier this month that Leonard Stern, co-creator of Mad Libs, had passed away. In honor of his memory (and all the great times I had as a young writerlet filling out pages of Mad Libs), I thought we'd play a version of the game today. For those poor souls out there who have never played Mad Libs, it's quite simple! I'll give you a list of parts of speech and you

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-4826829081977826542011-06-30T14:30:00.000-07:002011-06-30T14:30:01.725-07:00

I have two confessions for you today:1) I'm fascinated by computers2) I often use computers to distract myself from things like...editing. Case in point: As it turns out, computers are not as complicated as you might think. The general public probably considers their computer to be somewhat of a black box, possibly with miniature elves inside that toil away at your every command. I can assure you

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-79055170609797821532011-06-29T14:30:00.000-07:002011-06-29T14:46:27.380-07:00

You may remember a few short months ago when my friends, who we'll call Mr. and Mrs. Vacation, took a copy of "Crawl" with them to Cancun. Didn't you see this lovely picture? Well as it turns out, Mr. and Mrs. Vacation are living up to their names! They recently returned from what I'm sure was a stressful and unenjoyable jaunt to Turks and Caicos. Luckily for me, they each took their very own

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-4882918037003614642011-06-27T14:30:00.000-07:002011-06-27T14:30:00.178-07:00

Before reading my review, please keep two things in mind: 1) This is a sequel to the novel "Hater" so the review will obviously be filled with spoilers. You can check out my "Hater" review here or go to the customer reviews on Amazon's product page. 2) As this is the second part of a trilogy, I will reserve my final judgement of the series until I finish the third book, "Them or Us." On to the

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-26966034117191836102011-06-24T15:28:00.001-07:002011-06-24T15:31:26.372-07:00

I know I promised my review of "Dog Blood" would post yesterday and I wholeheartedly apologize for lying to you. Life, as it so often does, has overwhelmed me this week. I had something fun in mind for today, too, but will have to postpone it until next week. (Can you say Mad Libs?)Have a good weekend and I'll try to get this trainwreck back on track!~VKPS: Random observation, but two of the ads

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-12944903922534021122011-06-22T14:30:00.000-07:002011-06-22T14:30:00.742-07:00

Hey friends! Long time, no blog! Lately, there has been so much time devoted to writerly-type things and it has left me with little other time for sleeping, eating, maintaining a general state of cleanliness. Recently, I had to take a micro-break from some writing stuff to take care of things around the house; the place was beginning to look like a bad Tolkien map. There was the Leaning Pillars

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-87989494064732402342011-06-10T07:30:00.000-07:002011-06-10T07:30:03.134-07:00

LoverAmy feels the urge hit her like a freight train. One minute she was having drinks with the girls, blowing off steam from a long week at the office; the next thing she knows, her whole body is flushed with heat and she has to press her knees together to keep her legs from shaking. She starts scanning the bar for potentials. She needs a man and she needs him now, but not just any man will do.

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-21399371158337484852011-06-09T21:21:00.000-07:002011-06-09T21:24:20.597-07:00

Since the past couple of weeks have been Hater-centric (and since I'm still reading Dog Blood), I've decided to do a little Hater homage as a submission to the Midnight Society this week. For those of you who haven't read "Hater" or my review of it, it's about a man who experiences a change in society that is turning some people into savage, seemingly mindless killers. Well, for my short story, I

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-54703738755153622382011-06-06T14:36:00.001-07:002011-06-06T14:46:39.306-07:00

Perhaps you missed my review of David Moody's "Hater" last week or when I mentioned that I'd be reviewing Alexander S. Brown's short story collection "Traumatized." Well that's ok, cuz I just reminded you! And while I consider myself pretty awful at reviewing other people's work in a concise and coherent manner, I do ever so love reading about what people think of my own work. Case in point,

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-14588883860217347182011-06-03T14:30:00.000-07:002011-06-03T14:30:00.449-07:00

Sorry, friends; no Midnight Society submission today. My brain has the creativity and consistency of a bowl of runny eggs at the moment. I seriously considered whipping up a tale about a fruit fly infestation (because they are frickin everywhere in my office right now!), so in this case, no story > awful, awful story.Til next time!~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-15916474147288547612011-06-02T14:21:00.000-07:002011-06-02T15:07:22.767-07:00

As I mentioned last week, I'm currently neck deep in "Dog Blood" by David Moody. As it is the sequel to his novel "Hater," I felt that I should review that first and bring people up to speed. But don't take just my word for it! Check out a ton of other reviews here!A quick reminder: make sure to tune in to the blog tomorrow morning for the latest installment in the Midnight Society! I think a

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-83631508197055095752011-05-27T07:30:00.000-07:002011-05-27T07:30:02.160-07:00

PlaythingsIt’s Sarah’s birthday today. I need to get her something nice…something no one else could get. It can’t be anything I could buy. What kind of boyfriend would that make me? Any idiot can buy a thing, but what happens when that thing runs dry or breaks? I can’t make it for her. She’s spurned those attempts in the past, and rightly so; they weren’t good enough for her. Sarah deserves

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-49577457288569979172011-05-26T14:56:00.001-07:002011-05-26T15:14:41.052-07:00

Hey folks! Welcome back to those of you who took a trip to Crazytown for the Rapture! Don't fret, I hear we have another shot at it on October 21st. Anyhow, here are a couple quick updates: Yesterday, I received a copy of Alexander Brown's short story/novella collection, "Traumatized". I'll be posting a review once I'm done reading it, but in the meantime, I'll let the man behind the book explain

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-82691980130904956302011-05-20T10:24:00.000-07:002011-05-20T10:29:03.451-07:00

Well followers, if this is the last time I get to talk to you, it's been nice blogging with you! Word has it the world will end tomorrow. I'm okay with that. Here's hoping the Earth's crust shakes open and countless, shambling souls are released from Hell to walk among us. I'll be out there with weapon in hand, grinning like an idiot, ready to send them back. Won't you join me?~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-64667455952878845272011-05-20T07:30:00.000-07:002011-05-20T07:30:02.121-07:00

"What's Owed"As soon as I walk in, I recognize the man I’m looking for, even though we’ve never met. He’s seated at the bar, elbows propped up, with one hand around a rocks glass and the other around a nearly empty bottle. His head is sunk down below his slouched shoulders. He looks like any one of a hundred desolate drunks that blow in and out of Sally’s every week; but this one is definitely my

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-62820209313168531192011-05-19T14:03:00.000-07:002011-05-19T14:32:16.127-07:00

So I had originally prepared an in-depth look at the time and effort it takes to write/polish/produce a book these days, but then zombies attacked the CDC. Or, rather, the CDC posted a disaster plan in case of the zombie apocalypse. Obviously a joke on their part to prepare people for hurricane season and generate traffic to their site. Well, the second part of that plan worked like a charm, as

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-10034352864976794442011-05-16T12:25:00.000-07:002011-05-16T15:06:18.120-07:00

While watching an episode of "Dexter," I came across a bit of dialogue that really stuck with me. In the scene, the imaginary projection of Dexter's dead father, Harry, is warning him about allowing someone to get to close to him and his dark side. As with all of Harry's warnings, it came across like a fortune cookie, but a particularly good one: "No matter how close two people are, an infinite

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-21139351397384902662011-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:34:36.413-07:00

The Curse of Engine 49Based on a true story*Jerry Townsend wasn’t exactly sure how he ended up driving his Honda at 90 miles an hour headed north on Route 33. The last thing he remembered was coming home for lunch and seeing his wife’s blonde hair and long legs all tangled up with another man under the bed sheets. Then there was a lot of screaming, a lot of blood. Somewhere along the way, Jerry

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-42478737897518875692011-05-13T12:52:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:39:38.242-07:00

As some of you may know, Blogger got a case of the "Friday the 13ths" and gobbled up a bunch of people's posts. So, while I wait for the original post to be restored, here's a summary of what you should have seen yesterday:- I came across a familiar name in the daily publishing newsletter, Publishers Lunch. The line read, "Meagan Spooner's THE IRON WOOD, a "magicpunk" trilogy, to auction." The

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-66790816833493906782011-05-11T13:13:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:29:03.627-07:00

And I take that as a compliment! If you don't understand why, then you're not familiar with the man's work. Aside from his zombie series "Autumn," Moody's most notable works are found in the "Hater" trilogy. After having read the first in the series, I immediately wanted to pick up the sequel and continue reading. Though not a zombie story, the familiar elements of mass hysteria, mob mentality

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-49525415659127809762011-05-06T07:30:00.000-07:002011-05-06T07:30:02.651-07:00

RipperPatience is a virtue. Without patience, I never would have made it through med school. Without patience, I wouldn’t have survived the long and difficult years as the coroner’s deputy. Without patience, I couldn’t sit here night after night, waiting for the man that ruined my life to show his face just one more time. It’s just after midnight and I’m parked less than two blocks from our old

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-3709117426540547802011-05-05T15:38:00.000-07:002011-05-05T16:00:50.056-07:00

Do you people realize that it's May? MAY! Like almost-halfway-through-2011-already-May! I honestly don't know where the time goes. (Well, I do know where 8 hours of it a day goes, but I do ever so like a paycheck so I can't complain too much.)But where do the other 128 hours a week go? I sure don't feel like I get a lot of sleep, but let's say I get the recommended 8 hours a night (ha!). That

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-82864925720144372992011-05-04T15:29:00.000-07:002011-05-04T15:29:00.174-07:00

Recently, I did a short interview with Michael Wilson, editor of ReadHorror about my background and my debut horror-novel, Crawl. I figured it would be a nice chance to get some exposure, market the book and broaden my support base. What I didn't expect was to learn a few things! What did I learn, you ask?- There are some awesome horror authors out there, like Eric S. Brown and Dave Jeffrey,

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-74906112113208487822011-04-29T07:30:00.000-07:002011-04-29T08:30:12.189-07:00

Self Defense 101He leaned against the cool brick building, shaded from the late summer sun by a dirty green awning. He took a long drag from his cigarette as he watched the students shuffle by. They talked excitedly, familiarizing themselves with the bustling city streets that would serve as their campus for the next four years. A college T-shirt, a baseball cap, and boyish good looks allowed him

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-18642511700053064172011-04-26T14:30:00.000-07:002011-04-26T14:30:01.851-07:00

As my current project “Indigo” is out to beta readers (and one of them is already finished with it!), I need something to occupy my brain as I wait for the criticisms to roll in. For the record, I’m much less neurotic this time around but I always get a little apprehensive when asking for feedback. Last time I got all itchy twitchy when people were giving me their opinions. When my eye starts to

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-2069348103299789842011-04-22T07:30:00.000-07:002011-04-23T09:23:29.626-07:00

Cthable GuyJenny is surrounded by boxes, standing in the living room of her dream house. It has been only a matter of weeks since she received a letter notifying her of the passing of an estranged relative. In that letter, the eccentric and reclusive Aunt Kaye bequeathed Jenny her 19th century Victorian home that looks down on Providence, Rhode Island from its place on a hilltop, along with a

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-75040962002740369452011-04-21T14:30:00.000-07:002011-04-21T14:30:00.185-07:00

One of the coolest things about writing a book is being able to see your creation fully realized in the palm of your hands. Before the days of print-on-demand technology, this was probably more of a rare achievement, but no less exciting. Now, thanks to Lulu.com, I can order proofs of my books before I make them available to my adoring fans. And good thing I did too! Because even though I like

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-54953523770598725502011-04-15T07:30:00.000-07:002011-04-15T07:30:02.338-07:00

Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, J. Rodimus Fowler calls this story...Axes to Axes, Dust to DustMy name is Richard Hutchins and I used to be a fireman. Used to be, is the correct wording because now when there is a fire we just watch from our boarded up windows. The monsters stand around laughing and snorting, watching the fires burn, grabbing any unlucky soul that they could

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-36249160388731080612011-04-14T14:30:00.000-07:002011-04-14T14:30:00.210-07:00

As indicated by that snazzy orange button over >>> there somewhere, my debut horror novel "Crawl" is still available for purchase. The printers tell me that each run of copies is being done at midnight under a full moon to enhance the creepiness. I've asked them to use sacrificial virgin blood in place of ink, but they say the costs would be prohibitive. Let's face it, I'm trying to keep costs

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-6629715004181264562011-04-08T07:31:00.000-07:002011-04-08T07:31:01.074-07:00

Came across this little fella at the Zombie Research Society's blog and decided he needed a story. The image was found at Deviant Art, courtesy of the fabulous Ruben Martinez. Now, for the first submission to "The Midnight Society," I call this story...Zombunny: An Easter TaleOn a misty gray Sunday morning, a young rabbit lost his life beneath the tires of a wayward automobile. An unfortunate

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-5361689021267823542011-04-07T14:30:00.000-07:002011-04-07T14:30:01.640-07:00

"Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story..."If this familiar phrase rings a bell, you've probably seen at least a few episodes of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" I feel that current TV programming is woefully absent of shows like AYAotD and other serial classics like HBO's "Tales From the Crypt" and "The Twilight Zone." While I'm in no position to start swapping out

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-49043808955635270982011-04-04T15:00:00.000-07:002011-04-04T15:12:55.676-07:00

In all the chaos of trying to become an author (marketing, platform building, editing, re-editing, crying and binge-drinking), I sometimes forget to do the most important thing: write. So last night I did what I haven't let myself do for a long time. I got an idea and I just wrote it out. It's a sci-fi tale with a horror twist or a horror tale with sci-fi elements, whatever sounds better to you.

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-25110000998326989542011-04-02T11:50:00.000-07:002011-04-02T13:19:44.717-07:00

As Old Man Winter refuses to retire and let me open the windows to air this place out, I figured I might as well do some virtual spring cleaning here on the blog. But one cannot move forward until one knows where one...is...or something. So let's recap!Recently I made my long-term project "Crawl" available for purchase. You can buy it on paperback, pdf/e-format or on Kindle. I'm currently working

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-82932650828953181102011-03-31T17:10:00.000-07:002011-03-31T17:41:40.340-07:00

As March is rapidly coming to a close and April Fools' Day is hours away, I wanted to get a quick blog post in lest you think me a prankster. (Honestly, the biggest joke played on all of us this year has been the promise of Spring weather...) So, without further ado, here's how you can get your hands on a free, autographed copy of "Crawl!"First, head on over to Michelle Davidson Argyle's blog and

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-48789391186371390092011-03-22T15:58:00.000-07:002011-03-22T16:17:06.650-07:00

In the few short weeks that "Crawl" has been available, copies of it have already traveled the world. I fully expected to saturate every corner of Pennsylvania with the book because it's my homebase and that's where I know the most people. And, let's face it, people are still the ones reading books...at least until our alien overlords arrive. I will gladly sell "Crawl" to them too and autograph

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-77923672094468463612011-03-14T20:25:00.000-07:002011-03-14T22:20:18.111-07:00

Let me bring you up to speed if you haven't been around for the last few weeks: I recently made my horror novel "Crawl" available for purchase in print or in eBook format from Lulu (you can order by clicking that stylish orange button on the right). It's also in e-format over at Amazon if you have yourself a Kindle. The response so far has been nothing but positive and that has definitely taken

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-46794678038270270462011-02-25T14:22:00.000-08:002011-02-25T14:51:38.169-08:00

I'm slowly getting over the anxiety of making my work available to my adoring public. Certain very cool things have helped me along the way. They are as follows:-My Mom. I mean obviously she's going to buy whatever I write and tell me it's the best thing ever penned by human hands, but her unwavering support makes every endeavor that much easier.-My friends. Again, I appreciate that they're eager

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-1137467446248145452011-02-17T13:38:00.000-08:002011-02-17T14:16:35.457-08:00

For those who've already made your purchase, my sincere thanks...and apologies. Lulu just sent me a promo code that would have saved you 20% off a purchase of "Crawl." If you haven't bought a copy yet, make sure to visit Lulu.com and put in the promo code HAPPY. You can click this handy button on the right side of the screen to automatically put both the paperback and electronic editions in your

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-13163752084815231862011-02-16T15:19:00.000-08:002011-02-16T15:38:19.082-08:00

Happy 2011! (Maybe you've caught on by now that I'm not the most timeliest of people...)So what is all this news, you ask? Well first and foremost, I am alive and well and still writing. That's item #1. But now that THAT'S out of the way...Some of you may remember that I participated in National Novel Writing Month and I not only survived it, but I actually enjoy what came out of it! "Indigo" is

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-15872398157582784702010-12-01T15:26:00.000-08:002010-12-01T15:44:23.905-08:00

I know it's December 1st and NaNoWriMo 2010 is almost 24 full hours behind us, literally yesterday's news. Rest assured, I completed the 50,000 word goal within the month. The 50,000th-ish word crossed the finish line at approximately 22:29 EST on 11/29. Plenty of time!It's awesome to know that I accomplished something I'd set out to do. It's even cooler to know that thousands of people out there

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-64775616064615863882010-11-15T16:04:00.001-08:002010-11-15T16:11:41.563-08:00

It's half-way through November, which means I should be half-way through "Indigo," right? Right. And half-way means 25,000 words, right? Right.Here's the problem...I'm about 5,000 behind! How did that even happen? For two weeks I had been diligently keeping ahead of the 1,667 words a day pace. So what changed?Oh, just a little thing called life. I'm way over-extended this month and have already

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-83311133612245206312010-11-05T14:26:00.000-07:002010-11-05T14:44:22.930-07:00

"Remember, remember, the fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and plot.I know of no reason the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."~ V for VendettaI'm not just posting this because it's the fifth of November, or even because it's a kickass movie that I'm probably going to watch during a writing break tonight. I'm posting it because the film had a huge influence on my current project, "

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-90583077568318811252010-10-31T21:01:00.000-07:002010-10-31T21:01:04.015-07:00

And so begins the 30-day marathon of writing! I'm tired already...Good luck to all the other participants!~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-58372808075131504812010-10-22T13:37:00.000-07:002010-10-22T14:03:16.763-07:00

After weeks of INTENSE voting, it's time to tally up the scores!As it stands now, "Undead Delivery" is in first place with 3 votes, while "Indigo" was a close second with 2 votes and "Romero Strain" made it a race with 1 vote. But wait a minute...what's this...Much like in Harry Potter where Gryffindor House is woefully behind in the standings, some last minute changes have occurred. There has

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-40857462679793113622010-10-18T14:00:00.000-07:002010-10-18T14:00:02.047-07:00

Do yourself a favor and read this short post by guest blogger Christine Fonseca. If you're a creative type, it'll remind you that you're not alone when you start to question the quality of your work. If you're not a creative type, it'll help you understand your friends that are, ie "why we freak out a lot." :-)~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-34858565840859762442010-10-15T13:40:00.000-07:002010-10-15T14:48:13.539-07:00

That poster has little to do with today's post, but who can resist a platypus playing the key-tar?!Now for my own little Venn diagram:So, yeah, the basic idea is that I'm smack in the middle of three projects at the moment. One I just finished and am currently awaiting feedback. Another I'm pulling off the dusty shelf and seeing just how much work I still have to put into it. And the last is

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-9063087608513156362010-10-12T16:00:00.000-07:002010-10-12T16:00:00.717-07:00

Came across this vlog post today and had to share it: THE NEAR WITCH HAS A COVER AND IS AN ARC AND ZOMG *DIES*.Go wish her a congratulations on her book and upcoming publication!I'll sit here and plan how I will share the news when I: - get an agent- get a book deal- get an ARC shipped to me- get published- take the literary world by storm~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-53636612786563340862010-10-11T15:00:00.000-07:002010-10-11T15:00:00.170-07:00

No writer is perfect. A great writer of dialogue may struggle with conveying action. A master of description could have issues with pacing. One person's strength could be another's weakness. My weakness is openings. Well, particularly, first chapters. I'm all right with hooks and first lines. But I fall into the trap of "setting up" the rest of the book in that very important first chapter. They

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-36021957415914777712010-10-06T15:25:00.000-07:002010-10-06T15:28:26.037-07:00

As promised, here are the final six story ideas I'm considering for National Novel Writers Month in November! Please take a look at the brief descriptions and vote for which one captures your interest the most! Any comments you have will be most helpful.Dark Rebellion (fantasy):A young orc, banished from his homeland and left to survive in the wilderness, finds unlikely hospitality in a band of

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-16548425184500869592010-10-05T20:02:00.001-07:002010-10-05T20:03:46.168-07:00

Will a fire, once rekindled,sustain a man one winter more?Or should he seek the firestarteron some distant southern shore?

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-78896522660006568062010-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:002010-10-05T17:00:03.348-07:00

The Phantom Tollbooth was where I first learned of a term to describe that sleepy, no-energy, depressed feeling: the doldrums. We call it a lot of other things: the blues, the mopes, seasonal affective disorder, depression, apathy. Whatever you call it, the feeling ranges from acute to clinical. It could occur because of a gray, rainy Monday morning (welcome to Pittsburgh) or even during a bright

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-18019293026951015052010-10-01T14:50:00.000-07:002010-10-01T15:00:08.254-07:00

Happy first day of October! I love everything about this month: autumn colors, piles of leaves, football, cool nights, football, hayrides, pumpkins, apple cider, jack o'lanterns, football, HALLOWEEN, and contests!*The Oatmeal sums up the stages of Trick 'r Treating quite nicely*Somewhat offensive language/themes, ie not for kidsBut what was that I said about contests? Well I'll have more info on

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-3997720455312488532010-09-24T12:00:00.000-07:002010-09-24T12:00:02.072-07:00

Some quick news bits today:1) I narrowed down my list of potential projects from a very daunting 17 to a moderately more manageable 6. I really feel like I have enough substance and excitement to take any one of these 6 to completion. In no particular order, here are the (potential) titles and genres of the final six:Dark Rebellion (fantasy)Indigo (sci-fi)The Business of Murder (thriller)The

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-1126396746193549572010-09-23T12:00:00.000-07:002010-09-24T07:29:35.309-07:00

While I love NBC's "Community," this post is not about the show. Rather, it's about the community of writers, bloggers, agents, published and represented authors that form a supportive network across the interwebs. Interestingly enough, I've found that the most helpful, talented and altruistic people tend to shine through during a contest.A contest! Think about that for a second. Here we have a

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-5976285447383858582010-09-15T12:35:00.001-07:002010-09-15T12:48:22.056-07:00

I came across this bit of news today and just had to share it!How cool is that?! The first installment in the trilogy isn't even available to read until November, but Disney had to outbid Paramount for film rights. That has GOT to feel amazing for the author (no pressure!)Though the Collider.com article is a tad on the cynical side (to be expected when you combine the Disney-machine with Twilight

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-18398614943346191142010-09-14T12:02:00.000-07:002010-09-14T12:02:00.590-07:00

Have you ever suddenly woken up from a bad dream? Probably.Have you ever combined something going on in real life into your dream? Like, say a thunderstorm or an alarm clock or a ringing phone? Sure, who hasn't?Have you ever laughed yourself awake? Erm...maybe?Ok, well have you ever woken yourself up purely from an idea? I had that experience the other night. Yes there was a thunderstorm and yes

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-83939456591721110592010-09-13T14:40:00.000-07:002010-09-13T15:01:40.855-07:00

If only decisions were as simple as they appeared in cartoons. Alas, life is not so black and white. Case in point, my current problem: what project to focus on next?I've narrowed it down to 17. Yes, I said "narrowed down to," from a pool of God knows how many ideas. Some were cut because I just didn't feel that spark of interest that I had when I originally jotted it down. Some were thrown out

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-38111941663522090952010-09-07T19:31:00.000-07:002010-09-07T20:02:49.931-07:00

So the Kindle might not be the end of books as we know it, but this device very well could be. Straight from the website itself, the company admits that "reading would be more fun with pictures, sounds, interactivity and your child's favorite characters."Now, maybe it's just me, but I interpret that as: "Here is a chance to schlock out more of the same old commercial product to further line our

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-34103806280840482472010-09-07T12:00:00.000-07:002010-09-07T12:00:02.188-07:00

with my Kindle! It's so pretty and sleek and functional. The days of books overflowing my shelves and weighing down my luggage are now behind me. And they know it...I swear that since I received my Kindle, my other books have been out to get me. I had one fall off my bookcase and hit me in the head as I walked by. Another ended up under my feet and almost tripped me (possibly because I was

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-57510062618583861782010-08-24T12:00:00.000-07:002010-08-24T12:00:01.195-07:00

The internets are all atwitter about the release of "Mockingjay," the third and final installment in the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. While I have yet to read any of the books (still waiting for my blasted Kindle...) I can't help but get excited at the anticipation surrounding the release.And I wonder why that is...What makes some books/trilogies/septologies into obsessions? What

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-29202776048778221602010-08-20T15:53:00.000-07:002010-08-20T15:53:00.087-07:00

And now..............champagne!Nah, just contests. Here we go!Flash fiction contest at Janet Reid's blog. Prize: 101 Things I Learned in Film School and 101 Things I Learned in Business SchoolYou've got until midnight tonight to submit!More contests than you can possibly enter over at Adventures in Children's PublishingAnd if you're more interested in submitting finished works, here is a list of

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-83371568511344643452010-08-20T10:25:00.001-07:002010-08-20T11:28:12.653-07:00

Yes, yes, I know. I was supposed to put a new entry up yesterday. Well, I had a good reason not to: I was drinking.Not just drinking for drinking's sake thought! I attended an event at Pittsburgh's Toonseum called "Toons & Brews."The toons were everywhere: cells from TV shows, hand-drawn renderings of beloved characters, signed comic strips with editorial comments and a run of episodes from

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-32894652545479837892010-08-18T13:31:00.000-07:002010-08-18T14:47:45.514-07:00

As I am currently knee-deep in red ink from my first revision of Blackwatch, I thought it would be prudent to recruit some help. I've got 60,000+ words to sort through, multiple characters that may or may not be essential to the story, not to mention some truly awful dialogue. Every time I try to cut a character, they convince me that it's better to keep them in. Some of them guilt me into

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-8133233109192836152010-08-17T13:46:00.001-07:002010-08-17T14:06:03.077-07:00

Who would you rather hang out with:Clark Kent or Superman?Peter Parker or Spider-Man?Bruce Wayne or Batman?With the exception of that last one, I'd always go with the superhuman. (A billionaire's party beats brooding in a bat-cave any day.) Why? They're just more fun! They get to do things that ordinary people don't, or can't. Even though each of them is fully capable of handling himself in a

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-35824711236029750402010-08-09T12:09:00.000-07:002010-08-09T12:11:36.933-07:00

I planned on setting up automatic posts for this week, but the weekend got a little crazy. I'll be out of town in the swamps of Loo'siana for the next few days. So as long as I don't end up gator-bait, I'll see you all next week!~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-53480200165771589192010-08-06T14:53:00.000-07:002010-08-06T15:00:37.512-07:00

Ashley over at "Books Obsessions" made my Friday a lot easier by posting a few book giveaways. Check it out!And "Adventures in Children's Publishing" has a nice Contest & Giveaways section on this exhaustive wrap-up post. Last, but certainly not least, is a massive query critique contest sponsored graciously by Joanne Volpe as part of WriteOnCon next week! Should be an amazing couple of days!Good

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-30351954049650263382010-08-05T14:50:00.000-07:002010-08-05T15:09:34.055-07:00

People often ask me where I come up with my ideas, or how I have so many ideas, or what the hell is that crazy idea all about?The truth is, I don't know. Sometimes it's just a spark from an environmental clue. A couple of posts ago I talked about an evening spent observing people at a mechanic's shop and letting those observations work their ways into a cohesive story. My current WIP was

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-1204410370407980662010-08-04T13:42:00.001-07:002010-08-04T14:53:15.483-07:00

So you've probably heard about or seen or maybe even read Stieg Larrson's "Millennium Trilogy." (It's definitely on my "to be read" list.) If you're familiar with it, then you've probably seen this fella around: ö "Is that a surprised omg emoticon?" you ask. No! It's an example of today's Punctuation Celebration! Mr. Umlaut was kind enough to stop by the office and answer a few questions, with

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-74631728014475890892010-08-03T12:35:00.000-07:002010-08-03T13:04:25.652-07:00

Inspiration can strike anywhere. I'm amazed by people who have true writer's block, because I've never gone a day without experiencing some sort of inspiration. It could be passing a strange billboard or something that annoys me during the commute or just the way a person is dressed or talking that day. It's all around us!So yesterday as I was sitting at my local Pep Boys for some unscheduled

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-85820813214863896252010-08-02T12:51:00.000-07:002010-08-02T13:02:18.735-07:00

Came across this post on "In Search of Giants" and thought it needed immediate re-posting. If I'm lucky enough to place in the Clarity of Night contest, I'll be donating the prize to the cause. If not, I'll find another way!~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-53910122864658141332010-08-02T12:17:00.000-07:002010-08-02T12:43:27.758-07:00

Adventures in Children's Publishing has the usual weekly wrap-up of writerly goodies.Pimp My Novel has an extra special MONTHLY review, featuring July, the summeriest of months.And Nathan Bransford's usual weekly summary. Lots of exciting e-pub/e-book/e-reader/e-verything news lately. Plus a second helping of Jane Austen's Fight Club, even though I'm not supposed to talk about it...Finally, we're

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-42180350002239153712010-07-30T20:17:00.000-07:002010-07-30T20:18:55.390-07:00

I've entered a short fiction contest over at Clarity of Night. If you're interested, check it out!Feel free to read and comment, but voting is only for those who have submitted. Sorry!~VK

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-75467177266154324422010-07-30T10:04:00.000-07:002010-07-30T11:14:41.497-07:00

Contests abound this week friends, so let's get to it!The folks at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management got swept up by World Cup craziness a while ago. They decided to have a tournament to determine which country will hold the title of "World's Best Book." Cast your vote here!If you want a ton of swag and about a billion ways to get it, head on over to The Misadventures in Candyland. Or click

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-47660600048491661592010-07-29T12:00:00.000-07:002010-07-29T12:00:04.446-07:00

Joe Konrath has been quoted as saying:"There's a word for a writer who never gives up: published."I love this quote for its simplicity and it never fails to encourage me. In this day and age, there are so many avenues to get yourself published. You can go the traditional route and query agents, who will shop to publishers and so on. You can write for magazines or anthologies, paper or electronic.

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-47109335386776547032010-07-28T11:29:00.000-07:002010-07-28T12:38:26.387-07:00

Where would we writers be without punctuation confused for one thing everything we write would simply run together have you read the famous Ulysses novel by James Joyce there are at least two instances of stream of consciousness without any defining punctuation if you haven't read that then this introduction should give you an idea of just how frustrating it can beSee? Isn't this much nicer?

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-8970613063856638152010-07-27T12:00:00.000-07:002010-07-27T12:00:01.783-07:00

A common piece of advice among writerly folk goes something like this:"Write with honesty and clarity so that the reader trusts that she is in capable hands."While I get what that's supposed to mean (in other words, make sure your writing is tight and don't yank the rug out from under your reader) , I'd take the advice a step further:"Be the best liar you can be."When you stop to think about it,

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-31726487974060967412010-07-26T12:00:00.000-07:002010-07-26T12:00:00.399-07:00

Since our multitude of writerly news congealed (it's all about word choice) so well last Monday, I'm going to make it a regular thing. To know what people are talking about THIS week, you need to know what happened LAST week, especially when half the people are griping about Amazon while the other half are praising them.As always, I'll start with Nathan Bransford who starts off our wrap-up

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-14756504617405997422010-07-23T13:20:00.000-07:002010-07-23T14:06:02.505-07:00

When presented with the opportunity, always always always take the Mystery Box:Er, maybe just stick with the boat. And if you're ever given the choice of picking a numbered door, curtain or box, always follow this equation: (Highest number) / (number of choices) = WINNER!Outside of "Let's Make a Deal" or "The Price is Right," my next favorite games of chance are writing contests. There are some

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-39549021326023794842010-07-22T12:00:00.000-07:002010-07-22T12:00:00.604-07:00

Today's little rant that's occupying my mind: dystopian vs utopian fiction. The blog post title, paraphrased from Stephen Hawking's appearance on an episode of "The Simpsons," illustrates that not all things are as good as they might appear on first blush. At least, that's how utopias are portrayed in the literary world.Let's take H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine." Time traveler ends up way in the

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-86476683683439117782010-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:002010-07-21T12:00:01.406-07:00

As is usually the case with new movies/books/albums/concerts or any form of artwork I get exposed to, my brain starts rolling. In this case the inspiration happens to be Christopher Nolan's film "Inception."{{following post contains SPOILERS so if you'd rather not have this fantastic movie ruined, STOP READING HERE}}Now, I've been a fan of Nolan since 2000's "Memento," which still ranks as one of

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-1066704321493410092010-07-20T09:00:00.000-07:002010-07-20T09:00:00.529-07:00

For those of you who read my weekend post, you knew I was up to my elbows in ink and paper over the last few days. But it was well worth it!"Blackwatch: Order and Chaos" is complete! Sorta!While the pen & paper work is done, I have about half of the story to actually type up. This is a chore in itself, but it's an extra editing step that lets me hear how

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-91554930977656076432010-07-19T12:13:00.000-07:002010-07-19T13:01:48.500-07:00

Rather than give a daily recap of publishing/writing industry blogs, I'll recap the recap.Huh?Every Friday, there are some very very good summaries of posts from that week. So I'll summarize the summaries, list the lists and condense the condensations, creating a one stop shop for all your writerly needs!1) Nathan Bransford's weekly wrap-up featuring the Double Rainbow song (which I listen to

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-22691838317195502010-07-16T14:19:00.001-07:002010-07-16T14:28:17.421-07:00

What are your plans this weekend?Whenever I'm asked this question, my response is usually the same: writing. Most people don't really know what all that entails but rather boil it down to a boring waste of a weekend spent being a hermit, with nose in a notebook or fingers on the keyboard. Actually, that's pretty much what I'll be doing.63 hours until I have to be back here on Monday morning. A

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3122433225731713838.post-66743263175424104242010-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:002010-07-15T11:56:33.296-07:00

News from the Publishing World brought to you in bite-size chunks:From The Rejectionist comes a fun distraction that analyzes a sample of your writing and compares it to the style of famous writers! Apparently I blog like William Gibson (which is awesome!) and I write like Dan Brown (which is...well I don't know how to take that one really)One of my new favorite blogs to follow, The League of

Vincent Kalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04625863843215035035noreply@blogger.com0