Happeeee

Clara said it all week. We made several attempts to see Happy feet at the theatres and finally succeeded at the IMAX yesterday. The movie was full of energy and life. The IMAX experience was amazing... as it always is. One thing jumped out at me. The fundamentalist, religious themes and the way the "elders" and the "old guard" utterly rejected the newcomers' ideas with no consideration. I know I am pushing it to look deeply into a family cartoon but I think the religious theme was there along with the "save the earth" undercurrent of the entire flick.

Strangely, watching this film reopened wounds created by Branch's baptist's "group of elders" 2 years ago now. The ideas of inclusion versus exclusion cut deeply then and remain in my heart now. Tolerance, compassion and the battle between a desire to seek new ways or entrench in the old are central to everything I do now. Even Alyssa, somehow made the subliminal connection to Branch's from this movie. There was something about the connection to singing, our "heart songs" and music being a unifying force that struck home for all of us. She asked about returning their to worship and see friends on the way home. I am not ready to do that yet, but perhaps soon.

This was a good family film, entertaining and thought provoking. The polyvalent story was beautiful and thought provoking. Ultimately, the look on Clara's face as she said Happeeee when she saw the poster as we left... made it worthwhile all around. I do wish it was easier to sustain the Happeee emotions.

Saddam has been executed...

...I'm not an advocate of the death penalty, I don't believe that is our decision to make. I think it's arrogant...but then I read about what he has done and it's kind of hard not to think he got what he deserved...but there is a difference between Justice and Revenge...so I've been told.
It's finally done though...
finally...for the thousands that lost their lives under his regime...I hope their families feel better...at least relieved. Now lets get our troops out of there!
;-) peace

The hills are alive with the sound of music

2007 is almost here. So what are my plans for New Years Eve? Ab-so-lute-ly nothing. Huh! Isn’t that a line from a James Brown song?

I’m still here in my hometown of Athens, TN. Me and Guapo got tired of jogging the hilly streets, dodging traffic, getting honked at, and generally being a nuisance to the locals. So my dad recommended I check out the new regional park. I loaded up my dog and drove the couple of miles, pulled into the new park, and you’d think I’d just opened a really awesome present.

Hiking trail, I read on one sign. Walking trail, I read on another. Mountain bikes, on another. 3.1 mile loop, on this sign. Expect incline, on that sign.

I squealed, I actually squealed I was so excited. Being 7 in the morning and freezing cold, no one was there. I had the whole place to myself. Me and Guapo jumped out, buckled into our jackets (yes, my dog has a jacket), and we took off.

“The hills are alive with the sound of music….laaa, la, la, la” That song played in my head as we ran like crazy people onto the first trail. It cut through the woods, climbed some hills, went down others. There was a creek on one side and downed limbs we had to hop. We had so much fun, I swore I saw my dog grinning. We were gone for an hour before I even realized 60 whole minutes had gone by. Needless to say, we’ve been back nearly every day since.

Now I know those of you out there who live in the mountains and are reading this are probably rolling your eyes. But I’ve been living in Florida for over ten years now and although I grew up here in the hills of TN, it’s easy to forget how fun they are.

Oh, by the way…I found out my latest suspense, DESCENT INTO DANGER, is up for a CAPA award. Woohoo!

Dieux Du Stade 2005

Hmm..this may be considered a classic. ;-) I like posting videos 'cause I don't have to write much (like you all wanna hear me anyways!) I just post something hot...and I'm through and I appease the guilt I feel about not updating my blog that often! LOL
enjoy... ;-) peace

DIEUX DU STADE 2005
Uploaded by Sourie7

Merry Christmas!

Dear Blogger Friends and Blogger Readers...I hope each and everyone of you have a great Holiday and all your wishes come true! Thank you for stopping by my lil blog and checking it out and thank you for the emails I've received also. As we head into a new year, I want to say I have great and exciting things in store for this blog...but if you've been reading...you know I'm just to damn lazy!! Have a great one!!
;-) peace

This is so F*in adorable!....

...I love this, cute straight boys acting gay to a really cool song!!
;-) peace!

My Humps 2 Guys Dancing
Uploaded by dailypenguin

Work Life Balance ;)

This past week or so was among the hardest and most rewarding weeks I remember in my life. I am physically and mentally exhausted, but I am proud of every moment. I shouldn't have been able to get through it, but I believe as I have many times in the past years that I was sustained by the Holy Spirit.

Things I want to remember someday
Christmas cantata at HRBC.. didn't love it, learned it, and the living part was beautiful.. as the drama connected with ours and the Hulin's life directly On Tuesday night in Lasker, Kathy read the beautiful testimony of Laurie's and we lived out the some of the story as it was presented in the cantata.

Natale 2006 was overwhelming emotionally, as Bel canto came together to sing beautifully for our first real concert. The simple elegant reading of Matt and Dana on the Weems poetry touched my soul.

Three kings there are come riding from afar.. from Navidad Nuestra is a powerful song that stays in my head. the infant wakes and when he smiles, I see the sun light the skies.

Riding the road, burning up 95, between DC to Richmond, to NC, do it all again tomorrow

Charles' elegant presentation of the simple arrangements of Christmas carol.

Kathy's horn line from the Bruington concert on the Schubert Mille Cherubini

The stunning color of Tracee's voice at the end of Christmas Song, and the spirit and joy in the "swing" section when she and Charles connected with the audience.

VoIP and all that it entails, from dealing with the senior execs to the "manipulation" of customer experience. A more politically correct word is management, but it felt like I was being manipulated, and doing quite a bit of my own. Only two roles in life: a player, or being played

WorkLife balance and the concept of working at Cap1 so that I can do the other things in the world which sustain me.

Actually singing at the Woodland Hts concert through some sort of superhuman, out of body experience. I should have cancelled, but my pride and ego got in the way and somehow my voice held out. I think it mattered to the attendees and I know it mattered to me. Thank you God, for helping me through it.

Understanding and "finding" my limits, physically, vocally, emotionally. I know now, what I can and cannot handle. I am sustained by my communities, family and faith.

The Open door Life group lunch at Ruby Tuesdays where we took over the smoking section for a great time of fellowship together.. 36+ people all in one place, at one time because we chose to spend time together.. It was awesome...

I LOVE making music with the Hulins!!!!!

Perspective is the key to getting through the day.

From Isaiah 40 The Message
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired,gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.

Home for the holidays

Well, hello everyone. I’m blogging from my hometown of Athens, TN today. I’m here for the holidays with my trusty dog, Guapo. Its rainy and dreary and surprisingly warm. Its been a steady 50 degrees. Its supposed to be dropping down to the 20s this weekend. So here’s hoping for snow.

I went out jogging yesterday and was fondly reminded of the hills east TN sports. Can anyone say sore muscles?

I’ll be going to Gatlinburg today. It’s a great little mountainous town and if you haven’t been you definitely need to go. I haven’t been in years, so I’m excited to see the changes.

Hey, here’s a review that I just got that was posted way back in May for DESCENT INTO DANGER. Funny how long it takes to get things:

“Greenland offers a fun read filled with bohemian characters and nature’s splendor.”
~Booklist

That’s it for now. Talliho!

Happy Thursday...

...it's freezing here in Sactown and it's cold as heck! Then again, praise be the beer gods I'm not in Denver!! So to warm things up...another video from Dieux Du Stade! ;-) peace

Christophe Dominici
Uploaded by etreange57

Trans Siberian Orchestra X-mas Lights

I *love* this video...I had it as an attachment last year...and found it on youtube this year (of course) so here it is! Happy Holidays!
;-) peace

Now this is true...

..what I wanted to say, but Kendall put it in to the words that realy hits the nail on the head!

"What Will It Take....

Before I begin let me just say, I know I am going to sound like someone's mother when I write this, but oh well, someone needs to say it. Also let me say these are MY thoughts and opinions, if any information is not correct in the writing I apologize but I am just going on what I have seen.

What has happened to the young entertainment culture?

I grew up in the 70's and 80's. I had a crush on Kristy McNichol (isn't there something freudian in that?) streaking and pot was about as bad as it got. We drank Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill like it was water and when we wanted to go ghetto we would drink Miller Lite Ponys.

Today it is a whole different world and sadly not a better world.
Four of the most popular women in the celebrity culture have proven to be skank whores with little to no redeemable qualities. Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Nicole Richie."

See the rest of the article here!
scroll down, you'll find it...it's good and it's REAL!

It's all about the Eyes...

...happy Monday all. Another week starts, bringing us closer to the end of the year. Anybody with any resolutions? I have none, I'm pretty much close to perfect... so it's hard for me! lol, not! It's been a long year for me, living in two states and working two very different jobs, I'm still "adjusting" in a way. Everything happens in three's so I'm waiting for another Colorado church leader to come out...that would be a great way to end the year! Although I'd be jealous as hell if he slept with a guy with Eyes like these!
;-) peace

TGIF!!!

This week took forever to end and now that it did, I'm grateful. Well my Friday night consists of DVD's and the dog and cat laying at my feet. I hope everyone had a good week and an even better weekend. Here is another Dieux Du Stade video (NSFW) enjoy! ;-) peace

Guerin Bruyard Beguier
Uploaded by etreange57

No Clue

I don’t have a clue what to blog about, but I like to blog at least once a week.

So I’ll just randomly write for a paragraph or so and see what comes out of me. (This should be interesting)

My dog, Guapo, is cuddled up here beside me with his Snoopy doll. Yes, boy dogs can have dolls. Its okay. It won’t mess with their sexual gender. Although, Snoopy’s a boy. So I guess boy dogs can have boy dog dolls. Then again, Guapo really enjoyed his pink Miss Piggy. He enjoyed it so much he ripped it up. Hmmm…maybe he’s trying to tell me something. Because his Snoopy doll has lasted months. And that’s unheard of around here. He generally destroys a new doll within days. So maybe I should take a lesson and buy him only boy dolls. No girls allowed.

I’m going to get a pedicure today. I don’t normally do the manicure/pedicure thing. But I’m going with my girlfriends as part of one of their birthday celebrations. I’m dreaming more about the latte I’m going to have while the pedicure is going on.

My favorite overalls that I’ve had almost fifteen years busted a clasp. I was heartbroken. These overalls are soft and worn in. Their frayed around the ankles from years of use. So I trucked it down to the local seamstress shop (because I’m so totally not a sewing kind of girl) and handed the prized overalls over. She said she’d call. I just checked my voice mail. It’s been four days. I think I’ll call her.

Okay, that’s it for random thoughts. Lets review. Dog. Pedicure. Overalls. Nothing like staying consistent in my brain patterns.

I love Goofyblog...

...I do, Porter Venn has the best of the wacky and the goofy! You don't have to search the 'net...it's all right there for you. One of his latest posts...SOY makes you gay!! oh lawd...will they never stop? check out Goofyblog and read about the "rightwing nut jobs" it's great! ;-) peace

This is just not right...

...really...it has to be a sin to be this beautiful!! To see more "revealing" pics go to Bent and see more, oh and yes... I will have a "It's all about the eyes" session of him soon....gorgeous. You look and your breath literally goes away...! BTW he's cuban and his name is William Levy...or Apollo...Narcissus...whatever! (as usual click for larger pics)
;-) peace

Tis the season...

...Christmas is almost here and I'm so not prepared, and so behind in bills I may not even reach being prepared! In any case, it'll be my first Christmas with family in a long time, last year I studied...alone...in my office at work...in S. Dakota, so this year should be better.
Some more hot men from French Rugby...actually...French Athletes (like we care) :-) peace

Dieux Du Stade NSFW(I normally don't do NSFW stuff, but these are really good...without being nasty...I think anyways)

Gauthier Gautherie Previtali
Uploaded by etreange57

More Dieux du Stade

...ah yes, some more videos from the gorgeous men of Rugby...en Francais! ;-) peace

(may not be NSFW)

2007 Bogdan Leonte Dieux du stade
Uploaded by etreange57

p.s. stay tuned... there will be more :)

BFF

BFF: Best Friends Forever

I’m spelling it out for all of you old farts (dad) that read this and don’t have a clue what BFF means.

Friends are something else. Some you have your whole life, some come and go, some you meet later and they stick with you.

My long time best friend, Jill Hockman, I met when I was two. Can you believe it? Two. We’ve been attached at the hip every since. What’s funny is throughout our entire childhood we only went one year to the same school. But we grew up on neighboring farms and managed to always see each other. Even later in life when we each moved to a different place, started careers, etc… we still manage to hook up. Now we live states apart and just yesterday I got the best email from her. Love you, Jill!

Then there’s the people you meet and hang out with day in and day out and then one day you realize its been a while since you’ve seen that person. Before you know it, months crawl into years and you wonder whatever happened to him/her. So Amanda from college if you’re anywhere out there, I had a blast hanging with you all those months, eating fondue and being generally obnoxious. Miss you!

And then there are those you meet later in life and you build a real solid mature (eek-never thought I’d say that word) relationship. You share your joys (marriage, children) and your sorrows (divorce, deaths) and you know the friendship is there to stay. So Britta and Shelly and Tara, thank you for all the years of ‘mature’ and dare we say immature times. Love you guys!

Christmas time is here again...

..I'm actually kind of in the mood. Usually I could care less, but I'm all into decorating and putting up lights n shit! Last year I studied on Thanksgiving and was by myself for Christmas (insert awwww...here) this year it's cool to have a roomie who is into the season also. Next year, who knows...I may be celebrating in Denver with snow! :-) peace
p.s. I'm not sure about the "new" blogger, I can't control how my photos are laid out...ok let me rephrase...I don't know "how" to control the layout of my photos... :D

Heroes!!

OMG! How good was the episode tonight? Sorry I don't do recaps...but I can't wait for next year!!

Fast & Festive Fiction Writing Contest

It's the Ho Ho Holidays and you should be looking for new readers in your stocking. What better way to draw them in than by showing them all your treasures and talent?

Looking to get your publishing career moving? Looking for a way to revive characters from books that have been out for a while? Want to introduce new characters for upcoming books? Looking for a way to build your readership? Have we got a promotional opportunity for you!

This month Echelon wants original stories set during the winter holidays! Christmas, Hanukkuh, Winter Solstice...you get the point. Whether your story is a touching romance, a terrifying thriller, or a confusing whodunit, we want to read it! We urge you to think outside the box on this one...holiday stories in...Russia, Germany, Italy...let your creative spirit soar!

So for December, submit your festive original story and wait to see if someone inserts a publication contract in your holiday gift pile.

Echelon Press would like to publish your "Fast and Festive" December story. The fast part means you have until December16, 2006 to submit your story of 3000-6000 words. The winner will be notified by December18, 2006 and have 5 days to edit/revise the story. Echelon Press will publish your story in its e-book division on December 25, 2006. Simple!

Send your submissions to contest@echelonpress.com. Stories must adhere to the following guidelines.

Standard Manuscript format:

• File saved in Word format (.doc) or (.rtf) (Send all submissions as an attachment)
• 8 ½ x 11 page
• Times New Roman 12pt font/black
• 1-inch margin on all sides/ 1.5 line spacing
• Align text left, do not justify (aligning text both left and right)
• Header containing title, author name and page number
• Capital letters at the beginning of sentences and proper nouns
• Show new paragraphs by indenting first line of new paragraph .3. Do not add blank line between paragraphs.
• Show scene breaks with * * * * centered in the appropriate line.

All cover letters must include:

• Name (and pseudonym if applicable)
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• E-mail address (if available)
• Web address (if available)
  

Submissions that do not follow the guidelines will be deleted without consideration or notice.

Superman Returns

I'm watching it now, wow, Brandon Routh is hot!! I won't say I'm a big Superman fan..but I have seen all the movies...tonight I noticed...isn't there something very sweet about Superman? He's very sweet...and honest...and protective. I'm halfway through the movie now...have to go finish it, so far, so good!

;-) peace

It's All About The Eyes

So I went and saw Kathy Griffin last night! That bitch made me laugh my ass off!! I never laughed so hard. I totally recommend seeing her live if possible! Now...some pretty eyes for ya.. ;-) peace...

Deadlines

Yet another deadline met and gone.

This past Wed I had a deadline for round 3 of edits on book #2 in THE SPECIALISTS series. I made the deadline, skirting in at the very last second (which is very unusual for me. I’m normally days early)

Its funny, and I know its just my personality, but as soon as my editor gives me a deadline, I fa-reak. Here’s an example:

Editor: Here you go. Get that to me in two weeks.
Me (internal): Holy !@#$%
Me (external): Sure, oh editor of mine. No prob.

And then night and day I work, typing, focusing, deleting, rewriting.

Me: All done. Yay! Go Shannon, go Shannon, go, go
Editor: (grin)
Me: Allow me to brag, I am five whole days early after all
Editor: you’re so awesome

And then I stop and think, why did I freak so bad? I’m an excellent time manager. I knew I’d meet my deadline.

Then a week or so later I get another and the process starts all over again. (Sigh)

Secret Santa?

The Gay Guru is thinking blogger friends can do a Secret Santa for x-mas....I'm all for it!!
;-) peace

Sometimes I'm to real...

...like this Sat. nite conversation...my bad??

Saturday Night Conversation
Aim : I feel so much on my shoulders right now - possibly not having a job, bills, men, feeling of no direction

Leonard : that's called life sweetie. Job, if you lose it, you find another one and no bitching about a paycut, just be lucky you can find one. Bills, you will have them the rest of your life...it's the American way, especially if you keep buying yourself "i'm losing my job so I need..." clothing. Boys suck, throw rocks at them. No direction, in time you'll find what it is your supposed to be or do just go with the flow.

Aim : I hate it when you dont show up for my pity party

Leonard : please, wait until you catch your first cold of the season...

Aim : eww - that's not even close to being true

Leonard : sorry, I'm looking at famous nude celebrities right now...I have my priorities.

Making of Dieux Du Stade 2007

Finally the "Making of" video has been posted!! They show even more gorgeous rugby playing skin. ;-) peace

Making of Calendrier Dieux Du Stade 2007
Uploaded by GayClic

Testing...(Noah)

All right, I am trying to post an image, which I don't know how to do because I am lame. I did this for a zine that my friend Paul Nudd put together. So let's see if this works:



Hey, how 'bout that? Soon the world...will be mine! Ha ha ha!

T-giving in my underwear

I ate T-giving dinner in my underwear. No, seriously, I did. I’m down in the Tampa/St. Pete, FL area right now. I checked the weather channel. I knew what to pack, and I packed just fine: jeans, flip flops, short sleeve shirts. But I didn’t pack shorts. It was supposed to be low of 50s, high of 70s. And it was. What I didn’t count on was how hot an oven can make a house.

Like blazing hot kind of hot. We had all the windows and doors open and fans on. It didn’t matter. Hot, hot, hot.

So…I ended up putting boxers on and eating T-giving dinner in blue, dalmation undies.

Gobble-gobble!

Mysteries for the Young at Heart: An Interview with Brenda Chapman

Growing up, I loved books. I found myself drawn to strong characters around my own age, and I adored anything that captivated me and gave me the chance to solve a new mystery…other than what was under my bed. I recently discovered a new author who took me happily back to my youth. In a society filled with anger and rage, this fresh voice offers an alternative for young readers by giving them stories filled with danger, intrigue and a lot of fun.

Brenda Chapman has written a series of books that will give young teens a fresh new set of adventures to embark upon. Her first book, Running Scared, featuring young heroine Jennifer Bannon, was published in 2004, and the second, Hiding in Hawk’s Creek was published in 2006, both by Napoleon Publishing in Toronto. I was pleased to interview this delightfully talented author and to be able to share this new treasure with all of you.

KS: Brenda, you grew up in Terrace Bay, a small mill town in Northwestern Ontario. I once wondered if foreigners, including Canadians, were influenced by the same authors as us Americans. Who would you say were the three most influential voices in fiction for you?

BC: When I was growing up, the Canadian curriculum certainly drew from American authors. I remember reading Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Telltale Heart” and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter in high school and both have stayed with me. I also studied American Literature in university, in addition to Canadian and British. My favorite American books include Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, and Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and The Old Man and the Sea. I particularly like Hemingway’s sparse use of language and his imagery. I’ve also read widely in the American mystery genre, including all the books in the series by Elizabeth George and Sue Grafton.

KS: Nancy Drew comes up more often than not when talking to women and girls. Why do you think Nancy has become such a significant role model?

BC: Nancy Drew is a heroine who uncovers puzzles and injustices and who sorts them out, always with a satisfactory ending. While the puzzle draws readers in, she is a character that young girls (the intended audience at the time) can identify with, or at the very least, someone they would like to have as a friend. The books are simplistic on an emotional level, but good, escapist reading.

KS: You've created an incredible character in Jennifer Bannon. Is there any part of you in this character? Did you derive any of the familial bonds from growing up with siblings? Was your vivid imagination an escape from the "middle child syndrome"?

BC: Jennifer Bannon has my sense of humor, my love of sports and my aversion to confrontation. She has a strong soul but isn't confident–an odd juxtaposition, but one I admit to sharing. Jennifer also has a close relationship with her sister Leslie not unlike the relationships I had with my sister and brother growing up. I was a middle child and perhaps that helps me to understand both the older and younger sibling roles in my stories. My two daughters have also been a great resource for me in creating Jennifer and Leslie. As for my vivid imagination, I’m not sure where it came from, but it's always been with me. I’m still something of a daydreamer and writing gives me a good outlet.

KS: Growing up in a small community with few of the perks kids have today–computers, video games, etc. – what made you decide to write mysteries instead of the typical high tech adventure kids seem to crave?


BC: I like to write about characters and relationships, issues that we're all dealing with at all stages in our lives. I do not believe these themes ever go out of style. The outward trappings may change, but kids will always want to read about peers grappling with the same problems they're facing. When I read to groups of kids about Jennifer’s parents separating, I wonder how many of them are dealing with the same sadness. I also want to show kids that people are not all on the surface – what we see is never the whole story. I use the mystery genre to hook kids into a good, suspenseful story while weaving in characters they can relate to, empathize with, and perhaps, learn from.

KS: I can only speak from the American side of things, but most people I know don't think of Canada as foreign, but there is a definite distinction. I know you write for your market, but have you had to make any adjustments to suit the American market?

BC: We’re always told that to sell to the American audience, Canadian authors have to use an American setting. As a reader, I enjoy stories set in other countries, be they the United States, China, France or wherever; I cannot imagine that American readers are any different. My books are for sale in many countries, and my publisher has not asked me to tailor my writing in any way to suit other cultures. I am currently working on a story set mainly in Minnesota, and my agent suggested that I use American spelling, but that’s simply a grammatical change that does not affect the story.

KS: What do you hope readers will gain from the stories you tell from Jennifer's point of view?

BC: I hope young readers will gain insights into Jennifer’s thought processes and see that while she reacts one way, she may be thinking or feeling something completely different. For instance, Jennifer hides how desperately she wants her parents to get back together, even while pretending that she accepts her mother’s new boyfriend. I’d like kids to know that it’s okay to have mixed feelings about people and situations. I’d also like to have them share in Jennifer’s curiosity, her compassion and her ability to see humor in life.

KS: In a world filled with Rowling fans who clamor for their imaginations to be stretched beyond belief, how do you think your writing will affect readers as a whole being more of a realistic tone?

BC: I believe there is room for the fantastical world of J.K. Rowling and the more realistic, mysterious world of Jennifer Bannon. Both series offer escapist reading with characters that age and develop, although Jennifer Bannon is more likely to be the friend they have at school. Having taught reading for a number of years, I am thrilled when kids discover an author they like and thrilled that they are reading from a wide variety of offerings.

KS: What is your personal favorite type of fiction? Do you find inspiration in the stories you read?

BC: I have always been drawn to suspense, a good storyline and vivid characters, everything the mystery genre offers. I tend to read mysteries for relaxation, but I also enjoy poetry and have a well thumbed copy of T. S. Eliot poems that I pull out every so often.

KS: What can readers/fans expect from your future stories? Do you have any plans to allow Jennifer to grow or do see a limit for the series?


BC: The third Jennifer Bannon book entitled Where Trouble Leads will be released by Napoleon Publishing in spring 2007, and I have just submitted the fourth manuscript. Jennifer is thirteen in Running Scared, fourteen in Hiding in Hawk’s Creek and fifteen in the last two books. I currently have no plans for a fifth book but might at some point in the future.

KS: What would you say to young readers and writers?

BC: Read widely. Learn new vocabulary and embrace ideas. I would also advise young writers to learn grammar because it is the tool writers need to construct stories, just as carpenters need tools to build houses. Finally, I would say to write about your own experiences and to find your own voice – the best stories are those that make a reader feel or think about something that matters personally or globally.

RUNNING SCARED by Brenda Chapman
Review by Karen Syed

Jennifer Bannon is thirteen years old and she's beginning to wonder if she will make it to fourteen. Things are weird at school, her best friend is acting strangely, and she isn't sure what’s going to happen now that her dad is back in town. But none of that means anything when Jennifer watches a neighbourhood women run down by a familiar car that speeds away into the night.

Scared what might happen to her, Jennifer tucks the secret deep inside while she tries to figure out what to do next. Then, things get really tricky when Jennifer receives warnings to keep quiet and she starts feeling that she is being followed. Reluctantly, she decides that she has to discover who was driving the car, but before she can uncover the truth, Jennifer's little sister goes missing and Jennifer fears the worst. Will she find her sister unhurt, or will she become the next victim of a mystery attacker?

Brenda Chapman is an excellent storyteller with a style that will appeal to readers of all ages. Her characters are likable and realistic. RUNNING SCARED is full of adventure and thrills – a good solid mystery that will have readers turning pages until the very end. This one should be in every kid's backpack for a fun read.

This is a recent sketchbook drawing done after a strange night performing with: http://www.levenshulmebicycleorchestra.com/index.html

Beware the skulls that glow bright green!

Alright, here's my bit. I'm Aeron Alfrey, I make comics, paintings, drawings and digital collages. I went to the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis until the end of my junior year. I focused on painting, art history and print making. I had a serious problem with the art school scene as I despise a lot of the non figurative abstract (drip painting) junk that is so highly regarded there. But I do miss having a giant painting studio where you're surrounded by dozens of unique artist spaces and all the weird sketches and paintings everyone would have scattered in their work zones.

As of now I'm working on a book titled "Hob Bob" which is going to be between 600 - 1,000 pages. The story concerns a magician named "Hob" who is framed for murder by his evil twin magician/wizard brother "Zob Bob" who has him executed in order to steal a strange collection of eggs that he transforms into a horde of monsters to destroy the world. Hob is decapitated and his body escapes into the wilderness. The book revolves around the weird adventures Hob's decapitated body, his head and Zob Bob get into. While I'm keeping the story simple and without words, it's more an excuse to show off an incredibly detailed fantasy world and all the strange inhabitants that exist in it. This sketch shows Hob's headless body wandering over a rock formation as a tribe of creatures that resemble giant paint brushes pass along the ground below.
I have another book project titled "The Land Of The Moth" which is entirely made of digital collages. Some of the heavier influences are Joel Peter Witkin's photography, the writings of Lewis Carrol and the digital works of Alessandro Bavari. It's to be a sort of dark fairy tale for adults made up of large black and white digital illustrations. It's a fantasy world focused on death/horror and the fantastic. You can see some older examples here.

Those are my two favorite projects that mean the most to me. Beyond those I have dozens of other smaller projects. I'm doing a book of 1,000 monsters that has been really fun. I've got some drawing and painting series that I'm planning out. One series will be the architectural insides of surreal haunted houses. I did drawings like this as a child, none of which I still have. As an example of my obsession with the strange and monstrous, click here here and here to see drawings I made somewhere around the age of 7 or 8.

Anyway, I love horror films. I've watched Return Of The Living Dead at least 50 times. I have somewhere around 1,200 horror films either on dvd, tape or downloaded copies of. Check out Tracker 3, really good collection of weird movies for download on there.
Fiend Wihout A Face is but one of the awesome movies on there. I'm a huge fan of unusual animation. Fantastic Planet is one of my favorite films. I love about anything that's stop motion. I dig videogames but have a difficult time staying focused on them. I think that "Shadow Of The Colossus"is the greatest work of art of the last year. I have a weird approach to games, as an example I recently picked up a two dollar trial for World of Warcraft just so that I can roam around the weird dungeons to take screenshots for reference material in my comics.

I love fantastic art but regret that certain types of artists that consider themselves "visionary" have polluted the scene. Photoshop filters that discolor your hair doesn't make your work "fantastic"!! I love fantasy art but hate the way it's infected with thousands of horrible artists obsessed with painting lord of the rings fan art, generic unicorns and dragons. I try to extract some of the best art of the fantastic and creature ridden in my art blog "Monster Brains".


As far as music, I listen to thousands of bands. I'm mostly into electronic, indie rock, 80's and soundtracks. I'm a big fan of Sigur Ros, The Knife, Broadcast, The Flaming Lips, Boards of Canada, Wendy Carlos, David Bowie, Electric Light Orchestra.

Check this track out by Joakim, good example of what I like in music, electronics and rock.

That's about it from me, here's a pic of my intoxicated mug. I'm the dude in the middle sportin the "city of lost children" tshirt.

Happy T Day~!

My bro is down from Oregon and my other bro will be at my moms. Not sure about my cracked out sister, but I hope she is well and yes, I will at least call and wish her a Happy Thanksgiving. I get to see my babies tomorrow (Raymond and Lakota, nephew and niece) so I'm excited about that. I beat people down tonight to get a copy of CARS so we can watch it together, hey, ya do wacha gotta! ;-) hope everyone has a great Holiday however you spend it. Eat lots, we have a good excuse to stuff ourselves for the next few weeks. ;-) peace
p.s. and because it's a Holiday...you KNOW who you get today. :-)
Happy Thanksgiving Joseph Sayers!

Bio-Graphism---- LP

Following Noahs' lead, I thought I'd provide an introduction of sorts.
I am the one who cobbled all of us together, so some of this may be redundant. However, I know some of you more than others.

- My last name is spelled PRZYBYLSKI. It is pronounced SHA-Bil-Ski, believe it or not. It's a common name among American Poles, specifically in the Milwuakee, where my parents grew up.

- I've been interested in comics and art for forever. I decided long ago that I'd dedicate myself to being a part of that world in some form. Though I do draw and make comics, I'm not sure that's what I'll end up doing- I am not as good at it as I should be ( or anyone should be if they want to be published in some form) . I have an interest in writing fiction, screenplays, criticism and all that.
As you can glean, the whole comics/art thing is a constant source of confusion for me. I tend to change directions mid-stream; One day I'll decide I should dedicate myself to a realistic, classic drawing style and the next I've vowed never to make a representational drawing again. I envy those who seem to have a "natural", or unquestioned direction in art and comics.
I've been published in ONE fanzine.
I've made my own zines twice now, but only made a few copies. Most have been destroyed.


-this is one my best drawings, in my opinion.

-I'm 28 and just last week discovered the first grey hair on my head.

-I've lived with the same girlfriend for 5 years now, mostly in Mineapolis/St. Paul, save a year in Chicago, where I came very close to attempting to burn the entire city down.

-I'm an unrepentant fan of METAL; Death Metal, Black Metal, Classic, thrash, etc.Have been since I was 12. My favorite Metal band of all time is The Mighty VOIVOD.








- I took a few college classes, but found the whole thing stifling. I have a deep-seated distrust for academics and whatever institution I've ever known.

-As such, I've worked a series of shitty jobs for my entire adult life. Mostly cooking in restaraunts. I spent some time in a great comics shop in MInneapolis and worked at the Art Institute of Chicago for a few months, where I decided Post-Modernism and the vast majority of Modern Art are complete scams and have nothing on pretty much everything pre-modern.


-Me hating modernism on paper..


- I used to tour with a friends' band. I was the 'merch' guy. It was fun, but I never have to go to another indie-rock show for the rest of my life.

-I'm interested in drawing phantastic material, but have very catholic tastes in what I read, watch and listen to.



-I'm a huge fan of Kenneth Smith. and spend a great deal of on-line time participating in his email-network.

- My favorite film is Mike Lieghs' NAKED. That and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.

-I'm a huge fan of Alex Jones and his Prison Planet sites. I'm planning on doing a series of posts that are related to what is called "conspiracy" subjects.


That's that.
Oh, and please, don't make me look like an ass by not doing something similar yourselves..