Thoughts On the Teaser for the New Star Trek Series

New Crews, New Villains, New Heroes, New Worlds

Those are the words from the teaser for the new Star Trek series, herein known as Star Trek: The New Series or ST:TNS. Don't look at me, they won't give me a real title either. They are the closest thing I have to insider information. They don't make me excited. Hell, they don't even make me happy. Put quite frankly, they make me a little pissed off.There is something that makes for a long lasting series. It doesn't matter if it's Three's Company, The Brady Bunch, Friends, Seinfeld, Battlestar Galactica or freaking Jeopardy. The one thing ALL OF THEM had in common was a central cast, even if it is a single cast of one for Jeopardy.  Even Quantum Leap had Sam and Al and every episode Sam was someone different but he was still Sam. Think about it.

Let's take MASH as an example, because I grew up with that show. Yes, Henry left and we got Colonel Potter. I always liked Potter better anyway. Yes, Trapper John left and we got BJ and there was Frank/Charles too. At the end of the day though, we always had Hawkeye. We always had Radar. Klinger was around from the first season onward as well and, let's face it, MASH just wouldn't be the same without Hot Lips. I had my first celebrity crush ever on her in like 1984.  Yeah, it's like that. And yes, I know the series ended in 1983 but it was in re-runs BEFORE it ended. And then what happened?

Over time, you really grew to love these characters. You felt like you knew them. When I was little I wondered what was in that still that they were always drinking out of. Now I'm bitter because they won't share. The thing is, I had a real attachment to them and so did the rest of the audience. You tuned in every week to find out what they were up to and what was going to happen to them. It mattered to you because they were your friends. When Hawkeye kissed Margaret it was exciting. When Henry got shot down on the way home we were all in shock. (Okay, I was in shock the first time I saw it. I missed the episode the first time around. Something about a wet diaper I was wearing I think.) I could go on, but I think my point here is made. It was the people that had us all tuning in every week.

Here's the thing: ST:TNS is advertised as new crewS -plural. We've all seen episodes of Trek at one point or another that feature multiple starships. The Battle of Wolf 359 comes to mind, as do multiple episodes of ST:DS9 during the Dominion War. The thing was that the Enterprise crew was always the main cast of ST:TNG. The crew of DS9 was, oddly enough, always the central cast of ST:DS9, along with the odd Ferengi here and there, all of which were still in the mix for the war. When our friends went through hell, we went there with them. It didn't matter if it was Kirk taking over the crime syndicate in "A Piece of the Action" or Archer in "Shockwave Part I and II" we went bled with our heroes because they were part of our lives. It doesn't sound like the new series is going in this direction though, and that bothers me.

If, and this is a big if, I'm reading this right, we're not going to get a central cast. If they're going to jump around from crew to crew with no continuing cast of characters, what's the point of tuning in every week and/or paying for the CBS All Access if we're not going to have a crew we care about? Where does the connection come from week to week?  I work for a living. I have kids in another state that I struggle to keep up with. I write. I read. I game. If you're not going to give me a cast of characters that I can get to know and actually give a fuck about why would I tune in?

Listen, we've all heard the debate about what made ST:TOS great. Was it the tech or the message? Was it the first inter-racial kiss or the thought of crossing interstellar distances with about the same amount of difficulty that the US Navy has crossing the ocean now? I've heard nerds rage at each other about this. I've read more on the subject than I quite frankly care to as well, but know this: What made that show work was the crew: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, Scott, etc. When the ship was shaking and Scotty was screaming "I'm givin' 'er all she's got Captain!" what came next mattered to us. The messages were absorbed by identifying with the characters. The tech surrounded them and made what they did possible. In both cases, it was the characters that made us care.

So here is the point: I hope I'm wrong here. We lost a decade of Star Trek on TV because a movie failed to make money and "the audience was saturated." What's going to happen if this series fails because these asshats won't use a formula that they have used time and again for decades? Why would they do this? Listen, I know they're starting a new service and they need a revenue stream to make it viable long term. I know how loyal Trek fans are because I am one. I also know that Star Trek: Nemesis failed because the movies had not stayed true to what worked for the TV show. Now they're trying a new idea, built from scratch, that doesn't stay true to the history of the brand. Here's hoping that it works because I want to see this brand continue to move forward.

The really scary part is that all my other complaints make sense based on this. Think about it this way: Why don't we have an announcement about a cast? Because there's not going to be a steady cast. Why don't we have the name of a new ship? Because there are going to be eleventy bajillion of them. Why don't we have the name of a captain at least? Same reason. Why haven't we seen new uniforms? Maybe those will change. It it's a new crew and a new ship every week they could be using new time periods every week too. Lord knows Trek doesn't have a consistent continuity so there's no reason to worry about screwing it up.

This is a business too and let's think about things this way: How much is it going to cost to continuously construct new sets? How much is it going to cost to constantly be making new uniforms for new actors? How much is it going to cost for the constant changeover in props from episode to episode. If it doesn't make money it'll get dropped. With the extra expenses caused by going from one crew to the next, how is this thing going to make money? I mean, I don't have any stock in CBS so it's not going to make any difference to my bottom line personally. The fact remains that a financial loss has had huge implications for the franchise we all love once already. It could happen again.

Guys, I want to see this show succeed. I really do. But if that's going to happen, it needs to be good. Looking at what I see coming it doesn't look good. I really am afraid this will be it. Why continue making shows if this one fails? Especially given the fact that they gave up on Trek after a successful run with ST:ENT over something that had nothing to do with the show itself. Please, God, let me be wrong but this just looks scary to me.

Some Star Trek related items are available at the links below:

Title: Amy Lynn. Author: Jack July

(No, I don't usually name my posts like that but when the title of a book is a name, I find it a bit confusing. Also, yes, this is a SF/F blog, but this is not a SF/F book. All the same, it's Memorial Day, this is a positive book about the US Armed Forces and, well, it's my blog and I make the rules. So there.)

Any good story, and by that I mean book, movie, television show, oral history, etc., centers around a character or group of characters. That's how it works. It doesn't matter if the setting is down the street or across the universe. It can be a war story or a love story, a two thousand word short or a forty volume series but the characters have to work. If the reader doesn't want to see the main character succeed and the antagonist fail the story is not worth their time. Every once in awhile though an author gets it just right. I've read more books about Raistlin Majere than is probably healthy for one individual. My best friends as a small child were named Kirk, Spock and McCoy. I've cheered a million of Honor Harrington's.  We all remember Hawkeye from Mash and House from, well, House. My friends, it's time to learn a new name. The  name I'm speaking of is not Jack July, although that's a good one to remember too since he wrote the story, it Amy Lynn. That's the name of the book and the main character and this chick is one for the ages.

I'll get to the story, but allow me a second to talk about the main character. Amy Lynn Braxton is an amazing individual. I don't spoil stories but let it be known that this girl goes through more in life than any human being should ever have to and she does better than anyone could ever expect. Amy is raised with no mother, loses her brother at a young age and then.. I'll leave it to the story to tell the rest. Let's just say that Amy's worst trial is both visceral and raw and hits the reader and the character both hard. It's not a scene for the timid. She gets through it like a champion though, even if it does take a long time. She survives heartbreak after heartbreak and in the process becomes a great student and a world class athlete. There is a dark side to her too.

Amy Lynn actually does some things that are straight up horrifying. They're necessary. They make sense but they aren't pretty. Then again, given the circumstances it makes sense. Amy has seen some of the worst things that humanity is capable of and always bounced back. On the other hand, those things have left marks on her soul. When she does what she does it's shocking but it feels right. It's in character and it fits her background and situation. It leaves the reader sickened and wanting to celebrate at the same time.

In short, this is a complicated character. She's a Navy Corpsman with the Marine training to have earned the spot. She's a stone cold killer when she needs to be but she works with children in a military hospital in Afghanistan saving lives. She refuses to join any of the sports teams at her high school and then finally gives in... and goes to states in her sport. She loves her family and friends... and she does what is necessary to protect them. It's a good thing for her that she has friends too, because she finds herself in trouble from time to time and she needs them to get her out of trouble.

This is, however, not one of those books where only the main character is fully realized. Amy's uncle Jack is a great guy and a retired Navy Seal. Her Aunt Carla Joe is a woman with a story that is just as gut wrenching as Amy's, yet she is every inch a southern belle. Amy's father is a hard working guy of the kind that is commonly found in any American community who has just been through a lot. The Braxton family in general is not a family to be messed with but at the end of the day they're not doing anything that many of us wouldn't want to do in the same circumstances. These characters all work together to make this book both enjoyable and rewarding.

Amy Lynn joins the Navy late in the book. I'm wondering if perhaps July hasn't done some time in the military himself because his military characters just work. July has envisioned both the best and the worst that the military has to offer, from the lecherous CO to the NCO that saves Amy when she puts him in his place. Amy's life is saved by someone and she saves a few others. Her bond with HER Marines, who bestow upon her the hallowed title of "Doc" feels as real as it gets.

July's knowledge of politics is also well displayed as we go from the grandstanding assholes in Washington who want to make a name for themselves by shitting on war heroes to the ass-kicking president who puts them all in their places. July's president is a woman I'd vote for. I can't wait to see what she does in the next book.

July knows how to get an emotional reaction from his audience as few others do. Throughout the beginning of the book we're witness to the trials and triumphs of young Ms. Braxton as she grows but we're never quite given a year that it's set in. The book was published in 2013 and I had assumed that the date was relatively recent and never get it another thought... until he mentioned that it was a very specific historical date, one that hit hard because I lived through it. It brought back memories and they weren't pleasant. It was the only way to make the story work and it fit perfect but it hit hard. In other words, it was perfect execution.

I usually only critique story but there is one thing about this book that made me bonkers. The first letter of each chapter is a different font than the rest of the story. That in and of itself is something I've seen a lot but this time it was different because they displayed incorrectly about half the time and were a line or two below the rest of the text. I don't read many books on my phone so maybe that's why this happened, but it was a distraction. I wanted to walk up to the author with my hat in my hand and a hangdog look on my face like an orphan in Oliver and ask "Please, Mr July, I just want to read your story sir. Why are you hiding letters from me?" It really did effect my enjoyment of the story at times.

This should be clear at this point, but I'll say it anyway: If you are squeamish, do not read this book. The violence in Amy Lynn is both graphic and disturbing. I have to believe that it was meant to be that way. Sometimes that's what works best for a story and that is the case here. Blood and death are as much a part of this story as the heroism that goes with it. You have been warned.

Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Dr Peppers (and it would have been 5/5 if it wasn't for that freaking font problem)

Amy Lynn
Jack July
Self Published, 2012


And now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to go wear my Folds of Honor hat and watch We Were Soldiers.

Speaking of Folds of Honor, they are an organization that provides scholarships to spouses of military members who have fallen or become disabled in battle. If you've got a couple of extra bucks on Memorial Day, they can use your help. https://www.foldsofhonor.org/

This post is dedicated to those American service members lost in battle. Enjoy your holiday in heaven.

Amy Lynn is available at the link below:

Seriously, Stop It

In the deep dark distant past, say like five years ago, it used to be that you had to have some creativity to write a movie script and have a prayer to have it accepted. Once upon a time you had to have an idea that centered around a group of characters and made us all care about them. Think about it. A lot has been said about George Lucas's inspirations in writing the original Star Wars trilogy. The fact remains that he conceived the character of Luke Skywalker, the existence of the Galactic Republic and even the Force as a concept. Once upon a time, a man named Gene Roddenberry conceived a group of characters named Kirk, Spock and McCoy and built an empire that is still producing new TV shows five decades later. I don't even know who wrote Avatar, but at least even that was a new concept be it one with a political message that I wasn't really a big fan of.

In the modern (or should I say "post-modern") world though, you don't need an idea. You don't need a new set of characters that people will care about. No, all you need is an all female cast, an idea that worked for someone else and the word "sexist." Yup, as in "You are sexist if you don't like this movie." That, after all, is the slogan of the new Ghostbusters flick. We're all supposed to love this movie even though the trailers for it so far have sucked. Given the fact that the best parts of the movie are usually what's shown in trailers that's scary. But hey, it stars women so I have to watch it and love it or I'm a sexist, patriarchal oppressor. Note that there is no mention in this theory that a movie should be GOOD to be loved. No, it is supposed to be enough that women have taken over roles that were once played by men.

Granted, this started a few years ago with specific roles but it's never been necessary. Seriously. Marlon Wayans was selected to play  Ripcord in GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Why? Is GI Joe a franchise that is lacking in black characters? Doc, Heavy Duty, Stalker, Roadblock, Hardball, Alpine, Colonel Courage, Iceberg, Double Blast, Dr Link Talbott, hell even The Fridge are all GI Joe figures that have black skin. It was done as a political move. There is no other possible reason for it. Listen, if you want to make movies about your particular point of view you have the right to do so, even if I disagree with your point. Dammit though, make your own movie with your own characters and leave us geeks alone.

Look, I get it. Anybody who is familiar with Soviet art and architecture knows that leftists and creativity go together like oil and water. I get that. The leftists in the US haven't been raised in a truly communist society though. They should be better equipped to create something decent. This is pathetic. No, screaming the same old crap about patriarchy is not creative, nor is yelling the word racist at anyone you don't like. Political threats are old hat. Ruining someone's career because they said something that doesn't follow the party line is a trick that was used by both Stalin (he's the leftist here) and Hitler (who people claim was a rightist even though he led the National _Socialist_ German Workers Party). There is nothing new here.

Speaking of Hitler, he pulled exactly this type of stunt. Anything written or conceived by a Jew or disagreeing with the Nazi ideal was seen as "degenerate" and therefore banned. Sound familiar? It sounds an awful lot like re-writing Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. It sounds a lot like taking white male characters and changing them to something else. Seriously, let's just brand people who look like me as "untermenschen" and get it over with.

Again, I'm not calling for women or minorities to be left out of the arts. They have a very valuable place in our culture. Hip hop music has had an influence on our culture that is undeniable and the only people who try to stop that are the same people who call me racist. Apparently, liking something that was made by someone who doesn't look like me is "appropriation" and "racist". Newsflash people: The majority of voters in this country are white. The majority of the voters that elected a black president are white. The real breakthrough between cultures that made Barack Obama possible was made by guys with names like Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel and Jam-master Jay. Oh, and let's not forget MC Lyte, Yo-yo or The Lady of Rage.  By pushing this crap you are doing far more to hurt yourselves than a white girl with dreads could ever hope to.

This applies to gender as well. This is an SF/F blog, so let's talk female authors: Some of my favorites are Kate Paulk, Sarah Hoyt, Mercedes Lackey and Catherine Asaro. Actually, my favorite of Catherine Asaro's books is Radiant Hawk which posits a matriarchal society. It's an awesome read. I haven't reviewed it here because it's been a long time since my last re-read but it rocks. There are several books reviewed here (probably actually a majority, but I honestly haven't counted) by female authors.

It's time to stop the madness. I'm completely open to female characters and authors. I'm completely open to characters and authors of any race. Granted, to the best of my knowledge and belief I have reviewed precisely one non-white author (James Young) but that's because he's the only person I have received a book for review from. If you're not white and you're an author of SF/F, or if you have a SF/F movie that you would like review, send it to me. I'll give it a fair review. Keep in mind that FAIR means that if you want a good review it better be a good story. I'm not going to give you a good review based on race, skin color, sexual orientation or any other reason than the story. There are many of you out there who can do it. I've seen it.

Ruining old material won't do anything to advance your cause with the general public. Neither will a bunch of preachy bullshit stories. Well written stories will. One of the reasons Twelve Years a Slave is so powerful a story is because it's so well written and acted. Yes, it's based on a true story. Yes, slavery was wrong. The fact remains that the movie makes its point not by being preachy (although it has a powerful message) but by showing a person that the audience cares about going through emotionally wrenching trials. Not by harping at its audience and not by replacing a white man with a black one or man with a woman. Watch that movie. Learn not just the lesson you're meant to learn but the lesson about story telling. Stop the madness. Create something yourself. Make it good. The influence you exert on an audience will be much more intense if they enjoy what you're saying. Even those who disagree with you will respect you. Right now I don't and neither do a lot of other people who enjoy good stories.

Some Good Stories by Minority and Female authors are available below:

The Color Chart

Listen. Don't blame me. I'm just the messenger. I mean yes, I wrote it and yeah, I'm responsible for it.Still, at the end of the day, I wasn't given a choice. This is a rant that's been building for years and it has nothing to do with Science Fiction or Fantasy but I needed a space to vent. It's my bloggie and I'll post if I want to. (You would post too if it happened to you. Bu duh duh dunt dunt. Or sumfin') I mean really. So let's work this out, shall we?

Ladies, (and gentlemen who agree with them if there are any) I hate to break it to you but there are only like somewhere in the neighborhood of ten colors that exist. No, that doesn't mean that I'm colorblind. I've been tested for colorblindess. I got thirty-nine out of forty colors marked right and the other one I got marked down on because I squinted. I'm still bitter about it too. The lady even confirmed that it was the number six. I suppose I'll get over it eventually. It's only been twenty-two years but these things take time. That's not the point though. Here is the point:

Red is a color. Brick is not a color. It is a building material. Fire engine is not a color. It is a vehicle that carries comes to keep your house from burning down. Rose is not a color. It is a plant. I've always found that one weird since apparently anyone who would refer to "rose" as a color IS colorblind. There are, after all, red, pink, white, orange and yellow roses that I know of. There may very well be more, but I have hay fever and I try not to study anything that exudes pollen too closely.


For your further edification, I will list other things that are not colors:

Pumpkin is not a color. It is an orange fruit.
Tomato is not a color. It is a red fruit.
Puce is not a color. It is a bodily function best performed into a toilet or urinal.
Egg shell is not a color. It is God's way of making me work for my breakfast.
Ivory is not a color. It is a substance that people used to make jewelry before it became illegal.
Mauve is not a color. It is properly spelled "Maude" and is an old TV show.
Burnt is not a color. It is what happened to my toast last night when the toaster button jammed.
Gold is not a color. It is a metal. It is also a medal. Someone out there didn't get that. Please try to keep up.
Crimson is not a color. That is a word made up by that school in Ohio. If you like Crimson you are pathetic and probably also a criminal, especially if you like Gray with it. (More on Gray below.)
Strawberry is also not a color, but if you have any feel free to bring them by because they sound really good right now.

So, having discussed what is NOT a color, what is a color? Allow me to elucidate:

Black is a color. I like the color black. I look good in it because it is slimming. It is the color of empty space. It is an awesome color.

Blue is a color. The Detroit Lions wear blue. The Michigan Wolverines wear blue. The North Carolina Tarheels wear blue. No, none of those blues look the same but they are all equally blue. Blue is my favorite color. If you are a woman and you want to Jimbo to think you look good wear blue. Then again, there are other colors women look good in as well. If you don't care if Jimbo thinks you look good you can still look good. Or you can wear something else. Dammit, I'm off topic again. At any rate...

Orange is a color. Put orange lettering on a blue background and you get the uniforms of the Detroit Tigers. Orange is also the color that hunters wear so that it sticks out in a woodland background. Orange is a really cool color.

White is a color. Don't give me that crap about "It's not a color. It's a shade." Shade is something that happens when light gets blocked. White is the predominant color of most away uniforms. It is an important color. Which team is the home team is a very important thing to determine when you end up watching a game you weren't planning to.

Yellow is a color. The sun is yellow. Yellow therefore sucks because it causes sunburn.

Green is a color. It is the color of sickness, decay and Michigan State Spartans. It should be shat upon whenever possible.

Brown is a color. It is the color that comes to mind whenever someone says "green." See the reasoning for such under green.

Gray is a color. Many of my favorite shirts are gray. I like gray.

Pink is a color. I wore pink when I walked the Three Day. Pink is the color of survival. I'm not going to be able to do the Three Day this year, but maybe next year I'll wear some pink again.

Purple is a color. My daughter Riley likes the color purple. It is also the color of annoying dinosaurs. Put bluntly, I'm not sure if those two facts are related or not.

Ok, so I was wrong. There are eleven colors. That is really all there are. There is no need to pretend that there are more. There is no reason to tell some poor, unsuspecting man that something is ivory when he can see it is clearly white. No, you don't have an aquamarine dress. You have a dress that should be blue but has contracted some dress disease and is slowly turning green. You should probably discard said dress and get a real blue dress that you will look good in.

To all the ladies who have read this far, I would like to say congratulations on educating yourself and simplifying your life and mine. To all the gentleman who have read this far I would like to say that yes, you were always right and I am here to support you in your time of need. Now, regardless of which category you fit in, go forth and be awesome!


Some color and sports related items are available at the link below:

Hugos, Puppies and Left Wing Whiners

For the second straight year a Hugo Controversy has erupted. This is the fourth iteration of the Sad Puppies movement, the second year of the Rabid Puppies and yet another year of many when SJWs and other assorted vermin thought that they had the right to lock anyone out of their awards if they didn't have the right, by which I mean Left, politics. Here's the funny things: As nerds and geeks we don't give a rat's ass what you think about us as people. I've been called names since before I knew there was a Right and a Left. I'm used to people like you and the bullshit they spout. Bring it.

Look guys, we tried being nice. Yes, for Sad Puppies One, Larry Correia got himself nominated because he knew you would all freak out. You did. Then came Sad Puppies 2. Correia decided he would nominated one work in each category based on entertainment value instead of Social Relevance and you got a little more pissed. How dare this misbegotten son of a conservative and his flea-bitten followers violate your safe space. And then, Sad Puppies 3 appeared over the horizon.

Sad Puppies 3 had a new leader. Brad Torgersen appeared over the horizon and he wasn't screwing around. This time he accepted suggestions from others for his list and came up with a bunch of nominees in most categories. He had the temerity to suggest that people read what was on the list and make their own decisions. You Leftist types were outraged. I get it. Free thought is anathema to those of you who wish to control decisions. How can the rest of us be forced to think as you do if you can't control the information we absorb? I get it. It was an approach that worked for Stalin, Mao and Hitler and now the Left in the United States wants to use the same approach. This is just one battlefront.

I've written here about the types of tactics the left is using in the United States and who pioneered them. TL:DR Berntards and Black Lives Matter types are using the same techniques Mussolini and especially Hitler did by committing violence to their enemies and attempting to rewrite history. And no, the SJW types in this country haven't quite burned the books that they hate, electing so far to either rewrite or ban them. I'd give even money as to what tomorrow holds. Make no mistake, the SJW types that want to ban alternate political views from their awards are using the same techniques.

Here's the thing folks: It is not possible to compromise with totalitarians. The only workable options are to rebel or submit. I choose to rebel. It's time to burn it all down. If you believe you're too good to share your awards then maybe you don't deserve to have them. What is happening here is not just a fight over awards, it's a fight over the only type of diversity that matters: The diversity of ideas. 

The Puppy Kickers would have you believe that we are the Nazis. Not so. Irene Gallo was one hundred and eighty degrees away from the truth. Let me tell you a story to illustrate my point:

Once upon a time there was a man. He believed in a cause. He railed against social injustices carried out by a race of people that controlled the money, the power, the press and even international banking. He blamed them for all of society's problems. He believed that the lives of people like him mattered and the lives of those he hated did not. He banned all ideas except his own and banned "degenerate" works. In other words, he removed the right of anyone to disagreed with him.  His name was Adolph Hitler. Although he is best known for hating and killing Jews, they only make up six million of the twelve million people he murdered.

As a matter of fact, when the concentration camps first opened, they weren't meant for Jews or Gypsies. The first people put into the camps were political prisoners: Those who committed the crime of disagreeing. That's why the gates of Auschwitz read "Arbeit Macht Frei." That translates roughly as "Work will make you free". The Jews weren't going to be released and everyone knew it. The point of the sign is that the political prisoners could eventually make it out... if they did as they were told and didn't step out of line. That's pretty much what the Puppy Kickers want from us.

Look, I'm not saying that the gas chambers are about to open for conservatives or that it's the Puppy Kickers who would do the gassing if they did. What I'm saying is that creating a precedent of banning people from things because they disagree with you is a dangerous step to take but it's one that WorldCon seems incredibly comfortable with. Refusing to vote for someone who deserves an award because of a possible political association between them and the people who nominated them is a symptom. If the Kickers want totalitarianism and unity of thought they're welcome to seek it, just not in my country or my genre.

The next question then becomes what to do with Vox Day because, let's face it, he's no different than the people that he hates. The SJW types and Vox want a war with each other with us caught in the middle. I say a pox on both of their houses. We're SF fans right? How many of you have read The Ashes series by William W Johnstone? In one of the books, and I can't remember which one in particular, Rebel leader Ben Raines is faced with fighting a group of white supremacists one on hand and a group of white hating blacks on the other, so he does the intelligent thing: He incites a fight between the two groups. He lets them kill each other. When they're too hotly engaged to effectively disengage from each other he cuts loose with the heavy artillery and kills both sides. I'm not advocating actual physical violence here, but if the two sides want to metaphorically beat each other to death it's only smart to let them. The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy and nothing more, yet there is an opportunity here. Let them burn each other out. Once we've cleared the field of both sides we can help pick up the pieces and support stories that entertain rather than "inform."

Listen people, I have a degree in history. I understand the importance of academic presses and their mission of increasing the knowledge of humanity. The fact remains that houses like Baen, Tor and even Castalia do not exist in that capacity. They exist to entertain a mass audience, not to support one side or another politically. The big publishers in the genre keep complaining about how their market is shrinking even while Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Deadpool break box office records. Pull your head out of your ass people: Make the genre fun again. Make the award fun again. That's how you'll attract more attention and more readers. That's how you'll expand the genre. That's how you'll make more money for the dirty capitalist business owners that sign your royalty checks and provide you with the means to feed your family or at least live more comfortably. It's time to get over yourselves people.


Some Hugo related items can be purchased below:

The Rules for Watching the NFL Draft (Non SF/F Related Post)

(The following is a repeat posting from an old website that I used to do some occasional writing for. I thought it would be appropriate given the timing.)

It's time to let all of you goofballs know what's what on draft day. This is a sacred time of year when we all come together and are convinced that our teams just got ten thousand times better because now they get to have some player  that's played in the same amount of NFL games as I have: ZERO. It's an important time of year, so let's not screw it up MMMkay?

The Rules for Watching the NFL Draft

Don't be That Guy

If you want to be an overpowering know-it-all and drink your Perrier with your little finger up then feel free. If you want to pontificate learnedly on your extensive knowledge of the draft process and who ran what at the combine go ahead. Seriously. Just make sure you're nowhere near me, because I'll bitch-slap you. It's man time DAMMIT. Leave your little girl BS at home.



You can pretend you know everything about every player, but don't expect me to believe you.
Listen bro, I know you're like the God of All Football Knowledge and everything but stop pretending. I mean, I could sit here talking about Otis Hertz and Mike Easter and you'd start quoting stats. Those two don't even exist. You know just as much about these guys as I do, so deal.

I bought the pizza. I am eating the pizza. If you want pizza there is a place on the corner. They'll be happy to take your money.

And they only charge five dollars for a small with two toppings you cheap fuck! That's why I have one. You know what though? I'll be nice and let you call up there on my phone. That way I can get the reward points, because I'm a cheap fuck too.

If you bring your girl/wife/etc she'd better know the game.

Seriously. If I have to stop my geeking just to explain to some damn woman what a tight end is or if – heaven forbid – I hear a story about how she only watches football because she likes men who bend over while wearing tight pants I'm throwing you BOTH out. Oh, and I'm KEEPING your pizza.

If you stand in front of the TV when my team is picking you will be shot.


Then stabbed, beaten, hung, whipped, castrated, murdered and severely injured. Repeatedly. I may not know who this guy is either, but I still want to know what his name is and where he played. Sit your ass down, shut the fuck up and talk to me AFTER I get done geeking out.

There is a time and place to talk about your life, problems and issues.

And it's damn sure not in my living room during the middle of the draft. As a matter of fact you should probably find a woman to share your insecurities with. I'll just think you're a bitch.


If you crap in my bathroom, it'd better not stink.

Seriously. I know it's a long weekend. I know that we've been eating pizza and wings the whole time. I'm even aware that there is a reason the beer shits are called the beer shits. But dammit, I might have to go in there. If you can't control your gas enough that I can breathe in my own bathroom you'd best take yourself to the McDonalds down the street. You stinky fuck. And May God Help You if you take the last piece of my toilet paper.

Some NFL related products can be purchased at the link below:

Deidre Gould's After the Cure

Imagine, if you will, a world. A world filled with people who have been cured of a virus that turned them into a zombie. A world where the Immune (who never suffered the disease) are living alongside the Cured (who were zombies not all that long ago). Imagine a world where a greater disease may be lurking hidden.. Imagine, in short the world of Deidre Gould's After the Cure. It is a well conceived world which contains enough plausibility that it actually seems possible. It's a world that I'll never forget. It's also a world that gives me nightmares.

I love post-apocalyptic fiction. I always have. Usually though, there's enough distance between the real world and what I'm reading that it doesn't really soak in past my defenses. I read it, enjoy it and then move on. This one got into my mind and soul hardcore. The premise is that a virus was released accidentally by a scientist who broke protocol and spread before it could be detected. Everything in the ATC universe springs from that one action. What made this one scary to me is that it seems way too possible.

I recently reviewed The Wasteland Chronicles Omnibus by Kyle West. I love it. The difference here though is in real world possibility. The Wasteland Chronicles twisted the Sweet Meteor of Death with an alien invasion. I was well able to suspend disbelief while I was reading the books but once I put it down it didn't really haunt me. After the Cure isn't like that. I'm not against genetic engineering at all. Every fruit known to humanity, including so-called "organic" fruit, has had it's genetics altered through selective breeding for at least centuries if not millennia. The fact remains that protocols exist for a reason and it's way too easy to believe that a scientist would break them because they were overzealous. It hits really close to home.

Gould's characters come to life as well. Our heroine is Nella Rider, an Immune psychiatrist who has been hired to interview two of the scientists who were on the team that invented the virus that destroyed the world. She ends up being a lot more intrepid and resourceful than I would expect out of a big city doctor stuck in a fallen world but that's a good thing. She would not have made it otherwise. I teach my daughters to be strong, proud, tough, smart and brave. Nella is the type of woman I have in mind when I teach the girls that. She is someone I admire and what I want my daughters to be. If there is a higher compliment, I don't know what it is.

Her partner throughout the book is Frank, the defense lawyer. He is a member of the Cured. The book goes through some of the things he experienced while infected (which I won't spoil) and it's not pretty. He is still capable of great acts of intelligence and bravery but his memories are just plain disgusting. What amazes me about this character is how well Gould manages to keep us sympathetic to him while still revealing some of the revolting things that he has done. It helps that he contracted the disease by trying to be a nice guy but I'll be reading this one and trying to extract some techniques for my own writing. Gould really impressed me with this character.

The rest of the cast is impressive as well, both as zombies and just normal people. Something a lot of post apocalyptic fiction forgets is that a lot of the world after an apocalypse would still be just trying to get along. I loved, Mad Max but even in that type of a setting not everyone would be a bad ass. Gould remembers that. There are certainly brave good guys clearing out/ curing the infected and bad guy looters who would probably be good with a gun, but there are also neighborhoods full of people who just want to make a living in their new reality. I like that. I love heroic fiction but it's good to remember that not everyone is a super hero.

Gould also makes the Cured react with revulsion to what they've done. She mentions repeatedly a high suicide rate among those who have survived because of their memories. This is horrifying but it's true to life. Anyone who had been through what these people have gone through would have been damaged by it and they have. It just makes sense. It also adds to the believability of the story. I get the feeling she may have studied some psychology while writing this or before. It shows. She has thought through the consequences of her world and it works.

Speaking of the consequences of the world, Gould does a really good job in other areas as well. There is a clear divide between the some of the Cured and some of the Immune based on attitude. A lot of Immune can't forgive the Cured for what they've done while they were out of their minds and sick. A lot of the Cured can't forgive the Immune for killing infected individuals to protect themselves when the infected could have been cured. There are the predictable shortages that would occur in a fallen world. Perhaps most importantly for the book, all of the above happen to the main characters. This is a way a Chosen One (actually, probably Chosen Two) story, but that status doesn't prevent them from dealing with the same problems everyone else has to.

Somehow I've managed to avoid the fact that this is really a mystery novel with a SF background. That's what makes it great. I don't want to reveal too much and spoil the story. I will say that solving the mystery is not just a personal goal. It has ramifications for literally the entire world. So what we've got here is a cross between SF (zombies) a mystery (the whole plot) and my favorite thing about epic fantasy (literal world ending consequences). It's no wonder I enjoyed it.

Of course, After the Cure suffers from the same problem just about every other novel of this type does. Her virus affects the brain and produces a zombie like brain disability. I guess maybe it's just the nerd in me, but I'd like to see something about how it happens in the book and I don't. There is a characters whose brain is eaten by the virus but that doesn't make much sense either. I could be wrong here, and if so I apologize, but I don't think viruses act like that. If someone's body parts are eaten by a microscopic organism it's generally bacteria and not a virus, but then I don't claim to be a biologist or a doctor so I could be wrong here. Then again, even if I'm right the problem is well within the author's rights to adapt reality to the necessity of story. It's a lot less egregious than what Hollywood commonly does with history on a regular basis. These are all minor gripes though and I intend to hie me off to Barnes and Noble to purchase the rest of the series on payday. The first one was that good.

Bottom Line: 4.5 out of 5 Missing Bacteria Cultures

After the Cure can be purchased at the link below: