Good To Know

 
Popular Mechanics has always been handy to have around. A recent article gives tips on how to perfectly kill a zombie, via the experts of the TV show The Walking Dead:

"To that end, The Walking Dead special effects team tailors their head hits to the action on the screen. "We have forensic textbooks that we use to match wounds with weapons," Nicotero says. "Part of our job is doing research into the ways that bullets go in and come out, how they fragment and how large the exit wounds are."

And if you forget easily (being on the run from zombies has been known to cause memory loss), here's a handy T-shirt to help.

Now that's information I can use!

Leo Grin's TOP 5: Reasons Zombies Reign As Horrordom’s #1 Monsters

Film critic Leo Grin gives his top 5 reasons why zombies are the best monsters (excerpted from his Big Hollywood article):

1. They’re anthropomorphic.

There’s all sorts of beasties under the sun (and moon), but in general I’ve always found that the creepier specimens are the ones which assail you while housed in a human body. Bruce the shark in Jaws, the Blob chasing a young Steve McQueen, or the wide assortment of killer piranhas, rats, and dinosaurs out there don’t hold a candle to things like vampires, werewolves, and zombies — monsters that retain aspects of their humanity even as they terrorize us with their doom-laden, inhuman fates.

2. They’re the living dead.

An adjunct to #1 above. Some monsters are nothing more than exotic animals, others demons associated with the netherworld of some ancient religion or mythology, and still others ordinary humans with a black nullity where their soul and conscience is supposed to be. All provide us with legions of good scares, and may they continue to do so!
But there remains a special type of unease associated with that which was once alive, normal, and often loved as friend or family returning in a degraded state as recognizable as it is hideous. At their best vampires fit this bill, but zombies manage to routinely do so even at their worst, which makes them to my mind more consistently effective on screen or in print.

3. They’ve got contagious cooties.

With many monsters, your primary fear is getting ripped limb from limb. But the truly frightening ones up the ante by the ease with which they can flip you to the dark side. Along with werewolves, zombies have always been the ones offering our intrepid heroes/victims the least margin for error: one bite and you’re out, baby. In the case of werewolves, at least there is a great amount of humanity left, along with the time and wherewithal to control or mitigate your fate. Get nicked by a zombie, however, and it’s game over — an irreversible downhill slide into permanent monsteria.

4. They possess strength in numbers.

Most bloodthirsty fiends are of the single or limited variety, while others assault us by the dozens, hundreds, or even thousands. Only zombies, however, typically manage to completely overwhelm our entire world and way of life in short order, threatening to throw civilization itself into a permanent nightmare.
An added benefit to this is the frequent spectacle of massive, ultra-cool firepower which we get the pleasure of seeing levied against the limitless zombie hordes.

5. Their resistance to the Twilight effect.

Vampires have been defanged via Twilight, True Blood, and any number of other romantic variations on the Dracula theme. Werewolves are often tragic Byronic brooders who ooze a feral sex appeal in between their bouts of lycanthropic mayhem and murder. Horrordom’s vast assortment of serial killers — Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Norman Bates, Freddy Krueger, et al. — ply their crimson trade on sexy damsels in the throes of passion and/or provocative undress that grants the murders a quasi-erotic quality. Even Frankenstein’s monster had his bride (It always strikes me when I watch Bride of Frankenstein how it’s so campy as-is that Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein is almost as much a remake as a send-up).

But zombies steadfastly resist all efforts to sissify, romanticize, or eroticize their essential awfulness.

 Read the full article here.

The Page 99 Test

Ford Madox Ford famously said, “Open the book to page ninety-nine, and the quality of the whole will be revealed to you.”

Now there's a website devoted to it. As a writer, you can upload published or unpublished page 99s of your work. Or as a reader you can go read the page 99s and vote/comment. You don't get to see who wrote it until after you vote. It's a lot of fun.


I posted two excerpts from my sci-fi series Apocalypse Babes. Thoughts? Advice? Would you turn the page?

The Z Word

   Stepping over the wood fragments, she opened the cabinet and found a bottle of disinfectant. Without giving thought to her actions, she found a washcloth and began to clean the bathroom, from the fixtures to the floor. Her movements made almost enough noise to block the hushed whispers filtering past the door. Almost.

    “How long does it take?”

    “When will we know for sure?”

    “How does infection spread?”

    “Through bites.”

    “Does that mean through saliva?”

    “God, she is so dead.”

    Seffy squeezed her eyes shut as her stomach roiled. Lifting the lid on the sparkling clean toilet, she threw up again.

***

    “Um, that girl is on the floor.”

Gareth turned to the brunette newcomer. She was pointing at the bathroom door. Ignoring Lani's and Addy's gasps, he rushed to the bathroom and wrenched open the door. Seffy lay splayed on the floor, her skin tone matching the dingy white tile floor, her blond hair puddled around her head.

   Gareth scooped her up and took her to the couch, shadowed by Malone and the girls.

    “Is she dead?”

    He looked up to see the tense expression of the blond guy. Gareth ignored him. As he settled Seffy on the couch, he touched his fingers to her throat. The pounding of his own heart made it difficult to detect a pulse, but he finally felt a faint flutter under her skin. 

AND

 The X Factor

    Geez, I'm running out of supporters fast. I should be nicer. Or less infected. Or something.

    “We noticed that the air is dry in here and so we'll be putting in a humidifier. Leave it on all the time and we'll make sure to keep it filled for you.”

    “Okay,” she said in a sing-song voice. “Buh-bye now.”

    As soon as they were gone, Seffy heaved a frustrated breath. She could not just sit here and stew. She had to do something.

    She grabbed the candy bars, ate one, and stuffed the other two in her front pocket. Seffy peeked out her door and saw that the hall was clear. Taking a deep breath, she eased out of her room and pulled the door closed behind her. Still clear. I swear to God, if I see Trent, I will rip his head off...with my teeth.

    To the left was the cafeteria, which meant people. So, she chose the right, and hoped it took her where she was determined to go. If she didn't get some fresh air, she'd lose what was left of her frontal lobes. Stained linoleum floor tiles stretched in front of her. Seffy began a light jog and went to the end of one hall and turned down another, in the opposite direction of Trent's room. She kept running until she heard voices.

    Spying a storage closet, she nipped inside and held her breath until the voices passed. Seffy groped for a light and turned it on. A greasy set of coveralls was wadded up in a corner next to mops and brooms and industrial cleaning supplies, rolls of duct tape, toilet paper, and light bulbs. On one of the shelves was an old baseball cap. Yuck. But she knew it would help.

    She picked up the coveralls, wincing at the stale smell of cigarette smoke, and she pulled them on. Next came the cap, and she stuffed her hair up underneath. Seffy wondered if grabbing a broom was going too far. She debated, then decided to take one. If she got caught she could say she was cleaning up a spill on aisle five.

You Can't Outrun Them

You probably think it's because of Halloween or some TV show promo, but how can we really be sure? Isn't that the perfect cover? I heard this footage was found on an abandoned camera near Penn Station. The network used jokey anchors and goofy music, why?

De-nial. And those who deny, die.

Matched...I sure hope so

Forever Young Adult calls it TEABS: The End of an Awesome Book Syndrome.

The Hunger Games trilogy left a hole in my readerly heart (despite the disappointing ending). So a new novel has stepped up to the literary plate and claimed to bring some relief to TEABS angst.

This from io9 (click the link to view the book trailer):

"Matched is being pitched as "Brave New World meets The Handmaid's Tale," and it comes with a pre-sharpened love triangle. USA Today mentioned it as one of the dystopian teen novels to watch out for in the wake of Mockingjay, and it's already been optioned as a film by Disney and Offspring Entertainment."
Here's the blurb:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe, and when to die. It's a small price to pay for a long life of perfection. The Society is entrusted to select your ideal mate, and Cassia has looked forward to her Matching Banquet for as long as she can remember. So when her best friend Xander appears on-screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her perfect match… until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow. How do you know what to decide when you've never had an option? What happens when love can destroy a seemingly infallible world? In MATCHED, Ally Condie debates perfection and passion, security and uncertainty. It's a suspenseful romance and compelling adventure set in a not-so-distant future, and every element of the world feels frighteningly real.

 Only time will tell if Matched can heal my trackerjacked heart, but like Gale, I'll give it another chance...

Tell, Don't Show...huh?

The awesome site io9.com had an article by Charlie Jane Anders I found fascinating (and the pictures rocked, too).Writers have been told the Holy Grail of writerly excellence is 'show, don't tell'. Who would've thunk it that this could be turned on its head? Wait, we're talking about sci-fi, where turning the norm on its head is de rigueur!

Check out my post via Science Fiction Romance Blog.

Quantum Entanglement sounds kinda sexy

But according to this article, it ain't so much. Well, fine. But a girl can dream, can't she?

The article opens adding insult to injury:

"Quantum entanglement" may sound like an awful sci-fi romance flick, but it's actually a phenomenon that physicists say may someday lead to the ability to teleport an object all
the way across the galaxy instantly.

Whatev.

And then there's this tidbit:

"When two electrons are placed close together, they vibrate in unison. When you separate them, that's when all the fireworks start."

And this:

Then, if you vibrate one of them, somehow on the other end of the galaxy the other electron knows that its partner is being jiggled.

Whoa. I'd read this.

A Bad Hair Day...

...can be science-fiction. Trust me, I know from experience. However, I admit it wasn't quite this bad:

More zombie love

"The Zombie Dating Guide. Because dating should be a no brainer."

I ask you, what's not to love about this site? Check it out!

Fact following fiction?

An article in the UK Daily Mail touts a new synthetic blood substitute that mimics bone marrow production to aid wounded soldiers on the battlefield.

Sounds fantastic and life-saving. But the article failed to mention if Ziodex Industries is behind the development. They are, after all, after a new cash crop.

Of course, the Japanese could be behind the new synthetic. I hear there's a growing market in Bon Temps, Louisiana.

Well, that explains it

I love this scientific conclusion by Annalee Newitz about this story from from io9:
Mystery object orbiting distant star baffles astronomers

"I think we all know what's going on here. It's a hollowed-out planet that an advanced civilization uses as a spacecraft, which fell into orbit around the star after vacuum vampires slaughtered the crew. It's the most obvious explanation."

Works for me.

Books that make my literaryish paranormalish heart beat faster

Oh man, this went straight into my Amazon cart. As a Jane Eyre and Buffy fan, this couldn't be a sweeter idea.

And if this wasn't enough, I discovered many other titles of pure awesomeness.
This beats comics to film any day.

All that's missing is a classic with aliens. I'm thinking something with Northanger Abby...c'mon, people, don't let me down!

A new sci-fi romance?

H/t Galaxy Express.

This film looks amazing!

Wonder what Michael Landon would make of this?

From io9:

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Teens pretending to be werewolves

Like wearing colored contacts, fangs, and black clothes, but don't want to be associated with the bloodsucking undead? In some high schools, a new supernatural subculture is gaining ground: wolfpacks.

With the popularity of Twilight and a new Teen Wolf series on the way, it was only a matter of time before wannabe werewolves started forming their own cliques. Furry tails aside, they're not a far cry from the kids playing at being the Cullen clan, but they don't have an entire South Park episode mocking their existence — yet.

Du-ANG

This is just soooo cool. And who knew a leaky pipe could be responsible. It's about as likely as a pink Juicy Couture tracksuit!

Time-Travel under the sink (from Ching Studios)

And on a related note, an awesome blog dedicated to the theory of time-travel, Star Theory.

A win-win for Nashville and you

Floodwaters cover downtown streets and sidewalks May 3, 2010 in the Lower Broad district of Nashville, Tennessee. More than 13 inches of rain fell over two days over Nashville, more than doubling the previous record of 6.68 inches and leaving at least seven dead and thousands displaced. (Photo by Rusty Russell/Getty Images)

Story Published: May 3, 2010 at 9:32 PM MDT

In an effort to raise relief money for the victims of the middle Tennessee flood of 2010, a group of authors have come together to auction off critiques, SWAG, or other sundries. Check out Do The Write Thing For Nashville for details. Also, find them on Facebook.

Depending on who you talk to, this is a 500 to a 1,000 year event. Most victims weren't in flood plains, which means no flood insurance, which means devastation. In my small community outside of Nashville, there have been over 700 requests for help alone.

Please be a part while helping your writing career (I know I will). It's win-win!

I knew it!

A new excuse for my self-diagnosed ADD. I'm really not here!

SFR Brigade cross post

Check out my post over at the awesome SFR Brigade on Joss Whedon Writing Tips!

my Webby Award remix vote

Natch.




To vote for your choice, go here.

Pure sci-fi awesomeness

Saw these over at io9.com and had to share.
And see more here at the Ron Turner Cover Collection.

Alfred E. Newman and me

Oh, the hours poring over Mad Magazine in my misspent youth...but I was woefully ignorant about zombies...even though it could be argued I was already brain dead.

If Twilight were a war video game

*some Twilight spoilers* but gosh, this is funny

Carrie, Kitty and me

I just finished the 7th book in the 'Kitty Norville' series by Carrie Vaughn and can hardly wait for the next installment, Kitty Goes To War, to be released June 29th.

The series is about a young woman made a werewolf against her will, in a culture only just realizing the supernatural elements of society right under their noses...vampires, fairies, skin walkers, psychics, magicians...and those who want every last one of them dead.

Between hosting her radio show, The Midnight Hour, and searching out the mystical, Kitty becomes the poster child for otherness while trying to come to terms with the changes in her own life and pack.

This series has been fun, suspenseful, and fast-paced, laced with romance that makes me hope the the story never ends. Here's hoping the next 97 days go by faster than a silver bullet.

An (air quote) award-winning trailer

Some sound advice indeed for stories...

Great zombie line

All politics aside, this is a great line from Greg Gutfeld, author of the blog The Daily Gut:

"Now, there’s always a scene in zombie movies, when one non-zombie character will turn to another, and say, 'If I ever turn into that, I want you to kill me.' Then they make love, and reload."

It just makes me happy.

I'm not a 100% in love with this idea

I'm for rights generally speaking, but for brain eaters, not so much. Sorry guys. From the Metro UK:

Joe Crowther - 26th February, 2010

US court rules 'Zombies have free speech rights'

Court rules that horror-movie style zombies have the right to free speech after a group of protesters dressed as zombies were arrested by Minnesota police.

A US court has ruled that 'Zombies have free speech rights'

A court has allowed a group of protesters dressed as zombies to continue with a lawsuit against police who arrested them for disorderly conduct.

The appeal court overturned a previous finding that the group had correctly been arrested over a 2006 protest in a shopping centre.

The group had been wearing makeup designed to make them look like and extra in a horror flick, with white faces, fake blood and black circles round their eyes.

They then proceeded to stagger round the shops, urging consumers to "get your brains here".

They also carried audio equipment, which police described as "simulated weapons of mass destruction", even though they were mobile phones.

The appeals court ruled that the police had no reason to imprison the protesters simply for "dressing as zombies, and walking erratically in downtown Minneapolis."

My favorite new commercial

No apologies...

Zombies + Romance = er, love

Love is in the air...or that rotting flesh stench could be something else, but I'm pretty sure it's love. See, there's even a heart on the cover!

From Orbit Books:

The book is about two unlikely heroes — a couple on the verge of divorce. On their way to marriage counseling, they notice a few odd things: a missing guard, a lack of cars on the freeway, and their counselor ripping out the throat of her previous client.

Now it’s up to David and Sarah to work together, save their marriage — and survive in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.

The book is chock-full of valuable post-apocalyptic marriage advice, including:

• Balance the workload in your relationship. No one person should be responsible for killing all the zombies.
• Put the small stuff into perspective. It’s better to be wrong and alive than right but eating brains.
• Talk out your big decisions. Hear both opinions before you decide if you’re going to flee the city or hole up with Campbell’s Soup and CNN.
• Share in your activities and interests. If you’re going to kill zombies anyway, why not do it together?
• Plan romantic getaways. Or just getaways.
• Show physical affection. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like bearing the entirety of your spouse’s body weight.

Can anyone say Amazon pre-order??

Valentine's Day is coming up...

...and what better way to show romance is...not exactly dead.

The Dismember-Me Plush Zombie from ThinkGeek.

The detachable brain only proves that love isn't cerebral...it's from the heart! Which ostensibly is still intact.

Henchmen job opportunities

Perfect for security at remote Montana compounds to quell zombie uprisings...

Friday awesomeness

New Twi-spoof

Why can't I get enough of these? Maybe I'm embarrassed by my squee-ish affection for the movies and this is a passive-aggressive attempt to mock in a snotty high-brow wannabe way.

Or maybe I just love a great spoof.

The Hillywood Show is AMAZING!