Random Thoughts

Warren C. Bennett

Temporary home for Random Thoughts

Shuffling off to Buffalo day 1 hour 1

The train has passed Arizona city and I know I won't be back for a good while.  My tiredness and nervousness about the future seems to be increasing as I get farther from home. The excitement i felt earlier has waned and I just want to sleep but, alas, I cannot.  The train was over booked and I am cooling my heels in the observation car until we get to Tucson. I should get my own seat when we get there.  Hopefully.

I recognize these emotions.  Everytime I leave home, there is a period of decompression.  I guess that is why I like taking trains...  The forced downtime helps me break free of my emotions before getting to my new home.

The excitement will come back but for now I just want to sleep. 

Shuffling off to Buffalo

By the time most of you read this, I'll be well on my way to Buffalo, New York. Right now I'm pretty tired and it isn't just because it is 1:40 in the morning.

It has been a rather trying year for me. I've been in love, been rejected, had two close friends pass away, had the mother of all kidney stones and turned the ripe age of Forty Years Old (TM). The unexpected used my life as a pinata this year but stopped before I exploded all over the place.

(..or maybe I did explode. I mean, a doctor blew up a kidney stone inside of me, right?)

Because this is such a banner year, it's hard for me not to look back on the last decade and wonder how I got here. I'm not going to sit here and complain or ruminate, but it really has been on my mind of late.

I'm moving again. I'm forty and I feel like I am just starting out...again. As I travel via train from Maricopa AZ to Buffalo NY, I know I'll have more time to think. There won't be any pressure and I won't have to do anything - three days of no or spotty wifi coupled with a lot of time to myself. I'll be thunkin' a lot on the train but I hope I don't thunk too hard.

I know this is the ending of something and the beginning of something else but only God knows what. I'm tired, nervous, excited, scared and many other emotions right now.

I have to pack my carry on bag so I'll leave you to illuminate while I continue to ruminate. I doubt I'll be in contact with many people before I get to Chicago, but I'll try to give an update on my trip in Chi-Town. (I'm sure all the natives call it that, right? hah.)

Keep me in prayer and I pray God helps you in whatever endeavor you are endeavoring to do. God Bless, y'all.

Day 7 of my 30 day soda fast

I tend to be an emotional eater and (soda) drinker. The biggest issue I've been having with soda is not drinking it when I feel sad or down. The last couple of days have been hard on the emotional front and I just want to start guzzling stuff down. I didn't, but I must admit I did eat a bit more than I should. I'm working on that as well since I want to continue to lose weight.

The return of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds!


The return of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds!

Are you a previously unpublished writer (or a “nonprofessional," in that you’ve not been paid for your writing at pro rates)? Do you have a hankering to write a Star Trek story and maybe see it published? Well, Pocket Books has a deal for you:

snw-logo

Yep! It’s a new version of the writing contest Pocket conducted each year from 1997-2007, which launched numerous writing careers including one for the guy whose blog you’re reading right this very second. For those of you unfamiliar with my secret origin, I entered stories in each of the first three Strange New Worlds contests, after which I was offered a contract to write a Star Trek novel for Pocket, and I’ve been working for them ever since. If I can do that, imagine how much someone with actual talent might accomplish?

snw1 snw2-cover snw3-cover

StarTrekBooks.com: Strange New Worlds Writing Contest – Official Rules

The contest has a few changes from those of old, though:

Notably, it’s only open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia (that means none of the territories or even overseas military installations).

Unlike the previous contests, you’re only allowed one entry per person, so if you’re going to do this, make sure you bring your A-game.

The submission period is much shorter, beginning today (October 8th) and ending on January 15th, 2016.

Up to ten (10) winners will be selected for publication in the resulting anthology, as opposed to the old 18-23 winners rule. One major change is that two winners will receive “first prize" packages that includes the opportunity to publish a non-Star Trek novel through Pocket’s self-publishing platform.

It appears the resulting anthology will be published as a “digital first" title. In English, that means e-Book, with a possible print edition later.

Assuming you’re thinking of taking on this challenge, be sure to read the complete rules before submitting an entry, and pay strict attention to the registration and editorial guidelines. You can find complete details here:

StarTrekBooks.com: Strange New Worlds Writing Contest – Official Rules

For those opting to enter the contest, I’m happy to answer questions (assuming I have those answers, obviously), but let me state for the record that I am in no way affiliated with the contest and do not speak for Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, CBS, or anyone associated with the contest. As such, I’m really not interested in discussing why the rules are what they are, or how someone might think they suck for this or that reason. So, you know…FYI, and all that.

On the other hand, questions about actually entering the contest or prepping your entry or requests for general tips or advice are welcome, and I’ll do my best to answer those. Any responses or  opinions I might provide will be strictly based on past experience and (if possible) info I can obtain from people connected to the contest. I can’t guarantee anything on that front, though.

Good luck!

About Dayton Ward

Freelance word pusher. Husband. Dad. Trekkie. Rush fan (the band). Tampa Bay Bucs fan. Observer/derider of human behavior. I know where my towel is.
This entry was posted in contests, fandom, snw, trek, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Day 4 of my 30 day Soda Fast

The cravings for soda come and go but I'm doing okay. I did drink a Sparking Water today and I didn't enjoy it. Despite the natural flavoring label on the front of the bottle, I could taste the telltale signs of artificial flavoring. This is an aftertaste that is like a really sweet rotting corpse has taken up residence in my mouth. I'll do a small review on the brand and such later.

$50 Amazon Fire Tablet - How to install Google Play Store

That didn't take long :)

$50 Amazon Fire Tablet - How to install Google Play Store
165 views Recommended for you
Published on Oct 2, 2015



Description

Here's the link for the 4 files you need to install on your Amazon Fire Tablet
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid...

Watch the video for the steps andf enjoy! Let mew know if you have any questions!


Watch all of my NVIDIA SHIELD TV videos here
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Watch all my videos on Phones
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Watch all my videos on Tablets
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

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Top Comments

Warren C. Bennett | 1 second ago
Hey, thanks for this video! I'll be getting my Fire tablet later this month. Will your links to the Google Play downloads still be up?

PudgeDJK | 1 day ago
Can you do this on the fire hd6

ZwerrZ Gaming | 1 day ago
thx

OdinsMovieBlog | 19 hours ago
Any bugs?? One can use goog!e movies and download to microsd?

ZwerrZ Gaming | 1 day ago
first

John Marston | 13 hours ago
Can i install the youtube app by doing this method cause amazon app store only has third party youtube apps


The Rara-Avis Blown Away List of Hard-Boiled Writers

A list of hard boiled authors to read. I've read most of Chandler's work, I want to read others.


The Rara-Avis Blown Away List of Hard-Boiled Writers
Compiled by Mark Blumenthal

In December 1999, as the millennium drew to a close, Mark Blumenthal posed this question to the members of Rara-Avis, the world's premier hard-boiled crime fiction discussion list:

"What established hard boiled authors have ever you read whose work so blew you away on first exposure that you tried to find and then read all they had written as soon as possible?"

According to Mark, there were 54 lists and one wishy washy abstention. One person, recovering from recent lung surgery, e-mailed hers directly to Mark. Some people named more than five authors. Several prefaced their lists with something like, "assuming the big three are a given" and listed five more authors. Others just gave more than five. Unless there was a clear break after the fifth name, Mark decided to accept more than the five names rather than arbitrarily chopping off a list at the required number. Having had the experience of running rotisserie baseball leagues since 1989, he knows you can't please everyone. He apologizes to those who agonized at leaving off a favorite author to keep their list at only five names.

As Mark comments, "I expected a few replies to my post, not over 50. I guess this has to serve, per force, as a definitive list of our favorites, if not of our idea of the best. We certainly did not prefer the most recent in the field as many popular best of the century lists seem to do. Most of the top ten authors are not living, and the majority of of Rara Avians probably weren't alive when Chandler's last novel, Playback, was published in 1958.

I think the leaders are pretty much who we'd expect, but I was mildly surprised that Robert Parker was virtually ignored. If this survey had been taken as recently as the mid eighties I think he would have been in the top five. I know he would have been one of my picks then."

Of course, not all hard-boiled writers are private eye writers, but it's interesting how many of them are.

 And now the results:
  • 1. Raymond Chandler (28)
  • 2. Dashiel Hammett (25)
  • 3. James Ellroy (16)
  • 4. Jim Thompson (15)
  • 5. Ross Macdonald (13)
  • 6. James Crumley (11)
  • 7. Charles Willeford (11)
  • 8. Donald Westlake/Richard Stark (10)
  • 9. James Cain (9)
  • 10. Michael Connely (7)
  • 11. David Goodis (5)
  • 11. Elmore Leonard (5)
  • 11. George Pelecanos (5)
  • 14. Robert Crais (4)
  • 14. Chester Himes (4)
  • 14. Derek Raymond (4)
  • 14. Richard Barre (3)
  • 18. Lawrence Block (3)
    .
  • 18. Donald Hamilton (3)
  • 18. John D. MacDonald (3)
  • 18. Walter Moseley (3)
  • 18. Bill Pronzini (3)
  • 18. Ross Thomas (3)
  • 24. Kent Anderson (2)
  • 24. Bowen (2)
  • 24. Howard Browne/John Evans (2)
  • 24. James Lee Burke (2)
  • 24. Norbert Davis (2)
  • 24. Ed Gorman (2)
  • 24. Stephen Greenleaf (2)
  • 24. John Harvey (2)
  • 24. Stephen Hunter (2)
  • 24. Dennis Lehane (2)
  • 24. Ed McBain (2)
  • 24. Robert B. Parker (2)
36 (79 with one mention each):  
  • Richard Abshire
  • Neil Albert
  • Leigh Brackett
  • Carter Brown
  • Max Allan Collins
  • Collins, Michael
  • K.C. Constantine
  • Tim Dorsey
  • Robert Ferrigno
  • Joe Gores
  • James Hall
  • Laurell Hamilton
  • Steve Hamilton
  • Joseph Hansen
  • Timothy Harris
  • Gar Anthony Haywood
  • Jeremiah Healy
  • Carl Hiaasen
  • Patricia Highsmith
  • Dorothy Hughes
  • Joe R. Lansdale
  • Jonathan Latimer
  • Jonathan Lethem
  • Ted Lewis
  • Dan Marlowe
  • Danny Martin
  • Horace McCoy
  • Wade Miller
  • Manuel Vasquez Montalban
  • Kem Nunn
  • Gary Phillips
  • Peter Rabe
  • Ian Rankin
  • John Shannon
  • Sjowall & Wahloo
  • Mickey Spillane
  • Newton Thornburg
  • John Wainright
  • Joseph Wambaugh
  • Harry Whittington
  • Fred Willard
  • Charles Williams
  • Don Winslow
  • Daniel Woodrell

Thanks to Mark Blumenthal and, as always, William Denton, who manages the Rara-Avis list.


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