Dismantle My Bed

Rhyming Dictionaries

admin — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:07:18 +0000

Okay, I get that online rhyming dictionaries use software, and software, in general, isn’t great with nuance. For instance, I know that, if you have desire enough, you can rhyme the words fair and slayer. Rhyming dictionaries, however, don’t seem to understand this concept. Which is fine. It’s not like I want to be dependent on the rhyming dictionary. I am very content to seek my own rhyme, thank you. But I do wish there were at least one out there that included, say, extremely well-known proper nouns. Is there any rhyming dictionary online that’s worth bookmarking?

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What to Get Your Aspiring Writer

admin — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:02:04 +0000

Need a last minute gift for that writer friend? When I was talking to my Mom the other day on the phone, she mentioned buying something for my nephew that seemed kind of cool to me. It is a dictionary bookmark. Apparently my sister makes him look up words in the dictionary whenever he doesn’t know a meaning (good for her!), and my Mom figured this way he could have one readily available. Well, being the particular type of nerd that I am, I thought it was a pretty sweet gift, and the perfect encouragement for that young writer in your life. So, if you have one, check it out. Of course, this one appears to have pretty bad reviews, so you might want to seek another brand, but still… kind of cool.

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For Love or For Money?

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:42:35 +0000

The age old question.

I spend some of my time writing my heart’s desire. I spend most of my time writing for, what I hope will one day be, profit. Sometimes I feel like it’s a question of being a starving artist or a wealthy sellout. I naturally lean more toward one than toward the other, but the older I get, the harder it becomes to stay passionate and mean when the earnings are lean. There are moments when it feels like a matter of time before I throw on a sandwich board and give into my future career as a corporate advertising monkey.

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Self published success tales

admin — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:53:17 +0000

Some people self-publish their own books. And they are even successful. Most notably is Christopher Paoliniâ€™s Eragon. Publisher’s Weekly recently covered a few of these successes. Here are other self-published successes.

On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
The Hoopster by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
The Land of Elyon: The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman
Beowulf by Gareth Hinds
Erec Rex: The Dragonâ€™s Eye by Kaza Kingsley, illus. by Melvyn Grant
The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow by Tim Kehoe, illus. by Mike Wohnoutka
Meanwhile by Jason Shiga

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Ways to Avoid Writing #2

admin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:05:56 +0000

Ms. Pacman.

Old school video games are oh so much cooler than this modern crap, and I’m not just saying that because I’m old and out of the loop. Tetris. Pac-man. Q*Bert. Rock.

So, when I need a real break, as opposed to the kind I usually take, filled with thinking and a guilty conscience due to my temporary lack of motivation, there is nothing quite like plug-and-play Ms. Pacman. It’s mind-numbing and kind of soothing, and if you get really good at it, it can help you postpone writing for quite some time!

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What to Buy Readers with Short Attention Spans

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:07:25 +0000

Okay, so let’s say you have someone in your family who claims to like to read, but you really aren’t sure how they sit still long enough to even consider the notion. How about magazines? The perfect solution gift for the short attention span reader in your family. And they are reasonably priced too. When I was a kid, we always got Reader’s Digest. Despite its wholesome leanings, there were actually things worth reading in it. As far as quality goes, you can always purchase a short story anthology, or, seriously enough, Playboy, which provides such quality that you really could just read it for the articles.

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Almost 4 Years Later

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:35:10 +0000

Almost four years later, books are still selling. The end of this year has seen a large increase in book sales, due to my taking part in some other writing ventures. I’ve also given some books away on my personal site, so even the ones that aren’t selling are moving. So maybe my books didn’t fly from the boxes as I sort of hoped they would. Four years later, and they are still selling a few at a time. Not a bad first venture, I guess.

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Cool Gift Books for People

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:39:02 +0000

If you aren’t done with your list yet, shame on you! No… kidding. The only reason I’m completely done is because all my gifts had to be mailed all the way across the country, which of course is a rather time-consuming process. So, they shipped out yesterday. Anyway, personally, I am never unhappy when I get a book. So, if you still have that reader on your list, here are a few of my personal favorite gift books.

1. Toothpaste for Dinner by Drew

Filled with little cartoons on life, I can’t remember every laughing so hard while reading.

2. A Guide for the Advanced Soul by Susan Hayward

It’s a flip to an answer type of book. Roughly the equivalent of a literary Magic 8 Ball, but it still brings solace at times.

3. The Book of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley

Only if you can find it within to be amused at bunny death, but, damn, does this person have one sick, twisted mind when coming up with ways to die. And why does the fact that it is happening to a cute, fluffy bunny make it that much funnier?

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I Am America (And So Can You!)

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:19:58 +0000

If you have yet to enjoy Stephen Colbert’s book, I Am America (And So Can You!), and you consider making fun of overly conservative “values” a favorite pastime, it’s a must read. While there are sections that don’t quite hold up to the rest of the book, the majority of it is full of Colbert’s hysterical insights on American life. If you enjoy The Colbert Report, you’ll enjoy the book. Most of it anyway. He simply has a way of boiling things down to the most dry sarcasm they can possibly come packaged in. Dig Colbert? Dig the book.

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Frauding Non-Fiction

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:06:16 +0000

I really need to write a fraud non-fiction book. It shouldn’t be difficult. I think most non-fiction books are frauds.

Like The Secret. Basic premise: If you just pretend you already have what you want, you’ll get it. Uh, no, but you will fake yourself into false happiness.

Or books like The Potato Diet book. Guess what? If you eat nothing but foods very low in calories, you’ll lose weight! I know… who knew?

Anyway, fraud non-fiction books sell at a much higher rate than fiction. And seriously, it’s all about the Benjamins.

This post originated from: Dismantle My Bed