Knave Update: Cafe Fiore All-Day Push

Today begins a string of all-day writes. 

Goal: Complete Beta draft to 85%, and send it to Beta Readers. While they read, I finish the last 15%. BOOM!
Notice the headphones: Thanks to the inestimable Martin Shoemaker (a 2015 Writers of the Future winner) for showing me that Instead of typing or writing at a desk, I can dictate passages while I hike or walk. 

So often it seems I face the choice between writing and exercise, but thanks to Martin’s revelation, I need not always face that choice. Today I will transcribe* two “foreshadowing” passages that I composed on a walk I took while waiting for a ferry in Fauntleroy .

*Martin actually pays a service to transcribe for him. He composed a novel this year commuting in his car to his day job. Kevin J. Anderson also composes this way.

Some of my “Foul Papers”

Knave Progress Update: Friday’s Desk

I’m into the hard-copy polish phase of THE KNAVE OF SOULS.

That means I print a chapter, I read it for flow and economy of writing, mark it, type in corrections, and DONE!

Target Release Date: Thanksgiving!

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Caris POV Scene

The great thing about hard copy work — i can work in the sun! 😀
Today I worked through crit group feedback on a Caris POV scene I recently wrote to backfill Chapter 4. 

Once I worked through my pre-thinking on paper, I moved to computer. Cafe Fiorre again. Rode the bike there and back. Total of seven hours today, working it up to eight tonight. 😀. Progress!  

Word Study: Assload vs. Buttload

…from an august academic contributor who prefers anonymity.

Measurment & Conversion

First, I like to think that assload is an SI (metric) unit whereas buttload is imperial. That would make me happy.

Calculating Assload

So 1 assload = 1 liter-newton. Specifically, the volume of water multiplied by the force exerted by the sphincter that is necessary to retain it.

Small Ass vs. Large

Same amount of water retained in a smaller ass requires more sphincter force, so the assload value is higher.

Double the water in a 2x larger ass requiring about the same force also has a 2x higher assload value.

Double the water in the same ass means more sphincter force and more volume, so the assload value is doubly higher.

This, my friends, is science.

-A

SF Mind Meld: Favorite SciFi Futures

Sean Williams and four us 2016 Writers of the Future writers explain our very different picks in this special valedictory SF Mind Meld. 

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/category/interviews/mind-meld/
In Memoriam

(If you havent heard, our beloved SF Signal, which used to host SF Mind Meld, recently went defunct. Happily, James Aquilone re-functed it on his website, and invited me to be part of its last glorious funct.)

Special Midnight Free Book Offer!

Buy a copy of this year’s Writers of the Future before Midnight tonight and I’ll joyfully ship you a first-edition paper, hardback,* eBook or audiobook of The Jack of Souls!

BUY BY MIDNIGHT

*First come first served on the paper and hardbacks (I think I have a dozen of each). No limit (except midnight) on The Jack of Souls eBooks and audio.
How Does This Work? 
Simple! Just send me a receipt/photo of you and your WOTF to stephenmerlino@hotmail.com, along with your preference of paper, hard, ebook or audio, plus your address, and I’ll put it in the mail.  Thank you!
 
Buy at a local book store or online. Here are the links:
Amazon US (paperback | Kindle)         < $11.52 paperback, $6.99 Kindle
Barnes & Noble (paperback | Nook)    < $ 11.63 paperback, $6.49 Nook
Kobo
Books-A-Million
IndieBound
Walmart
Target

 

This is the week to get WRITERS OF THE FUTURE for Summer Reading!

THIS IS THE BEST WEEK TO BUY Writers of the Future!

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If you’ve been waiting to get yours, this is the week that helps us most — our Bestseller Week.” 
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(Little-known fact: Bestseller lists measure velocity of sales over one week, Sun-Sat. So this is our week to urge sales that fund next year’s contest and maybe give it Bestseller status.)
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So, please buy before Sunday! At any book store or online:
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( * PLUS, YOU CAN HELP A TON BY SHARING THIS POST!  * )
Thanks again for your support!