Author Archives: Eugie Foster

Serenity Preview – Spoiler-free

By | |
2 Comments

fosteronfilm and I began our Serenity experience by having dinner at Little Szechewan with our host, Steve Eley (the man behind Escape Pod), his wife Anna, little baby Alex Eley, and a cadre of other eager Firefly fans. The food was excellent and copious–so copious that our boxed leftovers promise to be enough food for another meal. And the company was wonderful. I’m hoping we get to hang with these fine folks again soon as I enjoyed myself immensely.

And then it was off to the theater to stand in line for an hour and a half with other eager Serenity-goers, including one lass who was hoping to get a spare ticket–willing to sing and barter artwork (and, of course, cash) for the privilege. I’m happy to report that her ticket quest was successful, although if she had to serenade someone to get it, I missed the performance. Someone also ordered a pizza in line, resulting in a perplexed pizza-delivery guy. But eventually, pizza and hungry line-stander were united.

As far as the movie goes, go see it as soon as it comes out! It was really good. Not as good as the best episodes of Firefly, but better than the mean, which is pretty damn good on the entertainment scale. Everything in the movie is bigger and shinier than the TV series, and Joss Whedon’s dialogue, especially in the opening scenes, is nothing short of genius. And the fights! Joss’s choreography a la Buffy and Angel has always been amazing, but what he did for Serenity with River . . . It was a thing of beauty and awesome to behold. I have tons more to comment upon and geek about, but the content of my effusive gushing, and yes, a few railings, contain mongo-ass spoilers. So that’s all I’m going to say.

If you want to read more about the preview screening, check out fosteronfilm‘s review.

Many thanks to Steve for sponsoring the trivia contest which allowed us to partake of the preview experience. If you haven’t yet, go check out Escape Pod and download some SF podcasty goodness as well as Steve’s very funny Serenity review.

And, while I’m in full plug mode, go take the MIT weblog survey:
Take the MIT Weblog Survey

Tagged!

By | |
9 Comments

I’ve ducked, dodged, and hidden. But alas, I have, at long last, been tagged by the fleet and agile nmsunbear.

List your current six favorite songs, then pick six other people that have to do the same…

1. “Montagues and Capulets” by Sergei Prokofiev (part of the Romeo & Juliet ballet suite).
2. “The Peach Yard” a guqin solo.
3. “Eurydice” by the Cruxshadows.
4. “All Souls Night” by Loreena McKennitt
5. “Ain’t No Sunshine” performed by Sting
6. “The Sounds of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel

Tag! You’re it!
britzkrieg
rigel_kent
keesa_renee
jackzodiac
pyanfar
jinzi

Lovely Midsummer Night

By | |
30 Comments

The Midsummer moon was gorgeous last night. We have an east-facing picture window set above our front door that is perfectly placed to frame the moon in the night sky.


Here’s a shot of it during the day. I should have taken a picture of the moon yesterday, but I didn’t think of it.

I made a vegetable pot pie filled with summer vegetables (and tofu) for dinner, and we opened up all the windows to let in the cool air. I think Hobkin might not have been overjoyed at the relative humidity that created:


He flopped on the naked floor in his area to sleep.

Poor lil guy. When the house cooled down a bit more, he climbed up beside me on the couch to cuddle. I hope he’s not too uncomfortable in summer with his fur coat. I know dog owners sometimes shear them, but I don’t think Hobkin would stand for that.


Writing Stuff

The crits continue to pour in. Yesterday it was all about the editing. Several passes on the short story up for crit, and now I’m second-guessing whether I want to put back in the flashback sequence. Feh.

Club 100 For Writers
15

Lizard watching: Anolis carolinensis

By | |
33 Comments

God, I love stormy mornings. The air is so soft and cool, and the dark skies are beautiful. I know it’d be crap to drive in, but sitting at home, gazing outside, it’s lovely.

I was making dinner last night when fosteronfilm called me over to the window with much excitement. I dropped what I was doing to discover we had a gorgeous little green lizard perched on one of the branches right outside the window overlooking our backyard. So I grabbed the camera and started clicking. Isn’t he fantastic?


After the camera-clicking frenzy (and dinner), I Googled him. He’s a Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis. He’s welcome to stick around and make our backyard his home, and so are any of his lizard friends.
Continue reading →

SERENITY TIX!!

By | |
18 Comments

Woohoo!! Just got a call from Stephen Eley, the editor/publisher of Escape Pod. They were running a trivia contest giving away a pair of tickets to the June 23rd Serenity preview. We entered and we won! We’re going to see Serenity on Thursday!!

We’re going to see Serenity!

Escape Pod rocks, and not just because they’re giving us tickets. I downloaded all their podcasts and loved them. My favorite was “Snow Day” written by jenwrites. I’m really hoping to break into this market because I think it would be so cool to get one of my stories turned into a podcast. Go forth and download some excellent mp3 fiction! It’s free!

Dragon*Con panels

By | |
10 Comments

Getting notes from Dragon*Con track directors (*waves at bevlovesbooks*) with panel requests. It promises to be an extra busy convention this year. I wonder if it’s possible for me to go the whole thing without sleeping. Hmm. I suspect that would result in me hallucinating by the time of the Dead Dog party, which might be amusing in its own right, I suppose. ‘Course I might start hallucinating and babbling at a panel, which would be less amusing–at least for me. And I suspect my editorial skills would go out the window way before then.


Writing Stuff

New Words: Editing editing editing.
Did several passes on the story up for critique. It’s getting there. Feedback continues to be generally positive. A couple folks have commented that they didn’t like the flashback I used and would prefer to see things in sequence. Upon some consideration, I think they’re right.

Club 100 For Writers
13

I Heart Huckabees

By | |
4 Comments

fosteronfilm came home earlier than I thought last night. Yay! We had nummy gin and tonics, and watched I Heart Huckabees which was a dada, surreal, bizarrely existential film. If you asked me what it was about, I’d have to point and repeat “dada, surreal, bizarrely existential.” It’s a comedy. It’s like the sequel to Being John Malkovich, but without any of the same actors, characters, director, or producer. And otherwise having nothing whatsoever to do with it. More of a “soul sequel.” Definitely different. And different is something to be applauded, even if it left me giggling and reeling. And no, that wasn’t from the gin.


Writing Stuff

Had a submission make it past the first round of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. Now waiting to see if it makes it past round two.

And just got PayPal notification that Andromeda Spaceways paid me for my story “The Life and Times of Penguin” in the current issue. Hurray!

Did a couple critiques–one for Critters and one not.

By | |
4 Comments

This is the last weekend of the Atlanta Film Festival, so I should have my hubby back soon. Good thing. I’ve got a real craving for the taste of a gin and tonic, and I can’t bring myself to drink alone. I brewed up some iced peach rooibos tea, but it’s not the same.

Plan to spend the day doing some writing, getting caught up on my correspondences, and sipping tea.


Writing Stuff

Received my contrib. copies of Paradox #7 with “The Tiger Fortune Princess” in it, as well as my check! Happy happy.

Got an invite from Esotericon to be a guest. They didn’t mention a comp badge for fosteronfilm, and that’s a necessity, so I’m going to drop them an email query about that. But assuming that gets squared away nice, I fully intend to accept their invite. It sounds like much fun.

Nine crits so far on the story up at Critters. It’s being well received. Plan to do some critting this afternoon as well (yes, for your story, britzkrieg).

Wrote a review of Aeon #2 for Tangent. It’s the first full-issue review I’ve done in a while. I’ve sort of been doing ad hoc reviews as needed, a story here, a story there–more as a duty than for fun. I’d forgotten how enjoyable it can be to read and review a ‘zine at my leisure. Reviewing is different then just pleasure reading. It’s like flexing a different reading muscle to identify and dissect the parts I liked (and that I didn’t) and to think about what the author intended, rather than just what I get out of it. ‘Course it helped that I thought Aeon #2 was a very good publication. It’s much less fun to review something that’s a chore to read.

Save NPR

By | |
11 Comments

Swung by the library today so I have new reading material (although fosteronfilm mocks me, as our house is littered by review material I keep receiving for Tangent–but all of that is short fiction and occasionally I get a yen for a novel, dammit). So here’s a quick plea to save NPR and PBS, then I wanna get to reading:

This has been Snopes verified and everything. “The House is threatening to eliminate all public funding for NPR and PBS, starting with Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and other commercial-free children’s shows.” Sign the moveon.org petition opposing these massive cuts to public broadcasting.

Sign the petition! Spread the word!