Out and About on the Internet

I am up to my crossed, bloodshot eyes in SiWC contest entries at the moment. I should, in fact, be reading them right this minute. This is what is known as a sanity break. Not that I don’t enjoy the reading. I do. But it’s an intense, exhausting process reading them all back to back, so sometimes, a little break is in order. I’ve done the get-some-fresh-air break, the do-a-load-of-laundry break (_that_ one was exciting), the lunch-with-the-family break, and, of course, the I’ll-just-take-a-tiny-peek-online break. You’re all familiar with that one, right? It’s the one you promise yourself will only last five minutes, but then you get caught up in all the things you really should get caught up on, and a few more than five minutes goes by.

This has been a good one, though, that’s turned up some good stuff.

Caught up a bit on John Scalzi’s blog, Whatever, where I came across this wonderful post. If you’re someone who wants to write when you can find the time, read it. If you’re a writer who finds excuses not to put your butt in a chair and get the work done, read it. Neither? Read it anyway. It’s great.

Incidentally, the surgery he mentions in the post – Jay Lake’s – went very well, apparently. Jay’s a new presenter at SiWC this year, and we’re all sending him all our positive thoughts for a cancer-free outcome. (touch wood.)

Have you noticed the trend towards movie-style video trailers for books? I saw a couple of great ones today, both for books I’m looking forward to reading. Check them out while I dive back in to the contest entries…