IT LIVES!!!

Like a zombie, RP is rising from the dead… Hopefully like a zombie and not a Final Destination or Saw Sequel.

 

Things are getting tweaked poked and prodded into shape.

My reviews will stand as I personally see things now and if it’s something I’ve reviewed in the past I’ll repost it from the vaults to show how time might have changed my views.

I’ve missed doing Random Pimpage.  I’ve missed having time to enjoy fiction in both dead tree, electronic and audio format.

 

So where the hell have I been.  Working – A lot, when I have my OT days I still have a 3 hour commute one way, when I get out on time my commute is shortened by an hour and as my health has been less then great recently I’ve been sleeping on the commute (train and bus not driving) and therefore have not been consuming creative content as I once was.  I’m not as bad off as I was so I’m starting to consume podcasts and print books again.  Which means my opinionated ass has something to say once again.  Some of the content I may be reviewing for a second time as I give a listen again to some old favorites and I’ll provide my view as I consume it now with a view of how I felt when I first partook of it’s splendor.

 

I’ll be resurrecting 8 questions if I have any creators out there that are willing to put up with them.  You should be seeing more of me in the coming week.

take it light and see you on the other side.

Suckage and It’s Inevitability

or the alternative title -  Quit bitching and just write already!

Cross posted over at Welcome to my Madness my writing / accountability blog that I have also been slacking ass on – Harrass my ass

Oddly enough this was originally going to be a Google+ Post but it got lengthy so I thought I’d do something with one of my blogs that I’m too damned lazy to work on.

Trying to take a piece of advice from a Scott Sigler interview.  Basically advice was  – Write a crappy novel put it away for 6 months then come back to it.  See how bad it is and where you need to improve. – That is not to say write on purposefully to be crappy but face it we’re not freaking Mozart and things aren’t going to spring fully formed and perfect to our fingertips and into the computer – (or pen for those of us who still use them) – Similar advice is also given by the Mighty Mur LAfferty in that it’s okay to suck.  And also it’s echoed in  “There is no such thing as good writing, it’s good rewriting” and I have no Idea who originated that quote but I believe I read it in Joel Saltzman’s book on writing  – If You Can Talk You Can Write.

That said for a first attempt (okay so I’ve attempted MANY times and never finished but that’s a horse of another color) I don’t want to use any of my “Darling” Ideas – Because I don’t want them to suck.  But TFB I need to get over myself and realize that EVERYTHING is gonna suck in rough draft if it didn’t suck in rough draft then there would be no need for rewrites, and editors would be out of jobs.  So as far as editors are concerned I guess it makes them happy when we suck as long as we don’t suck to horribly and can improve.

Long story short quit bitching get writing – Lesson Attended – now lets see if I can learn this bitch.

Slacking Ass

Sorry life keeps getting in the way of me doing what I said I’m gonna do…

More info soon as I get time to put it up.

Worthy Cause – Media Creators

We receive a ton of free content these days – Free Pdocasted fiction free PDF’s for supporting our writer friends but sometimes we forget a very important part of supporting them – BUYING content.

 

Remember to support our creative friends with buying their commercial works.  This enables them to spend more time creating so we end up getting more content.

It’s tax time many of us will get a little something back… pick one of your favorite creators and purchase something if you already have a copy then gift it to a friend, family member or better yet a library so you can get more people hooked on truly fantastic content.

Getting PWNED by Owner’s Share

Today’s review / Pimpage is on Owner’s Share From Nathan Lowell first off lets get the links out of the way

@Nlowell – Nathan Lowell on Twitter

http://solarclipper.com – Trader’s Diary – The Website for the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper

http://www.podiobooks.com/title/owners-share -Owner’s Share on Podiobooks

And while we’re at it  let’s give a big fucking shout out and thank you to Evo Terra and Podiobooks.com for providing a metric shit tonne of awesome content to listen to – Lots of great Podiobooks in many genres by many talented writers – You can find them at http://www.podiobooks.com @podiobooks @evo_terra

Now on to the meat and potatoes – First off Nathan asks that we not spoil the ending by invoking Article 37… Screw Article 37 I’ll tell you how it ends… Like always – Nathan being a hell of a guy and thank you for listening… If you want how the story ends get off your ass and listen to it yourself… my words can’t do it justice.

Do you want 30 foot T-Rex’s jumping out of scrubbers and devouring half the crew, and exciting flitter chase where Ish dives out of the craft shooting the pirates through the armor glass port and Pip coming out of nowhere and saving him with a rocket pack?  Me too but that’s not the kind of stuff Nathan writes in the Share series, his ideas are a hell of a lot cooler if a lot more sedate.

Again Nathan delivers a great story, with a fantastic read.  You feel the highs and lows of the crew.  You get it through the way the words flow, and you hear it in his voice.  You’ll feel the shock and betrayal when the crew realizes that ARTICLE 37 is the one behind ARTICLE 37.  Oh and when ARTICLE 37 does ARTICLE 37 with ARTICLE 37 it’s just mind blowing.  I mean when ARTICLE 37 let ARTICLE 37 in the back ARTICLE 37 it was like whoa … I mean really how the hell does one get  a ARTICLE 37 into a 3×3 cubicle with ARTICLE 37 ,ARTICLE 37 ,ARTICLE 37  and 4 ARTICLE 37s… okay I went a little heavy on the ARTICLE 37.  Back to seriousness though – Again Nathan provides a great story, with a couple of twists that left an entire busload of people (literally I was on the bus listening to it) giving me dirty looks when I audibly expressed my incredulity at the twists.

As always it’s a well written story performed by a great voice talent.

Didn’t want to jump on the bad wagon yesterday though I kinda did through facebook but I’ll do it here and now and maybe another post on it tomorrow if I have the time… presence of mid to actually remember damned squirrels stealing my thoughts…

Thank you Nathan for not only providing free content but kick ass free content, it’s all too easy to just provide crap for free and make people pay for the good stuff.  Through the years I have sat impatiently waiting the next step in Ish’s Journey.  I still impatiently wait the next step.  Thank you for not wrapping everything up in a pretty red bow and doing the they sailed off into the deep dark happily ever after thing.  The books end how the entire series appealed to me – Feeling real.

Now stop reading and get back to work I can feel the withdrawal kicking in already!!!! More content!!!  errr…ummm I mean more content please Sahr.

State of the Blog 1-27-2011

Well folks I promised the first new review of the year would go to Nathan Lowell and Owner’s share and that is indeed the plan it will be coming up next.  But I’d like to first make an announcement so this makes it a double post day.

2010 is what a sports team would call a restructuring year.  Which means that my head was so far up my ass paying attention to way too many things and I dropped the ball a lot.  I call it life kicking me in the nards and me whining too much to do any good.  Now I feel my head is mostly extracted from my ass which is a good thing because the view back there was shitty (yes groan all you want bad puns are my forte and I’m getting the worst ones out of my system now).  I’m working on getting back on schedule.  That means I’ll be starting up 8 Questions, and Worthy Causes again as well as working on evolving Random Pimpage here a little as well.  I have a new email address setup for the blog randompimpage@gmail.com.  If you have any requests for a Cause to be mentioned, Media or Creator review (I don’t just do Podcasts I’ll take a look at any media I can afford to and I’ll actually review / critique creators as well) or if you have in mind a  Victim.. er Subject for 8 Questions or just something you want me to pimp you can just drop me a line at randompimpage@gmail.com with Request <Segment Name> in the subject line and tell me who / what in the body and I’ll take it under advisement.

Warning – the stuff I review on my own I do because I love the material and that shows by the fact that anything I do on my own is usually a review in a good light.  At least on something I listened to my ma when she said “If you can’t say anything nice just shut the fuck up.”  (verbatim quote)  BUT I’ll take a look at anything anyone wants me too but I will be honest.  You ask my opinion I’ll give you my honest unvarnished opinion.  And lastly I will only pimp projects that I feel are deserving of it if I don’t think it’s worthy, I will not pimp it.

In the mean time until I’m back up to speed again I’ll be mixing in some older posts brought from the vaults with newer content – The older stuff will be titled From the Vaults, newer stuff will just have a normal title.

From the Vaults – 8 Questions with Pip Ballantine

Still bringing stuff back from the vaults fore the moment – While I’m getting caught up with some materials – or more like waiting for some material to catch up with me… Yes I’m looking at you Nathan Lowell…

Without any further ado – From the Vaults – 8 Qs with Pip -

It’s Monday again boys and squirrels and other woodland creatures that we cannot mention due to a gag order from PETA ( I swear eat one fried platypus and they brand you for life….) and no I don’t mean it ‘s time for it to put the lotion in the basket or it gets the fire hose (That was yesterday… erm nevermind) It’s time for another round of 8 Questions – This week we feature Philippa “Pip” Ballantine – The Podiosphere’s favorite saucy flightless bird or small furry banana strawberry thing you choose.

1 ) What’s one thing we Americans take for granted about New Zealand that really frustrates you?

Actually Americans don’t really know enough about New Zealand to take much for granted. The one thing people do know about us is what they have seen in Lord of the Rings. New Zealand is that beautiful, and that empty. (A country the size of Great Britain, but with only 4 million people in it) but it does have more than that. It’s something that you can’t explain, you have to come visit. (Honestly I am not working for Tourism New Zealand)
2 ) What’s next podcast wise after Digital Magic finishes it’s run?

It will be the anthology series set in the world of Geist. I am not quite sure how many people I will have involved in it, but I am hoping lots of other podcasters will be excited to join me in. I am looking forward to exploring the world.
3 ) When did you start writing and Why?  Do you remember that “1st” story?

I first started writing when I was about thirteen, and I guess I started because I was a voracious reader. I read all my Dad’s books and thought ‘I can do that’. My first book was a story about a woman haunted by some demonic creatures she could only see out of the corner of her eye. Which is interesting, because elements of that are in Geist.
4 ) Erotica Ala Carte got booted out of Itunes after the 1st Episode.  Did that fluster or flatter you?

I think that happened because itunes was clearing the literature category of anything sexual. I am not sure why (because itunes never communicate or respond) but it doesn’t seem to have effected the numbers of listeners. I was actually kind of impressed!

5 ) Why Erotica?

Why not? Actually I did it because I was afraid of erotica. I think a writer should be always able to write what the story requires. Sex reveals a lot about the characters, and can be a plot point as well.  I didn’t like the fact that I was shutting the bedroom door all the time. So like a good, stubborn person I decided to face my fears. I’m pretty happy with the result.

6 ) How did you get into Podcasting?

Tee Morris. Enough said?
He was my colleague at DragonMoon Press and he was always banging on about the joy of podcasting- little did I know that it would be so addictive.
7 ) Why are New Zealanders called Kiwis?

Many people think it is the fruit, but it started long before NZ started growing them. It’s the bird- though why we nicknamed ourselves after a nocturnal, flightless bird I cannot say. I think it has something to do with World War I and regimental crests or some such.

8 ) Were you able to pull a deal with Ace like Sigler was able to do with Crown to allow you to podcast Geist and it’s sequel?

Unfortunately not. The anthology deal was the best we could do. I think publishing is slowly coming around to the idea, but it is still a work in progress. We’ll have to see how that pans out.
** Okay since some of the questions have more than one part technically this is more than 8 questions but meh…..

Bonus Questions – You don’t have to answer these but you can if you want.
b1 ) What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

I wouldn’t know, all our birds are flightless
b2 ) 42 is the answer but what is the question?

At what age does a man mature like a fine cheese
b3 ) If at first you don’t succeed _____________ (fill in the Blank)

If at first you don’t succeed keep podcasting

Pip can be found online at her own site http://www.pjballantine.com/

Pip is also organizing the Boom Effect Auction a benefit for Sonic Boom http://www.theboomeffect.org/

And of course on twitter as @PhilippaJane

From the Vaults – Dreamer’s Thread

We’ll Start the relaunch with a little something retro – And for that let’s go with one of my Favorite podcasts from last year – Starla Huchton’s The Dreamer’s Thread.

If you missed it the First time Here’s what I had to say -

The Dreamer’s Thread – is a fun fantastic journey into the world of dreams, and fantasy.  It’s a fun ride, to me it’s kinda like Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur’s court had a bastard love child with The Never Ending Story and  set it in the land of Dreams.   (And let me mention that I find that to be a GOOD thing I like the Never Ending Story… Don’t diss Bastion…nah… AH…NAH-AH-AH – it was the sequels and the fucked up cartoon that screwed it up the original was pretty decent)  It’s a dreamy (pun intended) tale of Aura a dreamer who get’s pulled into the land of dreams to save the world from the nightmare realm.  I think the voices were dead on, they seemed to fell right on the characters.  It was fun ride, a well put together podcast, and a fun story one that should it ever make it into print I will read to my daughter on a regular basis.

Congratulations on the podcast / story being a wonderful success (least I think it turned out that way) and on the birth of your new minion.  I can’t see what else you’ve got to put out… fiction wise I mean… I don’t need to see the Minions – well unless you REALLY REALLY fell like sharing…

You can follow Starla on Twitter @RiznPhnx or you can check the Novel on Itunes or at it’s home on the web over at http://www.thedreamersthreadnovel.com/

 

It is a great podcast and story, and still has a happy place on my Hard drive just in case I have the urge to give it another listen.. and I have.  If you haven’t sat down and given it a listen do so, give it a couple episodes before you make up your mind (I like to give everything at least four eps) because there is a fairly decent stylistic change in the first couple episodes.

If you want to support the author for her hard work and hell of a job you can always shell out the 5 bucks for PDF or 15 for print from Amazon.

Some stories when you come back a second time lose some of the wonder, this one sucked me back in just like it did the first time.

 

Going a little retro pulling some things off the shelf and dusting them off while I’m working on the next stage of things here at Random Pimpage.

Welcome to 2011

Greetings and hallucination my dear friends fiends, followers and stalkers.

Okay no stalkers yet but a boy can dream can’t he?!

Welcome to 2011.  It’s a great new year, I feel good, the drama seems to be past for now though I think I just shot myself in the foot by drawing attention to it.  But as I came to look at it last week.  World bring it, go ahead get your steel toes on for the nut-kicking you’re about to deliver to me.  I’m ready to come over the counter and slap the bitch out of you.

Random Pimpage is back on track.

Posts should start popping up this week.

For those of you still paying attention to the site thank you to those that forgot all about me and aren’t bothering to check back…. Fair enough but I still say thpppppppppppppppppppppppppt.

Worthy Cause – Your Health

Going a different direction with my Worthy Cause today.

We often neglect our own health for a variety of reasons.  I’m not St. Richie on this I’m just as sinful as the rest of y’all… yes I said y’all… well typed it rather fuck it.. I said it too but you can’ hear it because well it’s int he past and I don’t have a mic handy and it really doesn’t matter a rat’s ass… Back on the path…. ANYWAYS… Especially this time of year for the parts of the world that are all wintry blustery and frigid we do stupid things and get sick.  For most of us it isn’t a big deal, especially those of us with germ farms.. I mean to say those of us blessed enough to be parents.

 

If anyone has been paying attention , and if you haven’t I don’t blame you I’ve been a bit quiet of late,  my ma has been ill – She’s been on a ton of steroids that weaken her immune system and she gets ill at the drop of a hat now, there are a multitude of immune deficiencies out there for you to get hit with.  You bring a cold virus within a mile of someone suffering from one you’ve knocked them on their ass for a month or more.   Get something a  little stronger like influenza you can damn near kill them.  Take time and be healthy before you walk out that door, wash hands, cough/sneeze into your elbow (Dracula Sneeze), Care enough not to share at least as far as germs go.  Even if you don’t have someone in your life that isn’t dealing with a  compromised immune system passing less illnesses around the house results in happier less whiny kids, cuts down on the having to buy theraflu and decongestant tabs by the case load, and generally just makes us happier peoples.

I’m trying to ease slowly back into updates for random pimpage… bear with me while I try to recapture my stride.