Brian – Page 9 – Brian Fence

Crashpow Through January

Jeepers, I never thought 2014 would kick off with such a bang. Where is my free time? Where is my relaxation? (If anyone mentions the new Zelda for Nintendo 3DS, they will get kicked in the shin. IT WAS ONE DAY.)

First-read commentary on chapters seven and eight for Apprentice have arrived from our lovely James, so after incorporating some annotations into the first draft, I can get to red-penning again. Huzzah.

The audiobook version of Librarian should be up on Amazon/Audible/iTunes next week, assuming the quality check at ACX goes smoothly. Fingers crossed! #amirite

I’m also currently reviewing a book, Welcome to New Brooklyn, for fellow author, Tom Hobbs; it’s exciting to be more active in the writing community. You can find more info on Tom over at kindlemojo.

This has been a pretty tame update from me, eh? Zero swearing! Zero mentions of ponies! Forgive me my lack of entertaining news to share; puppy-sitting left me quite exhausted!

Puppy Intervention — It’s hard to work when a German Shepherd puppy gets between you and the laptop.

Nothing Wrong with Eight Inches

I love a good snowstorm, the kind that forces you to sit inside and… do some work. Don’t worry; I am actually working on Apprentice, though we’re mucking about a bit in a wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey scene at the moment and I require lots of irrelevant snippets of paper, thumbtacks, and, very soon, the OLD SCHOOL CORK BOARD SHALL RETURN.

The audiobook version of Librarian is complete and as soon as it hits the distributors, I’ll let you know. I’ll also, similarly to my first run of hardcover/paperbacks of the novel, offer signed audio CDs with a special message from me exclusively for sale on my website. Stay tuned for details. 😀

Also, don’t forget! I’m giving an amazing, socially-relevant talk at the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library on Tuesday, 28 January at 19:00 EST! Sign up here!

Librarian Library Talk

That’s right! I’ve been asked to speak at the Ocean County Library (Toms River branch) in January! I will apparently be babbli — er, giving a talk about the portrayal of women in popular fiction and the hellishness of navigating the ever-changing publishing industry.

Registration is necessary, I believe! So if you want to see me use my sociologist degree for something, go ahead and sign up. (PS — I’ll be heading across the street afterward for drinksies, so feel free to follow along!)

Here’s the proper link:

http://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=2161&EventID=192276&PK=

Okay, PSA ended! 😉

Pre-Christmas Moment

Sublimely enjoyable Christmas parties this past weekend and today.

It’s very weird to get mixed up in family politics, and no doubt, I shall be flamed or ridiculed by the masses (aka: the two members of my family who read my blog) for even posting such nonsense, but I’m really confused by the general concern of humans. And I have a voice.

I can go out with friends, loved ones, even strangers, and everything is okay. We stumble and fall; sometimes, someone pisses us off. But we know there are certain things that are important, things both ineffable and necessary to society, so strong that we should be able to rise up against conflict and better ourselves as humans when all is said and done. But some people don’t realize that. Some people don’t choose to realize that. And isn’t that sad?

I’ve spent the past, oh, six months, maybe longer, surrounding myself with good people and celebrating life and all it has to offer. I’ve failed sometimes. I watched others fail. But I am always me.

I have deliberately not involved myself with juvenile behavior and, rather, reached out with arms in embrace despite knowing there were no arms offering embrace in return.

Why hurt your parents? Why hurt your children? The only ones suffering are them, not me, whom you intend to punish. I feel the pain only because I see how the cruelty affects my loved ones, and that, in the spirit of the holidays, is just inhuman, and solidifies everything I’ve thought of you in the past two years. It’s a shame, because growing up, I always named heroes in my RPGs after you.

This is my blog; I choose to love.

Happy (almost) Christmas, everyone! Again, decide to love; it’s the best way to live.

The Christmas Fez

A Christmas fez!

The Day the Ponies Danced

Wahoo! I’ve hit the 75,000-word mark on Apprentice! The original ‘target’ for the first draft was 90k, but as Librarian ended up at 96k, I imagine its sequel is going well into the 100,000-word range. So! 75% of the way there on the first draft!

Of course, rather than continuing writing with my usual gusto, I took the moment to gather up all the wonderful ponies on my desk and have them do a little dance around my MacBook Pro to bestow upon Apprentice the magic of friendship.

I’m totally sane, right?

*goes back to playing with his dolls*

Get Out Dem Bose Headphones

That’s right! Long requested, long ignored by me (until now), LIBRARIAN is finally getting the audiobook treatment! A talented VO producer will be handling the final version, soon to be available via Amazon, Audible, iTunes, CD, et cetera! Behold the cover art!

I can’t wait for everyone to HEAR the finished product!

PS — I have more to update about, like my wonderful weekend in DC with old friends and new, but right now this little X-Mas bunneh just decorated the tree and wants to hide in the branches for a nap!

Red is the Color of Blood

November is over, and Christmas is creeping up with its icy jaws of death, ready to pillage my wallet and interrupt my workflow (speaking of Christmas, Librarian would make a great gift for loved ones who like books, HINT HINT). One upside to it being December, however, is that Movember is officially over, and I shaved the tribble off my face. I look twelve years old again. Huzzah!

On a more professional note, the first annotations for chapters one through four of Apprentice are completely worked into the first draft, which means it’s time for… THE RED PEN OF DOOM. This is the fun part where I go a little crazy and go over line by line of the printed material. This is also the stage where the insanity starts. When it finally goes to my copy-editor, prepare for all out bonkers.

Apprentice Proof (Chapters 1-4) — The text already threatens to strangle me, I swear.

Do I see the word “sparkle ponies” on page one? RUT-ROH. Remember, this is the version produced after I get delightful suggestions from my editor, some of which are like this:

Rib Poking

We do so enjoy to keep our comments lively. Hope everyone is staying warm; now, armed with my red pen, it’s back to work. Who will die first: Lenna or I!?

Brian Does Not Like to Edit — My money is on me dying first.

Birds, Booze, and Bondage

Happy Thanksgiving! I’ve a lot to be thankful for this year: I’ve learned how amazing and strong my support network can be; it is through the caring and kindness of my loved ones that I’ve been able to pull off a lot of things I never thought myself capable of doing. Hell, I published a book! 😀

I’ve managed to reconnect with some people whom I’d thought were lost to me, and I’ve met and made a huge collection of new friends. For these things, I’m truly thankful. I certainly know I wouldn’t be as inspired to keep writing/cooking/waking up without you guys.

Turkey 2013 — All lubed and tied up. Sexy.

On that note, cheers to everyone, wherever (or whenever, if you happen to be a time traveler or dead), you happen to be! It’s time to tie one on, nom some good food, and appreciate the love of those around you.

By the way, yesterday, I found out I was out of eggs, and had to make an emergency trip to the grocery store. Unshowered. Still in PJs. >:( UNHAPPINESS WAS EVERYWHERE.

GRR! Bao!

The Aftermath of a Nerdgasm

If you read the post from the other day where I refused to be productive because of the possibility of too much fandom going on in my life, you’ll know yesterday was pretty epic from a geek standpoint for me. I shan’t go into the details (SPOILERS), but suffice it to say I made too much food and got far too excited.

Also, I dropped a food processor on my knee, severely crippling my efforts at mastering this paso doble. Oh well.

There’s one more day until the FINAL (I mean it) Goodreads giveaway for Librarian ends so, really: it’s Sunday, it’s cold out — sign up if you haven’t! Meanwhile, I’m actually being a good boy and working on Apprentice.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Librarian

by Brian Fence

Giveaway ends November 25, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

The Day Draws NEEIIIIGH

I’ve been in freaking-out geek mode for several weeks now. The stars have all aligned to give me the most powerful weekend of fandom in all of history; the only way it could get ANY more insane for me was if something Sailor Moon came out tomorrow, too.

So, tonight, I’ve got J-Law in CATCHING FIRE, woot-woot, then tomorrow, a MLP marathon, Equestria Girls TV premiere, THE FIRST TWO EPISODES OF SERIES FOUR OF MLP, then the Food Network’s Thanksgiving Live with (hopefully drunken) Ina Garten, and then the DAY OF THE DOCTOR! I am beginning to feel the blood trickle from my nose as I type.

I will be in my knickers, with a bow tie, and a fez. A sonic screwdriver and perhaps a liquid Screwdriver in each hand. Such excitement. Such excitement this blog post hasn’t been constructed very well at all. Or informative.

But here, I’ll add something deep. Life feels oppressively long sometimes, so much so that we don’t always realize [that] we’re all living on borrowed time, and even human relationships — family, friends, lovers — are fleeting. So find a pony, have some wine with a friend, and smile; and as my mother would say, inhale the moment. Find those fhets and make yourself enjoy every bit of happiness life affords. Sparkle.

xoxo

bao