Bob and I, with the help of a few friends, manned a dealer's booth at this summer's Comic Con and Pop Culture Expo. A large and lively bunch attended, including a lot of kids from infants on up. The Guest of Honor, Batman's Adam West, was the main draw, so of course the predominant theme was Batman. The original Batmobile from the TV show was on display. Fans had several opportunities to have their pictures taken in the Batmobile with Adam West and to get his autograph.
Also on display were the DeLorean from the Back To The Future movies and a Tardis from Doctor Who. Throughout both days frequent costume contests were held, so we were treated to many fantastic costumes, among them several Doctors, Disney's Frozen characters, and a notable Thor and Loki duo. But the costumes I particularly enjoyed were the pirates; one man was dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow with all the accompanying mannerisms. Another was Captain Barbosa. The attention to detail and exquisite fabrics that went into the pirate costumes made them magnificent. But then, who doesn't love pirates?
Many attendees came dressed in unusual T-shirts that kept us entertained. There were a wide variety of things to shop for: comic books, costumes, toys, and all kinds of collectibles. I thoroughly enjoyed partaking from Wild Bill's Soda Stand!
Bob and I had a great time connecting with old friends as well as making some new ones. Our booth received lots of compliments for being attractive and colorful, as well as for our good prices. In fact we had such a good time that we signed up for December's Comic Con. Guests of Honor will be cast members of A Christmas Story and Marta Kristin, celebrating the 50 th anniversary of Lost in Space.
In the meantime I'll be selling and signing my books at the New England Authors Expo and mini-Comic Con, July 29 from 4-9 pm at Danversport Yacht Club, Danvers, MA. If you're local, come on down and meet me. It should be a fun evening.
Keep on reading, and keep on writing!
MRTighe
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Monday, June 15, 2015
AnthoCon 4
My hubby Bob and I attended this year's AnthoCon in Portsmouth NH. This was our fourth AnthoCon and, in my opinion, the best so far. For the first time at a convention/conference we had a dealer's table to sell books and collectble comics. I'm a writer and Bob's a "collector," so we often do book expos and comic cons as dealers.
AnthoCon is billed as a specfic conference; speculative fiction includes genres such as horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy, etc. Most attendees are involved in some field related to specfic. Many are authors, publishers, artists and readers. I, personally, would like to see a few more fans of specfic in attendance, not just professionals. I think they bring an air of excitement and enthusiasm to any convention. I do enjoy networking with fellow writers and artists in all genres.
The folks who attend AnthoCon are generally super-friendly and welcoming. You won't stay a newcomer for long. I've said that this is a "huggy" con. Other cons that we've attended seem to be more standoffish and reserved. It's much easier to make new friends at AnthoCon and feel right at home here.
In addition to a well-stocked dealer's room, AnthoCon features panels, readings, raffles, a Saturday night buffet and jam session, a convenient and comfortable venue, and lots of lively conversation.
We always enjoy eating at the Roundabout Diner, which is a short walk across the hotel parking lot, and Portsmouth proper isn't far away. If you go over the nearby bridge, you end up on the scenic coast of Maine with beaches, restaurants, and outlet shopping. All in all, this is a lovely place to spend a few days or more.
Bob and I had a great time catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and networking with a wide variety of professionals. We even managed to win a raffle; I put hubby's name on the ticket. ( He has the luck of the Irish, and I have none at all! )
We're already looking forward to AnthoCon 2016. I'm sure it will be another wonderful experience.
In the meantime, keep on reading and keep on writing,
MRTighe
AnthoCon is billed as a specfic conference; speculative fiction includes genres such as horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy, etc. Most attendees are involved in some field related to specfic. Many are authors, publishers, artists and readers. I, personally, would like to see a few more fans of specfic in attendance, not just professionals. I think they bring an air of excitement and enthusiasm to any convention. I do enjoy networking with fellow writers and artists in all genres.
The folks who attend AnthoCon are generally super-friendly and welcoming. You won't stay a newcomer for long. I've said that this is a "huggy" con. Other cons that we've attended seem to be more standoffish and reserved. It's much easier to make new friends at AnthoCon and feel right at home here.
In addition to a well-stocked dealer's room, AnthoCon features panels, readings, raffles, a Saturday night buffet and jam session, a convenient and comfortable venue, and lots of lively conversation.
We always enjoy eating at the Roundabout Diner, which is a short walk across the hotel parking lot, and Portsmouth proper isn't far away. If you go over the nearby bridge, you end up on the scenic coast of Maine with beaches, restaurants, and outlet shopping. All in all, this is a lovely place to spend a few days or more.
Bob and I had a great time catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and networking with a wide variety of professionals. We even managed to win a raffle; I put hubby's name on the ticket. ( He has the luck of the Irish, and I have none at all! )
We're already looking forward to AnthoCon 2016. I'm sure it will be another wonderful experience.
In the meantime, keep on reading and keep on writing,
MRTighe
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
To Title Your Chapters...Or Not?
Someone I know recently questioned whether it was necessary to title chapters of novels. Some fellow writers commented that they never title their chapters; others said they routinely did. I'm all for "to each his own;" however, after writing and publishing four books, ( with a fifth nearing completion ) I find chapter titles incredibly helpful.
Here are a few of my reasons:
1) Chapter titles give your readers a better sense of the tone of your book. Is it scholarly, comedic, dark, etc.?
2) They whet the reader's appetite and make them want to read the book--as does the cover and the backcover blurb.
3) They give you, the author, a means of clarifying and/or summing up the theme of each chapter.
4) They give your book a sense of order and direction; in other words, they let your potential readers know that the author is well aware of where this book is going!
To give you examples of the above, here's a list of the chapter titles from my latest novel, a spaceopera titled Galaxy Rand:
1---Out With the Trash
2---Jammer
3---Close Quarters
4---Five Million Credits
5---The Black Hole
6---Esperance
7---The Asteroid Eater
8---Old Rat Eyes
9---Outta the Frying Pan
10--Lab Rats
11--Course Corrections
12--Jeffries
13--Esperance--Again
14--Mop Up Operations
15--Teamwork
I think that gives you a pretty good idea of the reasons why I title my chapters. But whether or not you choose to do so, the process is entirely up to your creative expression. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Anyway, keep on writing, and keep reading!
MRTighe
Here are a few of my reasons:
1) Chapter titles give your readers a better sense of the tone of your book. Is it scholarly, comedic, dark, etc.?
2) They whet the reader's appetite and make them want to read the book--as does the cover and the backcover blurb.
3) They give you, the author, a means of clarifying and/or summing up the theme of each chapter.
4) They give your book a sense of order and direction; in other words, they let your potential readers know that the author is well aware of where this book is going!
To give you examples of the above, here's a list of the chapter titles from my latest novel, a spaceopera titled Galaxy Rand:
1---Out With the Trash
2---Jammer
3---Close Quarters
4---Five Million Credits
5---The Black Hole
6---Esperance
7---The Asteroid Eater
8---Old Rat Eyes
9---Outta the Frying Pan
10--Lab Rats
11--Course Corrections
12--Jeffries
13--Esperance--Again
14--Mop Up Operations
15--Teamwork
I think that gives you a pretty good idea of the reasons why I title my chapters. But whether or not you choose to do so, the process is entirely up to your creative expression. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Anyway, keep on writing, and keep reading!
MRTighe
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Oopsies!
Writers and readers know that a few typos always manage to slip through the editing process. It seems to be inevitable, no matter how hard writers and editors try to avoid them. But lately I ran across a couple mistakes that were so obvious and so laughable that they effected my enjoyment of the rest of the book. I know what you're thinking! But these weren't independents; the books were published by well-known major houses!
In one book ( which shall remain nameless ), I read that a character arrived at a stable and requested that his "house" be given a rubdown and be fed! Now, unless I missed something, I believe the word should've been "horse!" Makes a bit more sense, doesn't it? But the damage was done; I nearly laughed myself sick as I pictured a house getting a rubdown. And unfortunately, I chuckled through the rest of the book.
In another book, the band that was playing was said to be "whaling." Unless said band was Captain Ahab and the Nemos, I think the word should have been "wailing." Again, I had a good laugh, but that mistake took the edge off my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
One little error like those can ruin a perfectly good story. I hate that! So writers, editors, proofreaders be warned: Do not depend on Spellcheck to do your job for you. Catch those little "oopsies" yourselves. Anyone have any beauties they'd like to share? Please feel free; these days we could all use a good laugh.
Keep writing and keep reading!
MRTighe
In one book ( which shall remain nameless ), I read that a character arrived at a stable and requested that his "house" be given a rubdown and be fed! Now, unless I missed something, I believe the word should've been "horse!" Makes a bit more sense, doesn't it? But the damage was done; I nearly laughed myself sick as I pictured a house getting a rubdown. And unfortunately, I chuckled through the rest of the book.
In another book, the band that was playing was said to be "whaling." Unless said band was Captain Ahab and the Nemos, I think the word should have been "wailing." Again, I had a good laugh, but that mistake took the edge off my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
One little error like those can ruin a perfectly good story. I hate that! So writers, editors, proofreaders be warned: Do not depend on Spellcheck to do your job for you. Catch those little "oopsies" yourselves. Anyone have any beauties they'd like to share? Please feel free; these days we could all use a good laugh.
Keep writing and keep reading!
MRTighe
Monday, November 10, 2014
Cooking Up A Tasty Dish ( For Authors )
An author friend and I compare our writing to cooking up a dish. After writing the first draft, she likes to let it "simmer" while I prefer to call the process "marinating." Just as in cooking a recipe, authors must choose the ingredients to use and in what proportion, how long the dish needs to cook, etc.
I dare to take the comparison even further and add that, like a chef, one must choose how spicy to make the dish and which spices are necessary to achieve the desired effect. The ingredients and spices used might include dragons, hunky he-men, glamorous heroines, dastardly villains, cute kids, blood-thirsty vampires, sword fights, dorky geniuses, superheroes, ghosts, wizards, elves, spaceships, and light-sabers. Take your pick.
Mix well whatever ingredients you've chosen, being sure to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Pack into clear sentences that aren't overly complicated. Form into neat paragraphs. Divide into chapters. Let the first draft ( or even the second or third! ) marinate until well-seasoned and satisfactory. Edit when done, then serve up to book-hungry readers!
Keep on cooking until you get the results you desire!
MRTighe
I dare to take the comparison even further and add that, like a chef, one must choose how spicy to make the dish and which spices are necessary to achieve the desired effect. The ingredients and spices used might include dragons, hunky he-men, glamorous heroines, dastardly villains, cute kids, blood-thirsty vampires, sword fights, dorky geniuses, superheroes, ghosts, wizards, elves, spaceships, and light-sabers. Take your pick.
Mix well whatever ingredients you've chosen, being sure to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Pack into clear sentences that aren't overly complicated. Form into neat paragraphs. Divide into chapters. Let the first draft ( or even the second or third! ) marinate until well-seasoned and satisfactory. Edit when done, then serve up to book-hungry readers!
Keep on cooking until you get the results you desire!
MRTighe
Saturday, October 4, 2014
How Crazy Do You Have To Be?
The other day I read a great blog that discusses how crazy you have to be to become a writer. I agree heartily with several points.
First, writers don't make much money, if any. Such dreams are sheer fantasy for all but a tiny handful of writers. Most writers are complete unknowns. So much for fame and fortune!
And for all the non-rewards we receive we are forced to suffer the slings and arrows of disgruntled readers, unappreciative editors, and unimpressed reviewers. All writers ( without exception ) will experience some form of rejection: from publishers, from indifferent readers, and from the constant struggle to promote our books.
Why would any sane person subject himself / herself to this abuse?
The answer seems to be that writers write because we must! We have no choice in the matter. It's either write or be driven insane by the voices in our heads. In fact, our characters are sometimes referred to as "the little people in our heads."
Well, my people aren't little, and I don't think they are confined solely to my head. But I understand completely what other writers mean by this. My characters seem to perpetually lurk over my shoulder, frequently telling me in no uncertain terms what they want to say and do next. From time to time I err and seem to hear them saying, "No, no, no! That's not me! I would never say or do that!"
Writers of fiction, especially, must live in a reality that isn't real. We must create worlds that have never been, invent characters who have never lived, yet feel "real." We must envision scenarios that most likely will never happen. Are we truly crazy?
Maybe so, but on the upside, writing can be fun; it's challenging and rewarding in ways other than monetary. I regard writing as my calling, one that cannot be ignored, an inner flame that cannot be quenched. But unless you are absolutely driven to write and to write your best possible work, you should stay safely sane and stick to the next best occupation: reading!
Keep reading, and for some of you, keep on writing.
MRTighe
First, writers don't make much money, if any. Such dreams are sheer fantasy for all but a tiny handful of writers. Most writers are complete unknowns. So much for fame and fortune!
And for all the non-rewards we receive we are forced to suffer the slings and arrows of disgruntled readers, unappreciative editors, and unimpressed reviewers. All writers ( without exception ) will experience some form of rejection: from publishers, from indifferent readers, and from the constant struggle to promote our books.
Why would any sane person subject himself / herself to this abuse?
The answer seems to be that writers write because we must! We have no choice in the matter. It's either write or be driven insane by the voices in our heads. In fact, our characters are sometimes referred to as "the little people in our heads."
Well, my people aren't little, and I don't think they are confined solely to my head. But I understand completely what other writers mean by this. My characters seem to perpetually lurk over my shoulder, frequently telling me in no uncertain terms what they want to say and do next. From time to time I err and seem to hear them saying, "No, no, no! That's not me! I would never say or do that!"
Writers of fiction, especially, must live in a reality that isn't real. We must create worlds that have never been, invent characters who have never lived, yet feel "real." We must envision scenarios that most likely will never happen. Are we truly crazy?
Maybe so, but on the upside, writing can be fun; it's challenging and rewarding in ways other than monetary. I regard writing as my calling, one that cannot be ignored, an inner flame that cannot be quenched. But unless you are absolutely driven to write and to write your best possible work, you should stay safely sane and stick to the next best occupation: reading!
Keep reading, and for some of you, keep on writing.
MRTighe
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Galaxy Rand and Tin Man
Here's a little something for fans of my latest novel and first space opera, Galaxy Rand. This is early on in the book, shortly after Galaxy stumbles across a discarded robot, whom she nicknames Blackie or Tin Man:
On the opposite side of the alleyway, Blackie charged into a tall stack of drums, as if he'd gone berserk. He bent down, lifted a full drum over his head, as easily as if the damn thing'd been empty! He tossed it down the alley. I heard one yelp, which was cut short, then nothing but silence, except for the incinerator's roar.
The bot turned in place and stood staring at me, for all the Cosmos as if he were waiting for my instructions.
Ignoring him, I scrambled to my feet and went to check out the damage. As usual, my aim had been perfect: The guy I'd smoked was good and dead. He lay face-down in a pool of the sticky green stuff, long past IDing. Farther down the alley, I found a limp blood-covered hand sticking up between two drums full of toxins.
"Dead?" I asked, casting a glance over my shoulder at the bot.
"Most regrettably, he was crushed to death." He made an odd sound, way too close to a human sigh.
Shrugged off both deaths and holstered my blaster. "Out here on Milo's Planet, pal, it's either kill first or get killed," I told the bot. Something else struck me as mighty odd. "But I thought all bots were programmed not to kill humans. Isn't there some kinda law about it? Didn't some guy named Ass-something-or-other invent it one helluva long time ago?"
The bot gave me a blank stare. I couldn't begin to read those crystal lenses of his. "I am certain Doctor Asimov would indeed be grateful that you remembered the fact; however, I assure you, Rand, I had no intention whatsoever of killing this scoundrel. He was about to open fire upon you, thus forcing me to act in order to prevent you from being killed or injured."
I bristled. "Listen up, pal! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I sure as hell don't need you, or anybody else, to protect me. Understood?" He didn't answer.
copyright@ 2014
That's all for now. Hope you enjoyed. I'm back to working on my first prequel to the Tartarus Trilogy.
Keep on reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
On the opposite side of the alleyway, Blackie charged into a tall stack of drums, as if he'd gone berserk. He bent down, lifted a full drum over his head, as easily as if the damn thing'd been empty! He tossed it down the alley. I heard one yelp, which was cut short, then nothing but silence, except for the incinerator's roar.
The bot turned in place and stood staring at me, for all the Cosmos as if he were waiting for my instructions.
Ignoring him, I scrambled to my feet and went to check out the damage. As usual, my aim had been perfect: The guy I'd smoked was good and dead. He lay face-down in a pool of the sticky green stuff, long past IDing. Farther down the alley, I found a limp blood-covered hand sticking up between two drums full of toxins.
"Dead?" I asked, casting a glance over my shoulder at the bot.
"Most regrettably, he was crushed to death." He made an odd sound, way too close to a human sigh.
Shrugged off both deaths and holstered my blaster. "Out here on Milo's Planet, pal, it's either kill first or get killed," I told the bot. Something else struck me as mighty odd. "But I thought all bots were programmed not to kill humans. Isn't there some kinda law about it? Didn't some guy named Ass-something-or-other invent it one helluva long time ago?"
The bot gave me a blank stare. I couldn't begin to read those crystal lenses of his. "I am certain Doctor Asimov would indeed be grateful that you remembered the fact; however, I assure you, Rand, I had no intention whatsoever of killing this scoundrel. He was about to open fire upon you, thus forcing me to act in order to prevent you from being killed or injured."
I bristled. "Listen up, pal! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I sure as hell don't need you, or anybody else, to protect me. Understood?" He didn't answer.
copyright@ 2014
That's all for now. Hope you enjoyed. I'm back to working on my first prequel to the Tartarus Trilogy.
Keep on reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
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