Tag Archives: brutal light

Link-o-pation

Posted by Gary W. Olson on

So, we’re now six days into 2012, that exciting, unstable year with Roland Emmerich’s sweaty handprints already over it. I’ve just started on writing a dark science fiction novella, Entering Cadence, while continuing researching things in preparation for the sequel to Brutal Light. I’m determining which conventions I’ll make the extra effort to go to this year (beyond the Michigan-based ones I attend every year). I’m also working on some surprises for this month and next. Good times!

But you’re not here to listen to me be enigmatic, you’re here for a blog entry! Or possibly lutefisk. With that in mind, I direct your attention to these links…

Author J.E. Gurley’s new book of horror Blood Lust is now available for a very limited (that is, for today and the next three days) time for free as a Kindle download from Amazon.com. If you have a Kindle (or a Kindle app for your computer or phone), check it out!

Author Karina Fabian has launched the 30 Minute Marketer, a series dedicated to helping writers market their books. It’ll come out weekly (depending on donations) and breaks down marketing tasks into easy-to-fit-into-busy-schedule bits. Well worth a look if you’re a writer like me who wants to do more with marketing but can never seem to find the time.

A new anthology will soon be open for submissions: Fading Light: An Anthology of the Monstrous, edited by Tim Marquitz. In a world where the light has faded, what creatures will make their presence known to man once more? Submissions are open from 1/15/12 to 5/15/12.

There’s a Facebook meme thingy going around where people are posting links to videos on YouTube featuring the song that was at number one on the pop charts when they were born. Here’s mine: In the Year 2525 by Zager and Evans. A song that somehow manages to be both haunting and annoying at the same time. (I think I would have liked it if I’d been born one week later, though, so I could claim the Rolling Stones’ Honky Tonk Woman. 😛 )

One more video, from the ‘Epic Rap Battles of History’ series: Gandalf vs. Dumbledore. Because it’s Friday, and it’s made of awesome.

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Gary W. Olson is the author of the dark fantasy novel Brutal Light and several previously published and forthcoming short stories. He can be found via his website, his blog A Taste of Strange, as @gwox on Twitter, and in many other far-flung places on the Internet.

Gettin’ Merry With It

Posted by Gary W. Olson on

The publication of Brutal Light just 23 days ago was undoubtedly the high point of my year. I had a lot of stressful things going on outside of my writing life this year, and while the work on the novel and the promotion thereof got a bit crazy as well, it was the kind of ‘good stress’ that I needed to counteract the not-so-good kind. I learned a lot this year, met a lot of new friends, pushed myself out of my comfort zone for the first time in a long time… and I’m looking forward to next year.

Like I wrote last week, I’m going to be taking next week off from blogging and the other social media venues. No blitherings shall I blog; no statuses shall I update; no tweets shall I twit. I’m also putting off the next issue of the newsletter until January. I’ll be reading everything, of course, but unless I’m really moved to say something (most likely because I’ve thought of a bad pun), it’ll be eerie silence from me until January 2012.

Which is not to say I won’t be busy! I’m on vacation from my day job as well, and am determined to get cranking on my next project, a dark science fiction novella called Entering Cadence. You may have read me going on about it in some of the interviews during my virtual book tour; naturally, the story has mutated further from what I then described. But I’m itching to start it, and next week is a perfect time to do so.

So from me and mine to you and yours, have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a festive New Year!

(And if you like snow, you can have my share, when we get some.)

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Gary W. Olson is the author of the dark fantasy novel Brutal Light and several previously published and forthcoming short stories. He can be found via his website, his blog A Taste of Strange, as @gwox on Twitter, and in many other far-flung places on the Internet.

All Said But Not Done: After the Tour

Posted by Gary W. Olson on

Well, how about that: after finishing my first virtual book tour, it appears that I am still intact, and my brain has not, as it threatened, burst out through my ears and gone to the Arctic in search of passage to the Hollow Earth. It was fun, of course–I got to ramble on at indecent length and in suitably pretentious style on things having to do with Brutal Light and writing in general–but I have never felt so thinly spread on the Internets as when I went through the promotion of every stop. Every day, I had one main blog, three ‘satellite’ blogs, three social media networks, a couple groups, and all my subterranean networks to cover. (You may scoff, but just believe me when I say you don’t want to be flamed by the Deros.) But it was worth the time, and like I said, it proved to be fun. And I’ll have a better idea what to prepare for next time.

You may wonder what is left for me this month. First thing has been soliciting book reviews–I knew there were a lot of book review sites out there, but I swear they must have multiplied, like amoebas or Kardashians, since the last time I looked.

Second, I’m getting back on to a regular blogging schedule–Tuesdays and Fridays, come Kardashians or high water–starting today. When I originally started this blog, I was aiming for once a week, and sometimes wasn’t even hitting that. But ever since attending ConClave back in September, I’ve been trying to up my blogging game. Twice a week turns out to not be that hard a target to hit. (That said, I will be taking off the week between Christmas and New Year’s, to relax and recharge.)

Third, I’m writing. I was strugging with an outline for the projected sequel to Brutal Light, but life, promotional stuff, and the like has been getting in the way. Then I sat down and considered the story for Entering Cadence, the sci-fi noir novella that’s been rattling around in my head for a while, and the outline just spilled out of my head then and there. Guess I now know what wants to be written most!

Fourth… AAAAAAHHH!! I STILL HAVE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TO DO!! AIEEEEEEE!!

That about covers it. I think. I hope. Unless it was this weekend I was supposed to organize the chimera racing….

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Gary W. Olson is the author of the dark fantasy novel Brutal Light and several previously published and forthcoming short stories. He can be found via his website, his blog A Taste of Strange, as @gwox on Twitter, and in many other far-flung places on the Internet.

I’m Over on Kelly A. Harmon’s Blog Today, Wrapping up the Virtual Book Tour…

Posted by Gary W. Olson on

I’m over on Kelly A. Harmon‘s blog today, being interviewed on Brutal Light and other writerly topics. To mark the end of this virtual book tour, I’m giving away a free e-book edition of Brutal Light to a random commenter (who can choose between .mobi, .pdf, and .epub versions)!

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Gary W. Olson is the author of the dark fantasy novel Brutal Light and several previously published and forthcoming short stories. He can be found via his website, his blog A Taste of Strange, as @gwox on Twitter, and in many other far-flung places on the Internet.

I’m Over on Sean A. Lusher’s Blog Today…

Posted by Gary W. Olson on

I’m over on Sean A. Lusher‘s blog today, talking about seven books that made me weird(er). What books have messed with your head in these ways? Come share!

Also, while I’m here, I should mention Brutal Light is on Shelfari now… and so am I. You know, in case you feel like rating and reviewing.

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Gary W. Olson is the author of the dark fantasy novel Brutal Light and several previously published and forthcoming short stories. He can be found via his website, his blog A Taste of Strange, as @gwox on Twitter, and in many other far-flung places on the Internet.

I’m Over on Su Halfwerk’s Blog Today…

Posted by Gary W. Olson on

I’m over on Su Halfwerk‘s blog today, talking about how I fight my internal censor, with the help of my internal editor. Come by and say hi!

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Gary W. Olson is the author of the dark fantasy novel Brutal Light and several previously published and forthcoming short stories. He can be found via his website, his blog A Taste of Strange, as @gwox on Twitter, and in many other far-flung places on the Internet.