Who is this year's best new science fiction writer?

That's right!

I am sure more will come, but the last line of this first report says we we have all been waiting for!

Seanan McGuire won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

Monday morning: Up and writing . . .

1. Please welcome mariedeblois to our happy little place here.

2. As a reminder that summer’s over, the temperature here on the southern edges of the Adirondacks this morning was 39 degrees. It looks as though it’s going to be a gorgeous day with the high about 75.

3. You may have heard about Boston College football player Mark Herzlich and the way he overcame cancer to return to the field Saturday.

Mike DiMauro, a friend and one of the better sports columnists you'll find, has a great take on the story here.

4. The New York State Fair was absolutely amazing. I have been to a lot of fairs over the years, and this was perhaps the best ever. For those of you in New England who have been to the Big E, yes, this is bigger. We strolled through all the animal barns, saw all sorts of exhibits, tried a lot f samples and just generally had a wonderful time. It was our second “date” ib three days, and that made it really nice.

We packed lunch, so we only noshed on the essentials – fried dough and maple cotton candy. There was a great selection of beer, especially New York stuff, but I did not imbibe, Ran into chez_mathilde with some of her friends.

Big gold stars to the fair folks for the parking set-up. No traffic in or out and a bus that whisked us from the lot to the front gate and back. The trip was three hours from Glens Falls to Syracuse.

5. You may have heard this on NPR or elsewhere, but apparently, the OED may not publish another print edition.

6. I understand some people feel they need to take their entries to Dreamwidth, but I am really curious as to why you eliminate comments here? I have a presence there, but I do not use it. I like LJ just fine right now.

Why not allow commenting here so I can comment on your entries?

7. This seems like a really strange thing to post, but I just spent a very relaxing two hours catching up on the Internet and writing Internet posts.

Monday evening: Good reading for you . . .

You want links?

We have link.

1. As I have mentioned before, I listen to a lot of NPR on the Internet when I am writing and working on resumes.

I still have not really caught up from Pennsic, and I have had the NPR Player going for the better part of two hours this morning.

I don’t post a lot of links to it, because I figure you can always go look, and besides, every third or fourth story is wicked cool. But there are a couple this morning that really stand out.

Craig Childs has written a book on archeology called “Finders Keepers,” and takes on the question “What is the difference between archeology and grave-robbing” in this interview.

The story that came up immediately after that was an interview with Charles Euchner, who did a “people’s history: of the March on Washington called “Nobody Turn Me Around.” Excellent history, this.

OK, yes, I picked out the stories, so the order is not random, but the next one was really cool, even though I do not play Farmville myself.

2. I have been doing a little writing myself. Saturday, I went to a benefit fishing event for a camp that hosts children with life-threatening illnesses – The Double-H Ranch – then I covered a 54-15 football game.

3. My daughter Theresa is writing a blog about gluten-free living, and since I was the one who got her started on biscuits and gravy, I want to share her gluten-free method.

4. This is a Washington Post story that also brings a little introspection.

Economic hardship drives some to explore their long-lost dreams

I think one of my great regrets about the time I have been out of work is that I have not been concentrating more on writing.

I have done a lot more writing, both personally and professional, in the seventh months since I got laid off. I have done that to make money, and I have done that because I love it. I have done a lot more blogging than before too. (My LJ output has been fairly constant for years, but ”Short Pours”and “Working” Press were other places I found myself writing more.

I need to get back on those and also start writing the novels that I know are in me. It’s funny, there’s a chance I could be getting back to full-time work. I hope the experience of the year so far will stick serve as a kick in the pants to pursue write and other dreams.

5. If you are not reading “Shadow Unit,” you are missing out on one of the coolest “urban fantasies,” on the web, in books or in movies. Trust me on this. The good news is, you have *a lot* to read now.

6. There are three  newspapers that I read every day that you might now read.

I recommend the Anchorage Daily News the Salt Lake City Tribune  and  the Des Moines Register  to keep in touch with what’s going on in three fascinating places.

7. I have been saving this link for a day I needed something that was simply wicked cool.

This is one of my favorite topics. Just ask my wife.

 

I do not care!

I do not care if Navy lost. You go for it on fourth-and-one with the game on the line, you are a winner!!!!!!