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New Readers
Seems I have new readers. Ah, such is the danger of hotlinking to my blog.
Anyway, I’m Steve Murphy. Here is a list of labels that apply.
1. Honorably Discharged Veteran, US Army
2. Unrepentant Veteran of the Persian Gulf War
3. Published Writer (two stories to date, both with honorable mentions)
4. Research Consultant
5. Historian
6. College History Instructor
7. Missourian (while I don’t like the state per se, I’m unrepentant about my Midwestern roots as well).
8. Decidedly NOT politically correct.
9. Definitely NOT a liberal.
Just a few things. If you are looking for examples of my writing, you can find both of them at Apex Online Magazine. Tearing Down Tuesday originally appeared in Interzone Magazine, Issue 210 back in June 2007. Apex picked her up for republication. The Limb Knitter appeared in Apex Online back in September 2008 and was recently converted into a podcast at Paul Cole’s Beam Me Up Podcast. You can buy a print edition of The Limb Knitter when she appears in Descended from Darkness: Apex Magazine Volume One. Just click the link over to the right.
Finally, I usually do not discuss it much, I am the research consultant to John Birmingham. I have two novels to my credit on that front, Final Impact and Without Warning.
Umm, I know a thing or two about science fiction. Some detractors do not care much for that.
So, welcome to the Pondering Tree. Assholes really aren’t tolerated and if you’re all about political correctness then you are probably in the wrong place. But otherwise, folks are pretty well tolerated around here.
Research Project Number – 04
While Trinity was sleeping last night I completed one chapter and got half way through another. This leaves me with two and a half chapters in the hopper to polish up.
For the benefit of the new readers, just what am I doing? My primary job is to work on the military, historical and tactical issues in this project. However, over the course of time, my role has evolved. I will make editorial changes, add details (especially if I have been to a particular place but the client has not) as well as modify dialogue to a degree. The relationship I have with my client is one akin to the apprentice working under a master. I’m very fortunate to have this relationship and as such I generally tend not to toot my horn about it. These RPN updates are more for the client’s benefit and my own than the general reader who might drop by.
But my basic job is to make sure everything is dress right dress. And when in doubt (which happens) and I can’t find answer(that happens to) I blur things just enough so that most readers won’t be able to tell the difference.
Details can be a double edged sword, I find.
Other Fronts
Pretty lazy day yesterday. Trinity and I went to see the latest Transformers movie with her ex-husband (who seems nice enough). The film was okay I suppose. An enjoyable way to spend a cloudy Fourth of July.
We had dinner at the Pod and a quiet night after.
So it goes.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
North Kansas City, Missouri
Summer Theme Change
You know, sometimes black with white text is just too depressing. Good for winter and fall, not so good for summer and spring. So after a stroll through the templates I ended up with Tarski, which has a handy dandy tree no less.
Feel free to comment on the new template. Like it, love it, want more of it or hate it, want none of it.
The Limb Knitter receives an Honorable Mention in Gardner Dozois’ The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Sixth Edition
Well, the anthology which taught me about the short story market is out with the latest release. Gardner picked Tearing Down Tuesday for an honorable mention in the Twenty-Fifth Edition so I was interested to see if The Limb Knitter would have the same luck.
Published by Apex Online Magazine, The Limb Knitter received an honorable mention and my name was mentioned as one of the prominent SF writers to appear in that venue.
So, that was a welcome spot of good news after yesterday’s bad news (so bad I couldn’t even blog about it).
That’s two for two. Now I just need to figure out how to crack into the anthology itself with a story of mine.
Oh, and I’d need to write a story and sell it in order for that to happen.
Research Projects Number – 04 and 05
I sent the bulk of Version One of the draft back to the Client last night. I feel like I could have done more work on it but the various disasters and meltdowns have impeded my progress. I suspect there will be opportunities to make additional mods. From now forward I’m to work on Chapters 31 to the Last Chapter. I have 31, 32 and 34 on hand. I’m currently on standby to receive follow on chapters.
As this is a three book series and my summer is (supposedly) clear, I suggested that I might do the ground work for RPN – 05. We’re cleared for that as of this writing. So I’ve started pondering those issues even though I do not know how RPN – 04 will end.
I didn’t know how RPN – 02 would end either (last few chapters were never sent, which is cool) nor did I fully know how RPN – 03 would end. Some bits were modified after I had worked on 03 which made it a better novel in some respects.
So it goes.
Kudos to Alastair Reynolds
Alastair Reynolds picked up a 1 million pound novel deal which will see one novel per year for the next ten years. I’m probably one of Al’s Biggest Fans (no, that is not a sledgehammer behind my back) so it gives me great pleasure to see him achieve a level of security most writers only dream of.
So, a blog shout to Al. Good on you, man.
The Teaching Front
Busy today. I was called in to cover two classes this morning. The upshot of that is this means August (when I will see this paycheck) will be pretty good. I had a choice between The Great Awakening and the French and Indian War.
That was an easy choice. I skipped the Awakening (which often puts even me to sleep, it is worse than Reconstruction) and started the French and Indian War.
After class I was incredibly hungry so Trinity and I hit the campus mess hall (Army habit, can’t break it) for taco salad that was a bit iffy.
So it has been a busy and far better day than yesterday.
SHINE: Optimistic Science Fiction
Jetse de Vries announced that he has extended the submission deadline to SHINE until August 1st. If you are an optimist, then this is probably the anthology you need to submit your work to.
Strangely enough, Jetse once said that Tearing Down Tuesday was optimistic and hopeful (which, while appreciated, confuses me to no end as it seems awfully bleak to me). I’ve got one submission to him right now. I’ll cull through my stockpile and see what else I have.
I am seriously thinking of deploying the following:
Entangled, the earlier version from 2007.
Fishin’ Fer Tuesday, a Tearing Down Tuesday prequel.
Healing Hands of the Killer.
So it goes.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
North Kansas City, Missouri
Paul Cole, the host of the Beam Me Up Podcast, dropped me another note this morning to let me know that the Beam Me Up Podcast was still in the number one category on the Arts and Entertainment Chart over at Podmatic. He also let me know that The Limb Knitter is still pulling downloads even as we speak.
To those of you who gave my story a listen, a tip of the beanie to ya, much appreciated. At some point I will install direct links to the podcast version on my blog.
At some point I’ll send Paul something else for his consideration. What exactly, I do not know. I have given some thought to some of the Bewildering Stories material from the early part of the decade. There is also the possibility that I might send him Maternal Soldier. I’ve not made a decision yet. More on short story ponderings and market woes in a bit.
In any case, check out some of Paul’s offerings. They are free, the sound effects are great and Paul’s sheer joy comes through in his readings.
Research Project Number – 04
The client sent me Version One of the Draft to date for safe keeping and second review. This makes life easier for me as I can print out the entire draft today for a going over. I’ve also learned that I read faster and more accurately when the material is in hardcopy.
I’ve got some tactical plotting to do for the client as well as some possible concept work. We’ll see how that goes.
It all ends, for the most part, at the end of May. I suspect there will be reviewing and proofreading work after the 31st, and I’ve mentioned something about giving some thought to the next book. I’m more or less clear for the next three months and could do a lot of leg work that might save some trouble later on.
One problem this time around was the sheer loss of time. I taught a full load during my substitute period (actually, if you count the hours, during various parts of the semester I expanded from 9 hours to 15 hours of instruction). When I wasn’t dealing with that, I was struggling to keep a relationship from imploding and my own family situation under some sort of control. There is still some backwash from the later to deal with (needless to say, things were said and done which I am none too happy about).
The end result is that it consumed massive gouts of time. Now that I’m out of Maternal Support Command, the time requirements have become far more manageable, especially given that Trinity is busy with summer work and her own summer classes starting next week.
None of this is the client’s fault, but I do recall a time during the Uniguard era where a chapter batch would experience a 24 to 48 hour turn around. We have just gotten back to that here in the last few days now that the semester has died off. But it seems to me that if I am teaching this fall (and all indications are that I should be teaching, barring disaster) that I should use the next three months to do the leg work for the next book.
In any case, I’ll do whatever the client wants. Besides, this stuff, in tandem with the teaching, were the only things that kept me sane over the last four months.
The Short Story Situation
I have gotten far more mileage out of Tearing Down Tuesday and The Limb Knitter than any writer has any right to expect. The thing is, I need to get something else out there. As such, I started a survey of the potential markets this last week.
From my point of view, the situation is grim. Apex Digest is on hiatus, concentrating on their book line, which is good for them yet bad for me. I had grown to rely on Apex as a viable market for my type of writing. Both TDT and TLK found homes there, in the case of TDT, a reprint home.
Asimov’s is out so long as the current editor is at the helm. I refuse to send that individual another comma until she retires (either out of her position or out of existence, I care not which comes first). The Market that Shall Not Be Named is a lost cause. I suspect Baen’s Universe is probably on submissions hold again (they are a very popular market with writers and I can understand why since they are not tight asses about what they’ll accept).
Interzone . . . I’d honestly like to think I could send them something. I take great pride in having published there for the first time in 2007. Thing is. . . well, there are things I can not discuss as they are confidential. Given the nature of that information, I suspect Interzone probably is not viable at the present time.
Most of the other known markets come with conditions. Must be positive, uplifting stories (someone may have noticed that I do not write those). Can not have graphic violence, child abuse or rape (that would bar Tearing Down Tuesday, which got pretty good accolades on both runthroughs).
There is Analog and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, the other two of the Big Three (Asimov’s being the third one). Maternal Soldier might be viable for either, I just don’t know. I probably couldn’t hurt to send the old girl back out and see.
Finally, there are the anthologies. I had a pretty good response on Federations, edited by John Joseph Adams, better than I expected. Jetse de Vries is accepting submissions for his anthology Shine but then we’re back to “positive and uplifting.” I want to revise and submit Healing Hands of the Killer to him but the question is whether or not I can get a story revised and ready in 30 days? My fastest turnaround time is four months.
Terri reminds me that I could move into mainstream fiction. I could do that. Birmo suggested that I could write something about my rent-a-donut days.
I could give up the short story front and concentrate on a novel. I know a few markets and maybe that experience would help. I already have some experience in working on Convergence Point last summer.
The fact of the matter is that I am not sure what I am going to do. I know that I do not like what I see in the field, in terms of market conditions or what is being published. I definitely do not care for the political situation in the market, this sort of lynch mob politically correct purism that harkens back to the worst parts of the 1990s.
I’ll have to ponder on it.
Life at The Pod
Here are some things I have noticed about life in the loft Trinity and I have named The Pod (she calls it The Pleasure Pod, which I shouldn’t do here because I teach).
First is that we do not eat out anywhere near as much as we used to. We cook for ourselves and have a nice sit down meal at a dining room table. Our money is lasting longer as a result. And of course, it is easier to cook for two than it is to cook for one. We’re still working on portion control though. Trinity is in the habit of cooking for five and I tend to cook for four. We’ve got to work on that.
Second is that Trinity has really taken to Northtown. She enjoys the walks through the main strip of Armour Road, walking to the Library and the Community Center. She also enjoys the Farmer’s Market that shows up every Friday morning.
Third is that our stress levels are way down. We’ve had to do what my parents once had to do, throw everyone out who was sabotaging the relationship. In most cases, this is temporary, but we need our space in any case.
Fourth is that I do get far more work done than I used to. I have quiet time again for the first time in months in a place that is truly our own. Working from the Pod, I was able to get through the backlog of chapters within two hours and send them back to the client.
Fifth, we seem to be happier.
Lastly, I am not spending anywhere near as much money as I used to hiding out at Panera’s or going somewhere to get away from everything. That can only be a good thing.
So it goes.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
North Kansas City, Missouri
Trinity and I have noticed a disturbing trend in our recent travels through the KC Metro Area (known as “The Black Hole of the Midwest” in Murphy parlance).
Dead cats. Not just one or two here and there, but a lot of dead cats. We find them on the roadsides and while Trinity jokes darkly about their need to see Jesus (hopefully she never feels a need to send me to see Jesus) I suspect something else is going on.
But what? Are the dead felines victims of an anti-freeze addiction? Did they drink the green stuff, which is supposed to be like rock candy to them, get disoriented and wander out into traffic? Or is it something else, like the whatever it was that was causing humans to off themselves in all sorts of horrifying ways in The Happening?
I’ve not seen The Happening, just for the record.
In any case, if anyone has any info, let us know.
Research Project Number – 04
Today is a heavy workday. Trinity is off at her new job, which frees up most of my day, lunch being the exception. One upside of having six chapters to look at is that I can examine the story arc while I edit and revise as opposed to spot checking and tweaking when I get single chapters. Tomorrow is also slated for heavy work as is Sunday.
One ongoing research issue pertains to weapons. We have a character who has a need for different weapons for different missions over the course of the novel. I keep swapping one weapon out for another and this seems to me to be a bit off. I need to find this character a weapon that will serve a number of requirements. It has to be in the inventory no later than March 2003 or something that can be picked up. It must meet the following requirements.
1. Serve as a sniper weapon.
2. Also serve as an assault rifle.
3. Have a round heavy enough to knock the target down and keep them down.
4. Be a reliable weapon.
I think the M-14 is probably the weapon I’m leaning toward for the character. I had pondered using the Stoner SR-25 but that didn’t hit the units until 2005, which is no good. I also thought about a Special Ops mod using a 6.8 mm round but those are still in the experimental stage even today. So that isn’t going to work.
I think a customized M-14 is probably the best bet. I’ll advise the client as time permits.
In my research I did find a very handy shotgun for breeching doors. I’ll have to pass that along as well.
Podcasting: The Limb Knitter at Beam Me Up Podcast
Both parts of The Limb Knitter are now available at the Beam Me Up Podcast, hosted by Paul Cole. I’ve got to say that I am impressed with Paul’s work in converting the story to an audio format. I will be sending him more work as time permits. There are some early works at Bewildering Stories that might well serve.
I think I may send some of my other stories out to podcast venues as well. Tearing Down Tuesday definitely needs to find a podcast home. I’m going to see what can be done in that regard. And some of my unsold material may find homes as well. I think my writing seems to be particularly suited for podcast conversion.
That, my friends, could well be a good thing given trend with regard to podcasting.
Other Fronts
Picked up a vac last night, which Trinity put to good use while I worked on RPN-04. Trinity, for some strange reason, LIKES to clean things. While I do not like living in a rat infested shit hole, I find the act of cleaning to be incredibly depressing, probably because cleaning ALWAYS equals punishment in my life.
We also looked at other things for The Pod. We have a dining room table at K-Mart which will fit the bill. Hardwood and affordable. I’ve got a line on a bookshelf that I am going to need for the office/library area. We are going to pool all of our books. At some point, once the place looks full presentable, I’ll post pics and I’ll show Trinity how to post on her blog as well.
One aggravating fly in the ointment which cropped up was the need for Trinity to have three credit hours as opposed to one in order to get her summer job. She switched over to a different class, which increased her fees a notch. Nothing we can’t handle.
As for myself, I plan on concentrating on RPN-04 until the end of the month. After that, I’ll take things as they come. Substitute work may crop up (in fact, I’m almost certain it will). As for summer jobs, I think I’ll worry about that sometime in June.
Hell, if nothing else, I’ll go work at Worlds of Fun for part of the summer. But Trinity said, and I quote, “Your job is to write this summer. So write!”
I hear, I obey.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
The Limb Knitter now available at the Beam Me Up Podcast, hosted by Paul Cole.
The Teaching Front
Well, I issued the last final, graded it and punched in all of the grades. With the exception of one late student, it is all over except for the screaming. Nothing is likely for the summer aside from substitute work (which is actually a blessing in disguise of sorts) so I’ll be on break until Fall.
The BIG FEAR
One problem with playing in adjunct land is the reality that adjuncts are extremely expendable. I have always known this, it is part of the game. We are cheaper than our full time peers, often more flexible in some cases, and if we do not perform up to par, we can be eliminated without any headaches.
The upside is that once you’ve got a teaching slot for a semester, chances are good that you’ll hold that slot until semester’s end. Another upside is that if you have demonstrated reliability and flexibility, you’ll be called back semester after semester. If you show a willingness to take on taskings that no one else wants, or would rather avoid, that helps as well.
The big downside is that once the semester ends, the next great wait begins. It wasn’t so bad the first time around in the Summer of 2007 because I have to admit, I never really believed that I’d get a job. I figured some cruel quirk of fate would deprive me of the opportunity at the last minute.
However, with each successive break, the Big Fear grows. It is an irrational fear in many respects, as I believe I am well regarded by The Boss and I do believe The Boss intends to bring me back. Hell, I have textbooks for the Fall Semester already, not something you dole out to someone who isn’t coming back.
Which doesn’t do anything to wash away the Big Fear. There are so many other factors, from enrollment to the course offerings for full and part time instructors, which could change my situation.
What I need to do is come up with a coping strategy to deal with the Big Fear. If I don’t, this is going to rattle my fillings loose.
Contingency Plan-Fall 2009
In the event of a worst case scenario regarding the teaching front, I can always fall back to security work. I’d really rather not do this but if it means paying the rent, I’ll do what I have to do. Personally, I’d like a better contingency plan such as “return to grad school,” but I can’t see spending the money on more courses given the nature of the history instructor job market.
The Student Front
Terri’s paper needs doing. I’m going to print out my Frankenstein monster of a first draft and read over it before pitching into it again. I also have a take home test to deal with.
Once those are cleared, I am free for the semester.
Other Fronts
After the big move is complete, RPN-04 will dominate my time until the end of May. It will be nice to have something fictional to focus on, perhaps restart my own creative drive and allow my headspace to settle a bit.
I think I’ll just take my time after the 15th. Or as Trinity says, “We’ll just take our time after the 15th.”
So it goes.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
The Limb Knitter-Part One now available at the Beam Me Up Podcast, hosted by Paul Cole.
Something I received from Paul Cole this morning before finals.
Just a quick note….Beam Me Up blazed into the number one position in the A&E category. The podcast usually hangs in the top 10 but very rarely does it climb to number 1.
I would say you have some fan loyalty out there! I know I am happy. We really hit a home run with The Limb Knitter.
Mark my word, this story has legs.
For all of you who went for a listen, a tip of the beanie to you. Much appreciated.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have one last final to dole out.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
The Limb Knitter now available as a podcast at the Beam Me Up Podcast.
The Teaching Front
One final cleared, one more to go. Student performance was pretty much nominal to what I have experienced in the past. The take home final was far easier to grade in many ways. Personally, I’m inclined to give that some thought for the future. We’ll see.
My last final is tomorrow. They should do well enough.
Nothing is likely for the summer aside from substitute work. This is actually a blessing in disguise as I am only eligible for 24 course hours per academic year. The summer class would count against me. Substitute work would not.
As for Fall, all I know is that the intent is to bring me back this Fall. The schedule is always subject to change in any case and the ongoing economic downturn isn’t helping things. I’ve got feelers out at one of our sister campuses where I taught last fall. I suspect, if the class makes, that I stand a fairly good chance of picking that one up.
I need six hours to remain economically viable. Nine is optimal while twelve would be cake.
We’ll see. I also need to get to one of our other sister campuses where a Western Civ opportunity may be available for 2010.
The Student Front
I scraped out of Computers in Design One with a C for the semester. Now here is irony for you. I have taken the class before and earned a B. Given what I know of grading policy, the stronger grade will remain on the transcript. Thing is, I learned more in the class I took this semester (given that I only devoted a sliver of my time and attention to it) than I did back in 2005. I also have a stronger portfolio as a result. All of my assignments, when turned in on time, earned an A.
That said, I think what I need, if I am going to get anywhere on the graphic design front, is a dedicated Mac computer and the Adobe Programs for the course. Getting stuck in the lab isn’t helping me one bit.
On Terri’s front for American Lit II, the plan is to write four pages today and another four tomorrow. I’ll proof them, polish a bit and turn in the paper. Frankly, it is appalling that I have let this go as long as I did.
Fencing final is tonight as well, which for advanced students means we just show up and go out for a bite to eat. I missed the last three Tuesdays due to teaching and other issues.
I’m looking forward to a summer away from the student front. For Fall I have signed up for Terri’s Online Creative Writing Class (I need to keep myself in the writing saddle) and three phys ed classes designed to make sure I stay in the gym.
We’ll see how that goes.
Research Project Number – 04
I have four chapters in the hopper requiring my attention.
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 22
I’ve read over Chapters 21 and 22 (21 is slated for someone else to work on). For 22 I’ve got some ideas. In fact, since 16, 17, and 22 are all related chapters in the same story thread, it actually works out better this way.
I also have some research to do on a certain class of technology and prep a hardcopy for a second review. I will be looking at timeline issues and overall story structure.
So it goes.
Trinity Front
Trinity is still dealing with physical therapy, she has an appointment today to work on the left gun. The good news is that she still has health care. Apparently there was some sort of paperwork error and she was dropped by accident. That doesn’t condone some of the other behavior her family exhibits towards her but it goes some ways towards easing my temper.
Her new job will start next week on campus. I think she’ll be happy enough with the new position, which will keep her in good order until classes start for the pre-law program this Fall. She’ll be going to my old alma mater at UMKC so I’ll be sure to introduce her to The Gender Studies Professor (aka The Captain) and some other folks.
Knowing how Trinity is, she’ll make her own friends. Just ask Birmo about that.
In fact, here is one thing I like about Trinity. When we were in NYC with Birmo, Trinity would talk to Birmo about all sorts of things not related to the novels. At the end of the day, as I sat listening to those conversations with my good ear (as my sinuses were exploding within my skull) I felt like I had a better experience.
These days I find I let Trinity take the lead when it comes to conversation while I sit back and listen. As a writer, listening is what I should be doing anyway.
We also took care of a late fee issue which was holding up the works at UMKC. She already has her financial aid so she is in the pipeline.
The Pod Update
By Pod, I mean “The Pleasure Pod” aka the new home. I got a landline and power set up for the move in date.
We will be emptying the storage locker first using a U-Haul. That will probably take most of Friday. Sometime during the following week, I’ll move most of the heavy gear out of Maternal Support Command, to include the reserve computer, my books, her chest of drawers, two desks and so on and so forth. Clothing, blankets and additional gear will follow.
Then I’ll need to make a run to campus to clear out my cubicle. Chances are probable that I will be back but many of the things which are in my cubicle are there because A: I needed them to teach and B: because there was no place at MSC to put them. Once we’re in the Pod, B will go away.
We should be fully moved in by the middle of next week at the latest.
Other Fronts
Well, at some point I should get back into the fiction writing saddle. Trinity tells me that The Limb Knitter needs novel length treatment. Frankly, both TLK and TDT need novel length treatment. Still, I’m not sure which direction I’ll head. I’ll think on it once the semester is well and truly over.
Actually, what I may do is just spend a few days doing nothing but reading.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
The Limb Knitter-Part One is now available at the Beam Me Up Podcast with host Paul Cole.
Aboard the Battlestar Steven Francis Murphy BSG-71
Location: In the Field
Mission One: Complete grading.
Mission Two: RPN-04.
Mission Three: Prep for final departure from Maternal Support Command
Missouri Four: Deal with ongoing crisis
When the people you love are hurt by their family
You know, it is a violation of a number of rules Trinity and I have set up about our relationship but I am going to do this anyway. I happen to know that her family members drop by here and I want them, and the rest of you, to know what I think.
The current crisis, which is now in the eight month, started as the result of a physical threat issued by one of her daughters against Trinity. I will not get into all of the details, but I do want this on the record.
No child has the right EVER to threaten the use of physical violence against their parent without just cause. And for those wondering, just cause in my book is that the parent is about to kill you or is going to cause bodily injury to someone you care about.
In all of my conflicts with my own parents, I have almost never resorted to this tactic. I know for a fact that I have never done this to my own mother and I also know that among many veterans and and currently serving members of the armed forces, such behavior is reprehensible in the extreme.
And yet, in a veteran heavy family, Trinity puts up with such shit on a regular basis.
The latest? Today she lost her health care coverage. Even better still is the list of bills that they have run up in her name. If anyone has read He Died with a Felafel in His Hand just imagine that instead of the people being your room mates in a share house, it is your own family.
Granted, they aren’t all bad. But most of them are. They treat her with complete and total lack of respect, they are abusive in the extreme and irresponsible.
They seem to get their rocks off on hurting the woman I love. And for now, boys and girls, they’ve got the upper hand on some fronts. I simply do not have the fiscal resources to cover all of the things which need coverage.
But I will grant you this. I do have the resources, the means and most important of all, the fucking willpower, to give Trinity the support she needs until she gets back up off the mat.
They’ve done one other thing they never should have done.
They’ve pissed me completely the fuck off. Which is fair enough. I am a very patient man.
Mea Culpas to my own mother
On my own front, sometimes I fall down on the job. Or I just plain miss the cues for dealing with the pople I love in my own life. My own mother, I think, had expectations for me yesterday.
I never know quite how to handle the special days. I’ve tried a number of things over the years. The Big Gift. The card. The dinner out. The treat the day as any other.
My own mother means a great deal to me and it always bothers me when she is hurt by anything I might have done, or failed to do. She has been there in my corner, supportive, standing alongside me as I struggled with one problem or another. She is the one who sent care packs to me during my time in the Persian Gulf and Korea. She is the one who called the Pentagon when a Sergeant in the Army was saying we would be extended for two years after we received mandatory retraining.
She said to one Sergeant before the Gulf War, “My son had better come back in one piece or I’m going to find you and stick a frag up your ass.”
She meant it.
My mom is the reason I am a published science fiction writer. Just this last Saturday night as we sat listening to Part One of The Limb Knitter at the Beam Me Up Podcast, she remarked on how much she liked that story.
Mom taught me a lot. Sometimes I just let her down.
SFSignal Blurbs Beam Me Up Podcast and The Limb Knitter
Just as the header says, the folks at SFSignal have blurbed my appearance in Paul Cole’s Beam Me Up Podcast. Tip of the hat to those folks. Much appreciated.
The Limb Knitter starts about thirty minutes into the podcast after the news and another short piece called Nemesis. I heartily recommend listening to the entire podcast for all of the sci-fi goodness.
Part Two of The Limb Knitter will broadcast next Saturday.
Research Project Number – 04
Well, I plan on creating a project binder for RPN – 04 this week. I review material better when it is in hard copy. By Wednesday, my time will open up completely.
I’ve sent three of the five chapters back though I should have tied 16 in with some continuity work for 17. I’ve also received Chapters 21/22 but someone else with specific expertise is working on that project.
I think that is a good thing, I might add. My knowledge only runs to certain areas and after that it starts to peter out. In this case, it is knowledge of a locale which I have not traveled to. However, I know the member of the Circle of Trust who is working on this and I suspect they’ll do a good job.
The Teaching Front
Today is the final for the eight week class. Here in a bit I’ll grade up the last of their papers and start logging grades. In fact, I’ll probably be logging grades on my laptop during the finals session. They will be turning in a take home final which covers Civil Rights and the Cold War.
I don’t know that I am expecting much out of this group. Those that perform well will continue to do so. Those that haven’t performed well probably will not improve at all.
Or they’ll get worse. I’ll have a lot of failing grades with this batch, I suspect.
On Wednesday I dole out the final to my 16 week morning class. I’m not sure what I’ll get out of my remaining twenty-six plus students. I started with thirty-nine for those that are wondering.
Yes, I weeded them down.
I did grade everyone’s extra credit over the weekend. They were to visit the Downtown KC Library during a session of Meet the Past (blogged about previously by myself and Trinity). For the most part, they performed tolerably.
After grades are punched in on Wednesday, I’m pretty much done for the semester. I won’t have any teaching, I suspect, until the Fall. There may be a substitute opportunity or two, but that’s about it.
The Student Front
I’ve got to get Terri Lowry’s paper done. It is looming over me, late and half assed. I’ve got no one to blame but myself and I should never have let this happen. It isn’t fair to Terri and it sets a shitty example to my students.
From my experiences both as a teacher and a student, I have learned that I need to reevaluate my own expectations in terms of how much writing I dole out in my own classes. Terri’s load is more than reasonable.
But I should be doing better. There is no excuse.
Battle Group Movement Imminent
Trinity and I will be moving on Friday morning. She continued to pick up gear and supplies needed for the Transition (nice WoC plug there) to The Pod. My mom packed a fair amount of my own gear to include a surplus of towels and blankets.
We’re looking forward to it.
And on that note, I have some grading to do.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
The Limb Knitter-Part One, is now available at the Beam Me Up Podcast by Paul Cole. Check it out.
The Limb Knitter-Part One in Audio
Paul Cole at the Beam Me Up Podcast did an excellent job converting The Limb Knitter into the audio format. The first part of the story aired on WRFR 93.3 FM in Rockland, Maine today at 3 pm. WRFR is a community radio station and I guess the closest local equivalent is KKFI 90.1 here in Kansas City. That said, I am certain KKFI does not have a science fiction broadcast.
http://beameup.podomatic.com/entry/eg/2009-05-09T18_43_14-07_00
The first part of the story is up at the link above (cut and paste, guys, sorry). Trinity and I sat listening to it this evening after we got back from a long day out. Frankly, it was downright scary how close Paul got to recreating my vision of the situation on the Southern Front for Delauchen Severis.
Part two will air next week. There are other writers appearing there as well so be sure to check them out.
The show’s format is an hour long with the first thirty minutes devoted to science fiction news followed by the story during the second block. So if you don’t hear The Limb Knitter immediately, do not panic. In fact, just sit back and enjoy the show.
Kudos to Paul for his wonderful effort.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
Aboard the Battlestar Steven Francis Murphy BSG-71
Location: Local watering hole at an undisclosed location
Mission: Post Semester Assessment
The Publication Front
Paul Cole at the Beam Me Up Podcast tells me that The Limb Knitter will be podcast at his website on May 9th and May 16th respectively. He’s very excited about the story and tells me he was challenged by finding an appropriate sound effect for micro turbines. In any case, the story will be available free for download in May.
I’m looking forward to hearing it. Those interested in checking out the Beam Me Up Podcast and previous episodes should just click on the new “Podcasts worth checking out” section.
And if you didn’t know already, Apex Book Company will release The Limb Knitter in an anthology called Descended from Darkness: Volume One. We should see the anthology in print by late December.
So, mah minions, go forth and pimp mah shit!
The Teaching Front
All lectures are cleared from the decks. My students have their marching orders and final expectations. We will meet with destiny next week to settle matters and commence with the great summer break of 2009. I was able to finish the material or assign it contingent upon the class.
By noon it was apparent that the steam was running out on all fronts. In my eight week class I issued a take home final and called it good. The students seemed relived.
So, that is it. I have stacks of paperwork to grade. We’ll see how it goes. I’ll be busy over the next week but by a week from today, I’ll be free.
And in free fall. It will be time to commence the great summer job hunt of 2009.
The Student Front
I have a paper yet to write for Terri’s class. If I fail to write it, I’ll fail the course.
Terri doesn’t need that and I can’t abide failing her class. So I need to get off my ass and write that paper. I don’t accept excuses out of my students. Terri shouldn’t have to listen to mine.
Meanwhile, aboard the Battlestar Trinity
It has already been a week of ups and downs for Trinity. First, she was accepted to a pre-law program at the same university I attended. Better yet, they said her financial aid was already in and that she might finish her Bachelors in a year.
Good news.
Then on Monday, my employer terminated her position. Trinity is a work study student and for some reason, someone was not paying attention to the hours. This leaves her two weeks short of pay she was counting on before the semester ended.
Bad news.
Today she was offered a position at the campus bookstore. She has to enroll in a summer class, but this would solve her job problems for the summer.
Good news.
Her boyfriend (that’s me) is neurotic. Bad news I suppose. In any case, it has been a nutty week already.
Research Project Number – 04
Three chapters in the hopper and all three have been converted into a useable format as of thirty minutes ago. I’ll work over them as we move into the next few days. My client is pumping them out now, which is a good thing.
As we move forward, I’ll see about printing out the previous chapters for review.
So it goes.
Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
Those that done said stuff