Chris Owens

Understanding is a Three-Edge Sword: My edge on B5

2009-07-18T15:53:00.004-04:00

No story is perfect and no form of storytelling is without its limitations. Both novels and television series are unique in that they can give the time, attention, and detail into long, sweeping plots with full bodied characterization.

Case in point: Babylon 5. Each of the five seasons are of novel-length proportions, and the series overall is a quintalogical epic. To be sure, it was not perfect, but overall I think it ranks high in the television pantheon, and was one of the best shows of the roaring 90's.

However, if anyone viewed Season 1, or parts thereof, and stopped there--I can completely understand. The series had the veneer of a Deep Space Nine reject. Like Star Trek, many of the episodes were insular, self-contained units. The pacing was poor. Most of the season could've been compressed down--by about three quarters. There was even some bad acting by one-off characters.

With the death of the EarthGov President at the end of Season 1--everything changed. From here on out the shows nature underwent a metamorphosis.

Season 2 saw the sudden reassignment of Captain Sinclair, replaced by one John Sheraton. In many other shows, this might not have worked. What if Jean Luc Picard hadn't been the captain of the Enterprise after Season 1? But Babylon 5 was able to roll with this change and become an even stronger show.

Tensions built during Season 2. Mr. Morden--and the sly maneuvering of the main antagonists, the Shadows. Nightwatch and the slow descent of EarthGov into dictatorship. The intrigues of Bester on his Corp.

Season 3 was definitely the strongest season and the most fully realized. The destiny of Sinclair, the slow, budding relationship between Sheraton and Delen, the growing menace of the Shadows, the breakaway from EarthGov--everything culminates into a twist that leads to a quite literal cliffhanger.

Season 4, however, did not live up to the same potential. The major plot arc was resolved much too soon, and by a deus ex machina at that. The galaxy is caught between two opposing superhuman forces who then limp away like insecure Kindergarteners. Of course, I believe the reason for this unnatural feel is external. Perhaps, the uncertainty of not knowing whether the show would continue another season bent the plot in unnatural directions.

Season 5 did not seem to have any overall goal, accept to tie up loose ends, and establish Sheraton and Delen's legacy. Yet, it was much an improvement over Season 4, and very much a pleasant way to make an final bow. Many mysteries were left, which is "how it should be." Season 5 saw the rise and fall several major characters. Garibaldi's relapse with alcoholism was especially well done.

At the core, however, it was the cast of unforgettable characters made the show. It is impossible to highlight them all, so I've settled on four:

Londo Mollari: Londa was very charismatic, and yet, at his best he was a rascal, and at the worst, his actions caused untold suffering and death. By no means was he "the good guy"--but he was likeable nonetheless. By Season 5, he is much chastened and repentant, but by then, it was too late. His actions came with inevitable consequences. The plot arc of Londa Mollari is one of tragedy.

Marcus Cole: Many times, Marcus is comic relief. And yet, the ending of his story is a sad one, but not truly tragic, since he upholds his ideals to the end.

Lennier: Unlike Londo, Lennier was the standard bearer of good through five seasons. His character idealizes the man of faith in all of its positive aspects. And yet, for those like him, the fall begins invisibly, long before the outward manifestation shows itself. And for those like him, one lapse is all it takes to destroy years of good works. The plot arc of Lennier is also one of tragedy.

G'Kar: The Narn are decidedly less human in appearance than the Centauri and the Minbari. G'Kar and his people seem frightening at first, perhaps more lizardlike. But as the story progresses, and more and more atrocities are committed against the Narn, the more sympathetic their plight becomes. But tragedy does not destory G'Kar, it transforms him into something better, just as the oyster takes the sand that irritates it, and produces pearls.

Q109 Writers of The Future: The Envelope Please...

2009-03-22T22:40:00.003-04:00

Joni called today . . .

Alas, I wasn't home, but she talked with my wife. My Q109 story for WOTF placed in the semifinals--the top 18. I look forward to the critique from Kathy Wentworth. Hopefully, I'll be able to shape the story into a masterpiece primed for professional publication . . .

Who Say's There's Nothing Good On TV Anymore?

2008-12-16T14:55:00.002-05:00

To be sure, the majority of television is brain rot. The reality shows, in particular, are mind numbing. Yet, in the past few years, there have been three shows that have been examples of outstanding speculative fiction--which doesn't often translate well in this medium.

[1] Lost

Mystery. Suspense. Originality. Tight, interconnected plotting. Cliffhangers. Twists within twists. Complex characters with colorful pasts. Long sweeping arcs that span episodes and seasons.

On a show like, say, Star Trek, several problems occur at the beginning of an episode. Usually, there are minor problems and there are major problems, sometimes in the form of: a personal issue, a frivolous issue, a ship issue, an intergalactic issue. In the last five minutes, somebody presses a button, and all the problems go away (except for a token issue, in the form of a character quirk). The very next episode, all is forgotten. Most episodes could be done in any order. It's the equivalent of a short story.

Lost is speculative fiction as it should be. It makes full use of being a series. Sure, there is a structure to each episode: The main story on the island and a loosely related flashback, but each episode is a chapter (each section is a section), part of an ongoing whole.

The speculative elements are weaved in so seamlessly that the unsuspecting viewer probably doesn't know they're watching SF&F. The speculative elements are a constant source of unpredictable mystery, and evoke a sense of wonder, as well as giving a sandbox for the characters to play in.

[2] Terminator: The Sara Conner Chronicles

I was prepared to shrug off this show and allocate the time for better uses. However, this show has sunk in its hooks into my stomach and won't let go. The speculative fiction isn't original--it's based on prior works. Yet, there's much to explore in the relationship between Sara Conner and her son John, the future savior of mankind. And of course, there's John himself, who struggles to prepare for the End, to develop into the man he must become, as well as survive Skynet's attempts on his life, all while attempting to live a normal teen life.

For all characters, there is much conflict, both internal and external, both with friends and enemies. The plotting is intricate--and unpredictable. Like Lost, I've absolutely no idea of what's coming next.

[3] Journeyman

Unfortunately, in part due to the writer's strike, this show did not last a season. [The writer's strike is also the reason Season 4 of Lost is compressed and some of the plot developments seemingly arbitrary].

However, for such a fly by the night show, it really had a way of gripping my heart. Superficially, it did resemble Quantum Leap. A time traveler who goes back to correct some wrong. Yet, unlike Quantum Leap, the protagonist gets to go home. But since he can't control his mysterious ability, he can disappear at any time, and this leads to tensions between his wife, his brother, his boss, and nearly everyone else. The speculative element, therefore, is not mere wish fulfillment, rather it adds to the conflict.

While episodic, each episode wasn't insular. While he had a basic mission each time, it was chapter in an ongoing story. What happened in one episode, added to the subsequent arc.

Alas, we'll never get to know what caused his time traveling, or where the story would end up.

###

For me, storytelling is storytelling. It doesn't matter if the fiction is written or in a visual or audio medium, as long as it's good. These three shows reveal that the venue is capable of hosting complex storylines with sophistication and character depth.

WOTF Volume 24

2008-08-19T23:21:00.006-04:00

Thanks to a tip from Sarah L. Edwards's blog, WOTF24 is up on Audible. Check out the link "Download the accompanying PDF to see the illustrations." Even better, purchase and download.

http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/products/ProductDetail.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1758423313.1219201284@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceadeemelhjggcefecekjdffidfmf.0&productID=BK_ADBL_000313

WOTF 24: The Cover

2008-07-18T09:52:00.004-04:00

On Amazon, the cover to Volume 24 has been revealed:

http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Future-Ron-Hubbard-Presents/dp/1592123740/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216347136&sr=1-6

It's exciting. It's almost as if I had a story inside the anthology. Wait a minute--I almost did! Last year, I landed in the Top 8 and the Top 20. Of course, it's also exciting because I look forward to reading the stories inside. Over the past few years I've had a blast reading Volumes 21, 22, and 23(especially Volume 22). Whereas many of the pro SF&F publications often print esoteric works that don't grab me(often by pros resting on their established name), I find that these stories appeal to me more.

Nearfest 08 -> Sunday : Banco del Mutuo Soccorso

2008-06-25T22:57:00.002-04:00

This is what it's all about! Symphonic prog at its best. The British might have invented Prog, but the Italians perfected it. Banco's Io Sono Nato Libero is one of the best compositions of all the ages. Even without Francesco Di Giacomo's operatic voice, Di Terra proved to be a strong album as well.

Unlike many other groups the same age, Banco is just as good today as they were thirty years ago. Francesco's vocals are still as powerful as they ever were. As is Vittorio Nocenzi's skills at the keys. The biggest surprise was wind player Alessandro Papotto perfectly quoting Rhapsody in Blue and then utterly slaying his instrument--musically speaking.

There were chops galore. And heart lifting melodies. By the end, I wanted to go down and give Francesco a bear hug.

Nearfest 08 -> Sunday : echolyn

2008-06-25T22:24:00.003-04:00

echolyn's Suffocating The Bloom is one of my favorite albums of all times, one of the best albums of nineties Prog. Brett Kull's unique guitar tones--Chris Buzby's colorful keys--Paul Ramsey's jawdropping drumming--Tom Hyatt's fantastic bass--all exemplified Americanized Prog at its best. Counterpoint galore! And let's not leave out Ray Weston's dynamic vocal range, and how well it harmonizes with Brett's voice.

Their commercial follow up, As The World, pales in comparison, but it does have its moments of glory. Unfortunately, after their breakup and reunion, I was never able to get into their later music. Perhaps a little too close to 'modern/alt' rock for my taste.
At Nearfest, I don't think they were able to measure up to their studio sound. However, it could've been where I sat--up in the balcony again, in the last row. Sometimes the vocals were muddled below the mix and Ray and Brett did not seem to harmonize.
Still, Entry 11.19.03 was pretty good. The line " The mail was late again today" always gets to me.

Nearfest 08 -> Sunday : Radio Massacre International

2008-06-25T22:06:00.002-04:00

I thought I'd like Radio Massacre International. A mix of rock and electronic music sounded intriguing. I do love Jean Michael Jarre, Kitaro, and when I'm in the mood ambient. But perhaps, I wasn't in the mood that day. I love sonic exploration, but sometimes I need a composition to latch onto. They started off guitar/bass/drums--so far, so good. Then the drummer and bassist both left to fiddle with their sequencers. And for the most part, that's what the set consisted of--sequencers and guitar meanderings. Even when they had a couple guests, it did not seem to add much. The poor violinist seemed rather lost at times.

I nodded off for a minute here and there. But, at least, I awoke refreshed…

Nearfest 08 -> Sunday : Mörglbl

2008-06-25T21:41:00.005-04:00

Chris Godin showed himself a grandmaster of guitar, a mix of Steve Vai meets Alan Holdsworth meets Jan Akkerman. Six string bassist Ivan Rougny and drummer Aurelien Ouzoulias were up to par as well. While my attention drifted during some songs, their piece Tapas Nocturne was one of the best of the weekend.

Their musicianship is topnotch, but it is their humor and congeniality that won my heart. Mörglbl shatters all those stupid stereotypes about rude Frenchmen. Ties and bare feet--that sums them up perfectly.

Nearfest 08 -> Saturday : Liquid Tension Experiment

2008-06-25T17:13:00.003-04:00

Though I have their first album, I wasn't aware that Liquid Tension Experiment were considered prog metal. Seeing them live, there's no doubt. I'm not a big fan of prog metal in general, but they are an exception. Hands down, Tony Levin was the best bass player at Nearfest--no surprise there. And, of course, if you're a drummer, Mike Portnoy needed no introduction. John Petrucci played heavy licks with technical finesse, but also revealed a softer side. Jordan Rudess only played on ONE keyboard that swiveled 360, but he was outstanding.

My attention did start to drift after a while. If they used the heavier elements sparingly, their compositions and improv would stand out more. The music would have more power. However, at the end, it was their take on Rhapsody In Blue that won me over. If George Gershwin was rolling in his grave--he was rocking'n'rolling. Move over Gershwin and give Bernstein the news...

Nearfest 08 -> Saturday : Peter Hammill

2008-06-25T16:57:00.005-04:00

Of course, Peter Hammill has been very influential on music in general, and his group Van Der Graaf Generator is a prog giant. So it was an honor to finally see him live.

He sang and played "unplugged", just him and his piano, and on occasion his guitar. As in VDGG, he has his trademark dynamics punctuated with distinctive pauses. Seeing him distilled from VDGG was interesting for a while, but then I began to crave the more rounded experience that his group brings. Perhaps, one day...

Nearfest 08 -> Saturday : Discipline

2008-06-24T22:37:00.003-04:00

I first saw Discipline at my first prog fest, Progday 95. Since then, I've seen them throughout the years and their brand of neo-prog gradually grew on me. At times, Matthew Parmenter channel's Peter Hammill/Fish. Jon Bouda reminds me of Steve Rothery--only more technically proficient. Mathew Kennedy and Paul Dzendzel provide solid and interesting bass and drums. Their album Unfolded Like Staircase represents the best of American neo-prog.

They played, among other pieces, Crutches, Into the Dream, and of course, Cantov IV--all their best works. In fact, I still have Crutches going around and around in my head.

Nearfest 08 -> Saturday : Koenji Hyakkei

2008-06-24T22:17:00.002-04:00

A veteran of Salma Mammas Manna, Yoshida Tatsuya's drums were blazing. Yabuki Taku's keys were awesome. Samamoto Kengo was no Jannick Top, but he knew how to play the bass. Komori Keiko's reeds provided the finishing touch. In all, the musicianship was top notch.

It was terrible.

While Nami Sagara proved she could sing well within human ranges, albeit operatically, most of her vocals were too high pitched. This group wears their Magma influences on their sleeves, and that's just fine with me. However, they took all the worst vocal aspects from MDK--the screechy section--and stretched it out for two hours. It was cringe worthy. As much as the musicianship and composition was a big plus, the vocals were a far, far bigger minus.

Progressive Rock--My subjective take

2008-06-02T21:50:00.002-04:00

In the late sixties to the mid seventies, it was vogue for all music to reach out, blur the lines, and fuse with other forms. Jazz leaned toward rock to form fusion. Funk was essentially progressive soul. Music in general seemed to be progressing toward a meta-genre and it seemed that perhaps the artificial distinctions between people and cultures would vanish as well. When it came to music, people were more open-minded back then, and had longer attention spans. Commerciality existed, but it was not the tyrannical force that it became later on.

Essentially, what became known as progressive rock began as a branch of rock music that aspired to incorporate elements of jazz and symphonic/chamber(aka classical) flavorings. Thus, in many cases, it featured songs in the form of long suites, with meters outside of the common 4/4, and complexities not typical of rock.

There were various "schools" of progressive rock, many that did not recognize each other, but became grafted together because of the eclectic tastes of listeners, and because of being more complex and/or experimental than the mainstream.

There was what we now call the "symphonic" branch: Yes, ELP, early Genesis, Gentle Giant, Gryphon, Happy the Man, very early King Crimson, the Moody Blues, early Jethro Tull, Van Der Graff Generator, Camel, PFM, Banco, ect…

There was a conglomeration of groups that originated from the Canterbury region of England that had a more jazzy sound: Soft Machine, Egg, Gilgamesh, National Health, Hatfield and the North, Caravan, ect…

And then there was a more experimental school, one that disliked the more assessable and popular "symphonic" groups. They incorporated such elements as avant-garde and 20th century chamber music. Henry Cow, Univers Zero and four others joined in a festival called Rock in Opposition. Eventually, RIO became common nomenclature referring to avant rock groups with similar leanings.

The lines though are blurred. Camel is from the Canterbury region and shares some of the same Canterbury roster, but leaned "symphonic". Henry Cow started as a Canterbury group, but branched into more and more experimental music, until it became the core of the international RIO movement. In many cases, it's impossible and futile to pinpoint where jazz-fusion ends and Progressive rock begins. In that time of open mindedness, it was not unheard of to like different groups such as Yes and Magma. Even though there were vast differences, both were distinct from more typical rock music, and thus the tastes of fans adopted both.

However, a terrible train wreck occurred on the road to meta-music: Punk, totalitarian commercialism, and racism. Punk was the anti-Prog, a regressive music where not knowing how to play became celebrated. Record companies began the downward spiral into the cookie-cutter abyss. For the most part, rap, like punk, was regressive, devolving from its party music origins, devoid of technique and musicality, focusing solely on a spoken word that too often glorified violence, greed, crime, guns, pride, and self-imposed segregation rather than the dream of uniting with one's fellowman based on common humanity.

Eventually, punk progressed into new wave, leaving its caveman trappings for the synthesized flavorings found in electronica. By this time, Progressive rock had essentially crystallized as a sound, and what remained of it had been driven underground. Some groups looked back to more symphonic times, to the golden age of Yes and Genesis, while lacking their technical virtuosity. Thus began a blend of new wave with progressive seasonings, groups such as Marillion and IQ, who began "neo-prog", the Second Wave of Progressive Rock.

In many ways, neo-prog was not truly Progressive Rock. It did not reach to the same heights or depths or textures or complexities, it did not fuse jazz or symphonic works. Neo-prog represented true Prog about as much as a bag of Doritos represents Mexican food--it was mainstream rock with progressive flavoring. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't good music. In fact, albums such as Script for a Jester's Tear and Misplaced Childhood were quite stellar. Many progressive rock fans adopted neo-prog into the genre and the tent and definition became larger.

In the nineties, while the mainstream was flirting with Grunge/Alternative(which was essentially a regressive revival of Punk), true Progressive rock experienced resurgence, a Third Wave. Groups such Anglagard, echolyn, and Spock's Beard brought Prog into the present. They went beyond mere neo-prog, but approached the technical complexities of Prog's Golden Age. At the same time, many RIO-like groups such as 5uu's, Thinking Plague, Tipographica achieved something similar for the avant wing as well. The internet, progfests, albums reissues and a plethora of smaller labels contributed to this music boom.

Will there be a Fourth Wave? Will more mainstream groups like the Mars Volta and Radiohead embrace Prog, making it acceptable once again? Will post-rock groups like Tortoise keep arising and reinvent the wheel, reverse engineering prog-like sounds? The common wisdom is that these things go in cycles. Sometimes music fatigue weigh on both fans and groups. There are commercial pressures and unforeseen developments. It's hard to say what the future will bring. But the one thing we know for now: The music is out there.

Ticky Tacky Dough--and how many men could a Pacman pack if a Pacman could pack?

2008-03-10T23:28:00.006-04:00

I found an old CD with some of my old home projects, written in Visual Basic.

First is a shoddy version of Pacman. If you're wondering why it looks so much like the arcade version--I screenprinted the real thing and used the bitmap as a background. (Hopefully this snapshot is not violating copyright--if it is, tell me and I'll take it down.)

To the right is a behind the scenes look at how the program works. Basically, Pacman, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde ran on "rails".

Unfortunately, the backup wasn't up-to-date. It only encompassed Pacman running the maze, while moving his mouth. Later versions had his enemies, working power pellets(that is the ghosts turned blue when they were eaten), dots, and I had the ghosts regenerating in the ghost box. What I had not perfected was how the ghosts hunted or fled Pacman--and even the disembodied eyes had a time getting back to the ghost box.

As with many home projects, I got to the point where I saw I could do the window dressing. But then, what? The mountain was basically climbed at that point. I moved on.

In the bottom righthand corner is a screenprint of the obligatory Tic Tac Toe program. If memory serves me correct, it was just a matter of a few sittings to code. If you're interested in the code, navigate over to my Livejournal.

Feeling B.L.U.E: Bruford Levin Upper Extremities

2008-02-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

Here's a photo I dug up from nine years ago. Bill Bruford and Tony Levin holding a signing in Of Sound Mind, in support of their album Bruford Levin Upper Extremities.

For any who are drawing a blank, Bill Bruford is a progressive rock legend, the former drummer of Yes, King Crimson, UK, and National Health as well as his own groups, such as B.L.U.E., Earthworks, and Bruford. After Peter Gabriel left Genesis, he also helped Phil Collins on drums for a tour.

And, of course, Tony Levin has been anywhere and everywhere, from King Crimson to Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (that is, "Yes-East"), to touring with Peter Gabriel, as well as a host of session work. Tony Levin pioneered the use of the stick, a variation of bass guitar that utilizes two handed technique.

That evening, after the signing at Of Sound Mind, they played a great gig at Orion Studios. Bruford Levin Upper Extremities is a good album, mixing the sound of 80's King Crimson with equal parts of jazz, ambient, and experiemental music. David Torn's aggressive guitar looping was a challenge for me originally, however, Chris Botti's smooth trumpet offset and balanced it out. It's an album that can be puzzling at first listen, but it grows on you, and then it becomes addicting.

The Elements of Style

2008-02-09T11:47:00.000-05:00

Style is not the only dimension to writing, however, for an aspiring writer, it is just as essential as plot, pacing, setting, and characterization. The good news is: it's not rocket science. One of the best aids is The Elements of Style by Strunk & White. Originally, Strunk wrote the core text in order to teach his English courses, and even though it dates from around World War I, it's been amended--and it is not only easy to follow, but very relevant to modern writing.

Newer writers should, in particular, pay attention to the sections:

Use the active voice. [as in not in the passive voice]
Use definite, specific, concrete language.
Omit needless words.
Write with nouns and verbs. [as in not with adjectives and adverbs]
Do not overwrite.
Do not explain too much.
Do not construct awkward adverbs.
Avoid fancy words.
Be clear.
Use figures of speech sparingly.

Usually I find that I forget the majority of the recommendations, but I think if at least some of it is applied, the writing improves dramatically. And, as with anything, advice can be taken too far, but if taken in context, the recommendations are reasonable.

Realms Of Fantasy : The Envelope Please . . .

2008-02-02T17:38:00.000-05:00

After "The Azazel Tree" ended up a non-winning finalist in WOTF, I sent the story to Realms of Fantasy. As with "Foregleamer", I received the The Yellow Form of Promise. Doug Cohen said that he liked the concept and pacing, however the milieu didn't feel fully realized. At last, a clue as to why my story didn't win WOTF!

Ghosts from Progday's Past...

2008-01-27T19:07:00.000-05:00

Nope. I haven't done a music related post recently. But since I've dug this up today, I had to share it, even though Progday '08 is nine months from now.

This photo was taken from Progday '98, I believe. And if memory serves me, the idea was to get all the movers and shakers of the east coast Prog scene (concert promoters, those who had prog labels, studios, major vendors) onstage.

The guy in the black shirt is Chris Lamka, who owned Of Sound Mind, a Baltimore store that sold Prog. He still runs a mail order business from his house. To his left was Adam Levin, and to Adam's left, Mike Potter. Both were involved in Orion Studios, which is primarily a music studio. Many showcases were held there (and still are from time to time). To Chris's right is Rob LaDuca, who along with Chad Hutchinson, founded Nearfest--THE best of progfests. Second from the far right is Peter Renfro, founder of Progday, the longest ever running progfest.

Of course, I've missed a few names, but those are the ones I recognize on sight. Who knew that ten years later, I'd share this piece of Prog history on something called a blog?

The 10 Recommendations For Those Just Starting Out...

2008-01-24T16:46:00.000-05:00

Though I've come close, I’m presently unpublished, so yes, this is like the blind leading the blind. I have no mountain to come down from, no commandments written in stone, no magic formula to impart. But, if you're just starting out, consider 10 Recommendations:

[1] Participate in an online critique group like Critters (highly recommended), Critique Circle, or Hatrack. By finding gems and flaws in another’s writing, you learn what works, and what doesn’t in your own. And of course, you get valuable feedback and perhaps a reality check by having others review your work. Sometimes it might feel like a punch to the gut, but mistaken kindness, having people tell you what you want to hear, is in the end much crueler.

[2] Begin with short stories. If you can’t craft a short story, how will you write a novel? You can always go back and novelize a shorter work. Think: Ender’s Game.

[3] Don’t overload the story. Say you have some brilliant ideas for your milieu. If the reader can’t catch on, or has to jump through too many hoops in their already busy and complex life, then it’s been wasted. They will quit reading. Or won’t enjoy it. Try a story with one or two “What Ifs” to start with and those ideas will shine more than if they have to compete with a dozen.

[4] Don’t explain too much, that is infodump. Gradually drip exposition throughout the story, but in a natural fashion according to the viewpoint character and the plot.

Think: Not all of us understand or think about the detailed workings of the car we drive or our computers, we just use them and they work. What’s important is how we use it. If the story isn’t overloaded to begin with, than that’s half the battle.

Always remember: Not everything needs to be explained.

[5] Don’t explain too little. If you don’t explain enough, then you leave the reader in the dark. This is essential when you start the story. From the first paragraph, the reader must understand where the viewpoint character is, what they are doing, what their name is, and what the story is about. And often, the first reader will want the genre to be clear from page one. Clarity, clarity, clarity!

[6] Master third person limited viewpoint and stick with it for now.

True, some of our favorite stories have a first person narrator, but when learning the ropes, it’s best to learn third person limited, which can be every bit as in depth as first person and, as Orson Scott Card says in Characters and Viewpoint, has the illusion of immediacy in past tense that first person does not. Avoid third person omniscient, it is very difficult to do well and has fallen out of fashion. In third person limited, the narrator is almost indistinguishable from the viewpoint character. The narration shows the story through the viewpoint character’s senses and through their thoughts.

Thus it’s unnecessary to say: Billy Vader turned and saw a hobbit push a cart down the cobblestone street.

Rather: A hobbit shoved his cart over the cobblestones. (We know the viewpoint character saw it, so why tell us?)

And that’s why it’s unnecessary to always say: A potential apprentice, Billy Vader thought.

Rather: The hobbit had the makings of an apprentice. If only he could be turned to gray side.

If you apply third person limited right, there will be no withholding of crucial information. The reader should reasonably know what they know and see what they are thinking and remembering. Thus if you try to withhold just to elicit a twist, such as, in a who-done-it and the viewpoint character ends up being the killer all along, and it’s not revealed until the end, the first reader (aka the editor) will be quite mad. You violated point of view. Television, movies, and other visual media can do this because the viewer sees the story from the outside in. With written fiction, the reader observes the story from the inside out.

[7] Show AND tell.
Don’t tell: The unsanitary hobbit was happy.

Rather show it and prove it: The hobbit smiled, revealing yellowed and brown teeth. Even his bloodshot eyes seemed to grin. He rubbed one grimy hand against another and slimed muck across his calluses. “Ready to feast on the cockroaches?”

On the other hand, don’t show too much, only what’s important to move the story along. Otherwise the story can be weighed down in too much detail. Mundane activities can be regulated to narrative summary. Why burden us with the ingredients the viewpoint character picked up at the market for that night’s dinner? Don’t list every item on the mantelpiece in detail. Is it pertinent to the story? Then why are you telling me? Yes, set the scene, but don’t take it too far. Trust the reader’s imagination. It’ll fill in many of the details, and if you strike a good balance, you’ll have given the illusion you showed it, even when you didn’t.

[8] Avoid passive main characters (NOT to be confused with passive voice, but avoid that too!). Your story can’t just be about what the main character observed or what was done to them. They need to drive the plot. They can try and fail, but they should at least strive for goals. And where they do reach a goal it shouldn’t be handed to them on a silver platter or by a Deus Ex Machine. They have to surmount many obstacles with their own hard work. Otherwise there’s no story.

[9] Avoid clichéd expressions, characters, and plot. Since you’re the writer, you’re supposed to create your own expressions, not borrow common ones from everyday speech, such as: cool as a cucumber, fly on the wall, when it rains it pours, raining cats and dogs.

How many times do you watch a show and can predict what’s going to happen? Don’t you hate that? Sure, it’s fun at first, but then it gets old. If a reader can predict what’s going to happen, then why are they reading it? They already know the story.

In Characters and Viewpoint, Orson Scott Card said that the first thing we usually pull from our mental shelf is probably a cliché, so we might have to go back several times and pull something else.

[10] Remember Card’s MICE quotient [milieu, idea, character, event] when deciding when a story is to begin and end.

* Got a milieu story? Then the story begins about the time the character confronts a strange new world and ends when they leave, or when they won’t leave, or when they find out they can’t. In novel forms examples are: The Hobbit, Rendezvous with Rama, and the duology Eon and Eternity.

* Got idea? As in a mystery? Or a problem that calls for a purely technological, scientific solution? Then the story beings with the problem and ends when the problem is solved, by discovering who did it, or the application of a device that fixes that deadly leak in the space-time continuum.

* What about a Character story? The story begins when the character is unhappy with themselves or their place in a sociologic structure (their family, community, ect…). The story ends when the character changes themselves or their place or decides It’s A Wonderful Life after all. Or not. See: Wild Seed by Octavia Butler

Event. The milieu is out of whack. A monstrous overlord threatens the land. A battle of good and evil ensues. The world is doomed unless a hero steps forward to undergo a quest that will make everything aright. The story begins when the hero, knowingly or unknowingly, starts on the path that will try to right the wrong, and ends when the crisis is abated OR the worst happens, the bad guy wins, the milieu is ended, or things remains as they always were.

Adventures in Scifi Publishing: Season 2

2008-01-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

http://www.adventuresinscifipublishing.com/

Check out the Adventures in Scifi Publishing podcast. Today is first episode of Season 2. Authors Kevin J. Anderson and Sean Williams guest.

WOTF Published Finalist Watch

2008-01-07T11:52:00.000-05:00

http://dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com/135598.html

In Writers of the Future Volume 24, Dr. Philip Edward Kaldon will be the sole published finalist with his 14k word story, "A Man in the Moon". In 2007, he was a finalist twice, giving him double the odds. Obviously, being a physicist gives him the home-team advantage in writing hard SF.

Now With Added Web Presence

2008-01-03T23:29:00.000-05:00

http://chris_s_owens.home.comcast.net/

The above link is my "homepage". As a mainframer, the Web is outside my realm, but I've been fiddling with Nvu and uploading pages to my ISP's free webspace. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. It's a work in progress...

Alas, Journeyman...

2007-12-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

In attempting to figure out when the next episode of Journeyman would air--I hear it will not. The Man, sporting his peacock logo, has effectively canceled it. NBC can spout all the excuses it wants. Ratings, blah, blah, blah, writer's strike, blah, blah, blah--I ceased listening to "official" statements long ago.

NBC: Did you try to promote it more? Did you try airing it in a different time slot? Did you try--there's a million-and-one things to try! Do you think I'm going to now watch the junk you plan on substituting for it? Do you leave me any reason to turn on NBC at all? No thanks! I'll just use the timeslot to read.

Writers Of The Future: The Envelope Please...

2007-12-17T16:50:00.000-05:00

It'll be announced here shortly: http://wotfblog.galaxypress.com

But from what I've pieced together, the waveform has collapsed thusly:

First Place: Erin Cashier
Second Place: Sonia Timms/Helbig
Third Place: Jeannette Cheney

Congrats!

Of course, the published finalists, if any, are yet to be determined...

Update per Sonia: the judges this quarter were Larry Niven, Tim Powers, Kevin J. Anderson & Nina Kikiri Hoffman.

Schrödinger's Cats Unleashed...

2007-12-15T20:13:00.000-05:00

For no particular reason, here is a picture of my cats. The one on the left is named Katie. The one on the right is Niya.

Katie greets us when we come home by rolling on the floor. When the mood strikes her, she loves to play fetch. At best, she tolerates Niya's existence, though sometimes she goes way out of her way to bat Niya on the head.

Niya is good at figuring out how to open doors. When she feels that she's "won" at a game, she'll drag her toy round and round the room in a triumphant procession. If she's suspicious of a new object, she's quite adept at boxing it. Niya sometimes will watch TV for a few minutes and at times, I've had to accomodate her by not changing the channel if she seems interested in what's on. Niya's the copycat, emulating what Katie is doing.

Both love to chase ice around on the kitchen floor. Neither support my writing, but rather stand outside the office door and meow their heads off. If I let Katie in, she'll jump between me and the monitor. Katie prefers my wife and will beg for her to pick her up, or will jump in her lap when watching television. Niya will get in my lap when reading or watching TV, and put her head on my chest, but then, she'll do the same to my wife. In fact, though Niya doesn't spurn me, I think it's a matter of opportunity. If both my wife and I are available, she'll choose my wife over me. I suspect they view her as a mother figure and the supreme authority.

Adventures in Scifi Publishing returns on January 12th

2007-12-08T15:38:00.000-05:00

Season 2 of Adventures in Scifi Publishing will begin with a big bang on January 12th. They will have Kevin J. Anderson and Sean Williams--then two weeks later, Terry Goodkind.

Go over to www.adventuresinscifipublishing.com and listen to the promo!

I know. That's over a month from now. Remind me to remind you...

Shallow Red

2007-12-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

This is my chess program in action.

You've heard of Deep Blue, the terror of Chess Champions everywhere? Well, this it ain't. I never promised that it was pretty. Like Frankenstein, I never bothered making my creation look good. It was only a personal project. If & when I'd the chess engine well tuned, then I intended on going back and give it a slick front end.

Is it alive? Barely. It can be set to Human vs Human, Human vs Computer, Computer vs Computer.

It never allows the human to make an illegal move. On computer mode it tries to calculate the best possible move, reiteratively adding and subtracting different possibilities based on pieces that are in jeopardy on both sides, depending on the value of the piece. Unfortunately, such exponential processing can get out of hand. Thus, I can't calculate too many moves ahead. Even so, it takes, at least, half a minute. And even then, it makes some boneheaded moves sometimes.

Obviously, it was a work in progress. But I haven't touched it in over 4 years other than, importing the code into Excel and making a type of spreadsheet chess. And why would anyone do that? Because I could. To satisfy my inner mad scientist.

Schrödinger's Finalists

2007-11-18T18:33:00.000-05:00

Since hearing my story was in the finals, I've had some sort of strange writing block. Instead of thinking about my next story(or writing it), I find myself easily distracted. It seeps into my dreams. On the up side, I was surprised by the number of well-wishing, not only from among the fellow finalists, but from other writers, and from those with no aspirations to write(those seem most satisfying of all).

In obsessing over my odds, I've created a fiction of sorts, backed by spurious calculations to help me sort it all out. In essence, eight stories sit in Schrödinger's Box, each in a superposition of states. When a measurement is made, by judging, then the superposition will collapse.

While, perhaps, there may be one Hugo-worthy story(not mine, obviously) that will outshine the rest, until it is measured--we don't know. And there is the likelihood that several are equal in quality and it might come down to subjective taste or even mood. Of course, professional writers are doing the judging, and as Gurney Halleck in Dune said, 'Moods are a thing for cattle and love play!' Obviously, they won't let traffic jams and finicky cats cloud their judgment.

The point is there is great uncertainty. But it is sane to keep in mind that there are a finite number of states the superposition can collapse into, accompanied by its own set of odds:

59.03% : Nonwinning, nonpublished finalist
03.46% : Nonwinning, published Finalist
37.50% : Third place
25.00% : Second place
12.50% : First place
03.10% : Gold

Discounting published finalists, there are 56 winning groups that could emerge from the quarter(if you include who-wins-what that would up it to 168 combinations). Pick from the 56 and there's only a 1.79% chance for that combination. The odds of any two, say two Virginians, both winning are 10.7%. But the good news is that that odds for a Virginian to win this year are 64.3%.

How will the superposition collapse? We will have to wait and see.

To be continued...

Writers Of The Future Q407 : Finalist!!!

2007-11-13T16:10:00.000-05:00

http://wotfblog.galaxypress.com/2007/11/4th-quarter-writers-of-future-finalists.html

I feel I should say something insightful, something profound, but right now my mind is all a jumble. In fact, if I were the first man on the moon, those would probably be my words upon stepping out of the Eagle: "Um--uh--my mind is blank!"

Of course, there's only a 37% chance that my story will place first, second, or third. The judges will have to weigh my story's merits against 7 others. I am pleased to see a fellow Virginian among the finalists. It's a possibility, albeit a slim one, that we'll both be in the workshop and our stories in the anthology. Wouldn't that be a good way to represent Virginia!!!

Though I haven't yet made it, I have to say, crafting a publishable story isn't easy. It takes work and there are many dimensions of consideration. Style, characterization, plot, clarity, pace, suspense, ect, ect--and in SF&F there is the added burden of worldbuilding & making the unreal credible-seeming. This particular story went through 3 drafts. Then, since mistakes abound, two rounds of proofreading. Hours and hours of work over many months.

None of this would've been possible either without solid feedback, which I recieved from my wife and Paul Comstock, a fellow Hatracker, Critter, and Writers Of The Future semifinalist. Many thanks to them!

Incidentally, here's a link to Paul's site, which contains many helpful tips on writing:
http://www.paulallancomstock.com/

Realms Of Fantasy : The Envelope Please...

2007-10-31T22:56:00.000-04:00

In late December, I sent “Foregleamer” to the Writers of The Future contest/anthology and the story placed semifinalist, one of the last cut from the potential list of finalists according to my critique from K.D. Wentworth. I revised the story per her feedback, as well as the critiques I recieved from Critters. In September, I cut it down to 9,800 words from 12,000, as painful as that was, and on October 1, I mailed it to Realms of Fantasy.

Today I received the results: The Yellow Form of Promise. Of course, had I recieved the Blue Form Of Death, I could have griped that Douglas Cohen, the assistant editor, didn't even give the story a chance--but, in all fairness, he read it and gave it many. And for his time, effort, and honest assessment, I thank him.

I am Geek--hear me type!

2007-10-25T22:21:00.000-04:00

I should be rewriting the story that I'm planning on sending to WOTF for Q108, but I'm being a Murphy's procrastinator. I'll let my subconscious work on an attack plan for the revisions. Meanwhile...

I am a geek.

According to the Wiktionary, a geek is:

*A person intensely interested in a particular field or hobby, generally at the expense of broader social interaction.

According to Wikipedia:

*somebody whose reasoning and decision making is always first and foremost based on his/her passions rather than things like financial reward or social acceptance.

*A person who has chosen concentration rather than conformity; one who pursues skill...and imagination, not mainstream social acceptance.

*A person with a devotion to something in a way that places him or her outside the mainstream.

*A person who rejects society, yet is involved in it — unlike and in contrast to a hermit.

*the particular interests of nerds are of practical nature...while those of geeks are often considered trivial but entertaining.

*a bright young man turned inward, poorly socialized, who felt so little kinship with his own planet that he routinely traveled to the ones invented by his favorite authors

I'm not too sure about the bright part. According to Tickle.com my IQ was 130, and, of course, that's as far an online tests can be trusted. A timed online test I took a decade earlier had me at 120. I tend to do well in what captures my fancy, while zoning in areas that don't. It wouldn't surprise me to learn I've been struggling with attention deficit all my life--in fact, I'm pretty sure of it. And for those of you that don't have that problem, thus less than sympathetic, it's not something that can just be willed away.

I've had pseudo-intellectual interests in technology and layman science. Ever since my father came home with the C64, I was hooked on programming. First with Basic 2.0, then with 6510 Assembler--later on it was C & C++. But, professionally, I ended up on the mainframe, and when I came home, the last thing I wanted to do was more programming.

Yeah, I've made a few side projects. Of course, I've done Tic Tac Toe--haven't we all? The code was surprisingly short and simple.

A couple years back I got 75% through a homemade version of Pacman, enough to get Pacman, Blinkey, Pinkey, Inkey and Clyde moving through the maze, with power pellets and dots. Yes, when Pacman ate the blinking power pellet, the ghost turned blue. Pacman could eat them, leaving their eyes wandering back to the ghost box and regenerate. Why not add sound, scoring, and a more rigorous routines for the ghosts? Because, I realized I could, and when I realized that, I'd finished what I set out to accomplish. To continue on would have little point.

In '03, I did a workable version of chess. You could play against another human, or the computer, or computer against computer. Of course, the computer made lousy moves. I tried refining and refining the reiterative routines, but there was only so much VB could crunch. In chess, things get exponential very fast. I rewrote the core engine in straight C to see if it would run faster, but I got sidetracked with other things. A couple years back, I did massage the VB code into Excel and refashioned it into a workable Excel Chess. But since then, I haven't touched it.

So most of my homemade programs have tended to be interesting trinkets, experiments as it were, and when I began writing I had little time for these diversions anymore. And, of course, technology marches on, faster and faster. You blink and you fall behind. I understand C++ has moved on to C# and VB has moved onto VB.NET. But I still miss the days of DOS 3.0, when I knew exactly what my PC was doing. Namely, only what I told it to. With Vista, I feel like a helpless baby. I hear you churning, hard drive--what are you doing?

Thus, I trend toward the trivial but entertaining(geekdom), rather than to the technical but practical(nerdom). My interests are definitly outside the mainstream. I reject many aspects of society and question the cultural norms--who says that until 11AM you eat one foodset, but after you eat another? If it's 6AM--give me my pizza! Oh--just not from a chain restaurant.

No, I am not being different for it's own sake, or because I think it makes me look cool. I'm not concerned about your acceptance. I'm not afraid that you'll stop interacting with me--it'll give me more time for my own pursuits.

Podcasts

2007-10-22T11:57:00.000-04:00

As a gift, my wife gave me an ipod back in May. At first, I wondered what in the brane I'd do with it. My car has a CD player, so why do I need this trendy little device--this fad? Yeah, I dumped scores of albums onto it. I purchased a couple from iTunes. But, of course, there's only so many dozen times of listening to Spock's Beard or Mike Oldfield before once experiences music burnout.

And then I discovered the wonders of Podcasts. Rather late in the game, some may say. Others, like I was, may be hesitant to give this medium a try. I really believe podcasts have real staying power. It's great for the commute to work and back. It's great when doing the dishes and laundry. And the best part, like radio, many Podcasts are free, however, unlike radio you've more say about the content.

I listed some of my favorite podcasts in the Links. Of all of them, Adventures in Scifi has caught my fancy the most. Upbeat, sometimes to the point of lunacy, and yet not too over-the-top, they discuss what's happening in the world of SF&F, namely in reference to the written word. They interview authors. They discuss writing tips. As voracious readers of the books and mags, they know their stuff. And if you poke around the links listed on their blog, you will probably discoverer some other great productions as well.

Then there is Escape Pod, a podcast of pro and semi-pro SF&F short stories and novelettes. You'll find stories from the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Realms of Fantasy, Asimov's, Interzone, ect. If you're like me, your reading logjam is too backed up too catch all of the shorts, or perhaps the trope is not appealing, or an opening didn't grab. Here's a chance to listen to a story that you might not otherwise read.

Lastly, I want to highlight I Should Be Writing. Not as exciting as the other two, but very instructional. Lots of pauses to help make the listener think and absorb.

A wise man once said, 'Don't be the first to jump on a bandwagon--don't be the last.' If you haven't discovered podcasts, maybe it's time to give them a try. And if you discover a good one, let me know!

Progday 2007: Nemo

2007-09-10T22:28:00.000-04:00

How did I find Nemo? Not bad, but the second coming of Ange they are not. It seemed basic drums, bass, keys, guitar with fair vocals. Nothing complex--nothing dramatic. At best, I'd say they qualify as okay French neo-prog.

Progday 2007: Advent

2007-09-10T22:17:00.001-04:00

I wanted to like Advent. I really did. The ingredients were all there. They certainly had the skills and command of their instruments. They had the heavy influence of Gentle Giant and the more pastoral moments from Trick of The Trail/Wind and the Wuthering era Genesis. Instrumentally, they nailed the cover of Free Hand!

So it hurts to say this: Their original compositions seemed to meander and oftentimes lacked any drive or energy. Nothing seemed to mesh. Worst of all was the lead vocals, performed by the founding keyboardist. While attempting what I believe is a GG-like alto tenor, his voice obviously wasn't up to task that day. Especially was this so during the cover of Free Hand. It pains me to relate how his voice seemed to crack and break, though to be fair, he seemed to have had problems with the mike. The performance of Free Hand should've been the most amazing cover ever. Everyone should've been ecstatic and rushed the stage. But, if the majority of attendees were like me, they cringed. If you are going to walk on hallowed ground, don't stumble!

Progday 2007: Skeletonbreath

2007-09-10T22:12:00.001-04:00

Skeletonbreath were THE BEST OF THE FEST. A trio of violin, bass and drums--they sizzled! I was determined NOT to buy any albums from the performers this time around, attempting to save my money in order to buy ultrarare prog jems. However, I had to make this one exception. Louise only cost ten bucks, which I was happy to part with. I think they could've doubled the price.

I couldn't help contrast Robert Pycior with Indukti's Ewa Jablonska(as heard at Nearfest). Pycior delivers frantic lead violin, skillfully played, while Jablonska merely offered ornamental textures that probably anyone could have delivered given a few months training. Not to take anything away from Frogg Café's Bill Ayasse, but Robert Pycior obviously wins best fiddle--better than I've seen in a rocky context in quite a while.

Progday 2007: Qoph

2007-09-10T22:02:00.000-04:00

Jim Morrison didn't die. He moved to Sweden and changed his name to Robin Kvist, eventually ending up in a bluesy hard-rock unit called Qoph. Hands down, Jim--I mean Robin Kvist was the best vocalist the entire weekend.

However, despite being from Sweden, Qoph didn't seem truly Prog. They didn't have the virtuosity, complexity, or sound. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that and I don't think they were trying to be. But then, one comes to a progressive festival primarily to hear prog.

Progday 2007: Frogg Café

2007-09-10T21:44:00.000-04:00

I liked their complex instrumentals quite a bit, the blend of genres, and the addition of violin to the mix--not to forget, their great cover of King Crimson's Red. However, most of the time, I found the vocals grating, especially the "harmonies". Some groups should just stick to making great music rather than marring it with attempts at singing.

[[[If you noticed a discrepancy in the above photo (hint, hint: the violinist), it isn't because Bill Ayasse played through a transdimensional portal, but behind the speaker stack. The mishmash of one photo clip onto the other, well represents the vocal disharmonies.]]]

Progday 2007: Naikaku

2007-09-10T21:38:00.001-04:00

From Japan, Naikaku's music consisted of two layers: A flowery melodic flute with an undercurrent of rocky guitar, bass and drums. The two layers blended quite well. However, to me, their set seemed overly long. Once, the top layer was taken away, my attention wandered in the heat. To their credit, from what I understand, they evidently were missing a member or two due to passport issues. Had they a full ensemble, I probably would have been raving.

Progday 2007: Oblivion Sun

2007-09-10T21:27:00.000-04:00

Stan Whitaker and Frank Wyatt of Oblivion Sun were the biggest names at Progday, alumni of Happy The Man, giants of classic American Prog--and Virginia based at that! This was, for obvious reasons, my second favorite performance of the weekend. Bill Plummer(hidden by the left speaker stack), really floored me, taking the figurative Progday cake for best keys.

They played two HTM classics: Leave That Kitten Alone, Armone and I Carve The Chariot on the Carousel. For some reason, by Monday evening, my memory recalled Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo instead of Carousel. Unfortunately, the great outdoors really baked my brain with its oblivion sun.

Some say they are HTM on steroids, perhaps because the recent HTM album seemed rather feathery. To me, Oblivion Sun seemed like another permutation of HTM. Even in their heyday, they showed a lighter side half the time, almost "new age" by today's standards, before that wretched label came into existence. Energy is not always manifested as speed, but sometimes it comes like an imperceptible and unrelenting tide.

Style Weekly's Fifth Annual Fiction Contest : The Envelope Please...

2007-08-08T16:50:00.000-04:00

Today, the results came back for my story, "Returning from the Grave", that I sent to Style Weekly's Fifth Annual Fiction Contest. While the story did not win first, second or third place, it did make it to the final round. This makes twice this year one of my stories came close, yet just didn't have that special something to push it over the top. While there is obviously room for improvement, I do feel I am making progress.

This was a first for me for three reasons:

First, being I that had to work within a 2000 word limit, it precluded me from writing a SF&F story. Therefore, I wrote a non-genre story. No speculative elements. However, I discovered that I did enjoy writing it. I got the same rush as I do for genre stories. Don't worry! I doubt I'll veer from SF&F.

Second, the viewpoint character was female. Being male, I've always shied away from the viewpoint of the opposite gender, however, this did not prove an obstable at all.

Third, since it was only 2000 words, and being non-genre had little exposition, I wrote it in a day's time, discounting the halfday of editing. Of course, had I spent more time with it, perhaps it would have placed!

Nearfest->Sunday : MAGMA

2007-07-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

I was wowed by Magma twice in ’99, at Progfest, and then in LA. What do I think after Sunday night’s performance? WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!!

After eight years and some personnel shifting, they’ve only gotten better, more refined, polished. Face it--Magma’s element has always been live, and with a few exceptions their studio efforts fell flat. My favorite Magma album, indeed one of my favorite albums of all time, is HHAI. But get this: Even without bassist Jannick Top or a violinist like Didier Lockwood, I’d say Sunday night was better than that. This concert ranks as one of the best I've ever seen, up there with seeing a reunited Yes in 1990 and ten years later, Il Balleto Di Bronzo and Happy the Man.

The vocals of Stella Vander, Isabelle Feuillebois, Himiko and Antoine Paganotti blended together well into an amazing space opera. And Christian Vander, besides being one of the best drummers in France, Earth or Kobia, has a great voice himself. James Macgaw, whom I saw Friday in One Shot, surprised at one point by adding blues licks to the Magma sound. The xylophone was a nice addition, skillfully played by Frederic D’oelsnitz. Yes, I’d say Magma is better than ever, tighter, more intense. They know how to build tension in the music until the fabric of space-time seems ready to unravel. I don’t think any studio or even live album (even of Sunday’s performance) could ever capture it. You’d have to be there, to hear, see, and feel the Zeuhl flowing through you.

Nearfest->Sunday : Pure Reason Revolution

2007-07-01T21:46:00.000-04:00

There is at least one group every festival where I ask myself, “What are they doing here?” Despite the hype that was given Pure Reason Revolution, I quickly deflated. Just basic drums and guitars, very muddled vocals, and some electronic whizzing in the background. No virtuosity to be found anywhere. I gave them three songs, and then ducked out to catch an early dinner at Sal’s.

[Opinionated Rant On] Q magazine might believe this group is a missing link between Floyd and the 21th century. But then, since the late seventies, mainstream rock has only degenerated and regressed, going from punk to hair metal to grunge, from bad to ugly to unlistenable. Mainstream rock isn’t so much dead as undead, that is in zombie-land. So, perhaps Pure Reason is a missing link between Floyd and the zombie-zone, along with nominally prog groups like Porcupine Tree and Radiohead, but it’s not my cup of tea at all. If I wanted to listen to this type of stuff, I’d go to a mainstream or alt fest.[/Opinionated Rant Off]

Nearfest->Sunday : Robert Rich

2007-07-01T21:25:00.000-04:00

Because of its minimalistic approach, ambient music isn’t really Prog per say--it’s an extract of electronic progressive, a descendent of Prog courtesy of Brian Eno. It ensconces most of the melody and complexity and focuses instead on exploring sonic permutations. Of recent, I’ve picked up some Steve Roach, and when I’m in a certain mood, ambient hits the spot--albeit with a feather hammer.

Californian Robert Rich provided a palate cleanser from the more-is-more-is-more performances. In the midst of a mad-scientist setup, he fiddled with the keyboards, played steel guitar and an electronic wind instrument. Above him, a movie provided a visual accompaniment. Instead of lulling me to sleep, I found myself becoming very engaged and attentive, especially toward the end.

Nearfest->Sunday : La Maschera Di Cera

2007-07-01T20:48:00.000-04:00

During my festival hiatus, I've often wondered what happened to Finisterre. I’ve an album or two by them, and of course, I saw them at Progday ’97. My all-time unforgettable Progday moment was when their guitarist nailed the solo in Firth of Frith.

Finisterre’s bassist, Fabio Zuffanti, went on to La Maschera Di Cera, where Italian Prog lives on. Agostino Macor smacks wall-to-wall keys, pumping out mellotron and juicy analog sounds. Instead of guitar, at times the flute is the lead instrument, piped by Andrea Monetti. The vocalist, Alessandro Corvaglia, provided a strong vocal, reminding me of Deus Ex Machina’s Alberto Piras. At times, Fabio’s bass provided a heavier, rockier sound, making up for the lack of lead guitar. Italian prog is always a treat and they went on to provide my second favorite performance of the weekend.

Nearfest->Sunday : Indukti

2007-07-01T20:12:00.000-04:00

I was hoping Poland’s Indukti would change my mind toward Prog Metal. In fact, I was open to it. And, at their best, they were reminiscent of an instrumental Anekdoten, but much crunchier.

Wawrzyniec Dramowicz’s drumming was this groups best feature, verging on the melodic. Piotr Kocimski and Maciej Jaskiewicz crunched away on guitar, providing power-chord rhythms, but little melody or dexterous soling. The violin provided for atmosphere, but Ewa Jablonska just gave one good solo toward the end of the set.

In the end, they did not change my mind toward prog metal. They just left my ears buzzing and my blood pumping with adrenaline. But then, any decent alarm clock can do that.

Nearfest->Saturday : Magenta

2007-06-28T23:23:00.000-04:00

And what about England, where Prog got its start? There was Magenta, who hovered in the borderland between symphonic and accessible neo-prog. Chris Fry called to mind shades of Howe and Gilmore, at home with electric or acoustic guitars. Christina Booth had the most beautiful lead vocals all weekend--I couldn’t help but think of Annie Haslam, who it was said was somewhere on the premises. Rob Reed scorched the keys with fat, analog leads accompanied with organ sustains and flourishes of piano.

This was my wife’s favorite act of the show, so much so that she bought one of their CDs. Derivative, some say. Perhaps. But, maybe, they are just what is needed to draw fresh blood into the fanbase.

Nearfest->Saturday : Bob Drake

2007-06-28T22:29:00.000-04:00

Bob Drake is part of the State's progressive prog movement(that is to say avant prog), descendents of Europe's Rock In Opposition legacy. He's been part of many groups I dig, such as Thinking Plague. He was joined by David Campbell on bass and drum master Dave Kerman.

To be honest, I wasn’t familiar with Bob Drake’s solo efforts. While he played guitar and briefly a purposely out-of-tune violin, I believe this was mostly a tongue-in-cheek experiment. Drake’s voice at times is a high alto, and often (like in 5uu’s) reminds me of what might have happened if Chris Cutler invited Jon Anderson to join Henry Cow instead of Dagmar Krause(like that would've happened!). Unfortunately, Drake's vocals seemed to have been mixed below the music and were very muddled.

Dave Kerman (whom I’ve seen drum many a time with both Present and Thinking Plague) stole the show. He had what looked to be a basic beginner’s drum kit, at least, to my untrained eyes. But he put IZZ’s two drummers to shame! But what else can you expect from someone called on to fill Daniel Dennis’s role as he did while touring with Present? When he drummed, it was amazing. To be frank, it was the only thing musically I enjoyed about the set.

Yes, Dave Kerman will fool you, with rinky-dink drums and coming out in a bathrobe and a pillow, sleeping on his kit through half the set. But when he turned his lamp on, it was time for business! Underneath the veneer of humor and the act of not taking oneself too seriously, is a fierce musician. A lesser drummer couldn’t get away with it.

Nearfest->Saturday : Nebelnest

2007-06-28T22:16:00.000-04:00

France was again represented, this time by Nebelnest: Greg Tejedor on bass, Mike Anselmi on drums, Matthiue Sassier on guitar, and Oliver Tejedor on keys.

I’ve seen them once before, back at Progday ’99. My impression of them hasn’t changed since then. Instrumental space-rock with a bit of an edge. After a while, each piece starts to sound like the previous one. At least, to my ears. Perhaps, more discerning ears in tune to their vibe would disagree--feel free to do so.

Nearfest->Saturday : IZZ

2007-06-28T22:07:00.000-04:00

From the States, IZZ had moments of sparkle and brilliance. Anmarie Byrnes and Laura Meade provided dual vocals, along with brothers Galbano: Tom (keyboards) and John(bass). However, I found the vocals somewhat muddled at times. Perhaps, it was a faulty mix, or perhaps it was where I was seated (way up in the balcony and all the way back, row EE, seat 11).

I was excited at the prospect of the band sporting two drummers, Greg Dimiceli on an acoustic set and Brian Coralian on a half acoustic, half electronic kit. Still, while they each gave a fine performance, I didn’t feel this mesh of two drummers added that much.

What did impress me was that Tom Galbano, rather than having rack upon rack of keyboards(not that there’s anything wrong with it), only had one. Instead of proving to be a handicap, he showed how amazingly versatile he could be with just one set of keys, getting the most use from his instrument. When, at one point, brother John joined him on keys--well, let's just say Chopsticks it wasn’t!

I’d say they started Saturday on the right foot.

Nearfest Preshow->Fusion Friday : Alan Holdsworth

2007-06-26T22:31:00.000-04:00

Of course, England's Alan Holdsworth, from his time in UK, to his work with Bill Bruford, and his prolific solo output, is a legendary guitarist. And anyone who is a drummer or a drummer aficionado, or just into fusion, knows who Chad Wackerman is.

As expected, Holdsworth plays lots of sustains and cloudy chords while Wackerman and Jimmy Johnson provide some tight drums and bass.

Despite the caliber of musicianship though, the compositions started to sound a bit too similar toward the end. Then again, it was kind of late, with few breaks between acts. Still, it was good to see legends in person.

Nearfest Preshow->Fusion Friday : Secret Oyster

2007-06-26T22:15:00.000-04:00

If there's something rotten in Denmark, it certainly isn't these guys. Secret Oyster’s performance was my favorite of the night. On keys, Daniel Fridell blew me away. Karsten Vogel played various saxophones and even doubled on keys at one point. The second to last piece ended with a smoking solo from Vogel. Besides the sax, my wife thought Claus Bohling’s guitar stood out.

I liked Assi Roar’s bass solo in the last act, punctuated with licks from Bohling.

Nearfest Preshow->Fusion Friday : One Shot

2007-06-26T21:46:00.000-04:00

Hailing from France, One Shot's music ranged from soft fusion to honing a Crimson-like edge, but was surprisingly unlike Magma since three of the quartet are from Planet Kobia.

On guitar, James Macgaw sounded like a mix of Holdworth, Hackett, and Fripp. My wife thought drummer Daniel Jeand’heaur and keyboardist Emmanuel Borghi (playing seated with a two-keyboard rack) stood out. That's not to say, Philippe Buissonnet, on bass, was a slouch! By no means!

There were technical difficulties during the second piece, which they corrected before the third. No worries. Seeing how a band and their crew overcome and correct adversity only adds spice to the performance.

Those in the know were excited about their third piece, which was definitely their best.

The Wheel Of Time (Dream cast)

2007-06-05T20:30:00.000-04:00

I've just finished the last volume in the Wheel of Time series, excluding the prequel (once I find where I misplaced A New Spring I'll remedy that). So, now I'll play my picks for the dream cast (if it ever became a movie).

Essential casting:
Character: Mat Cauthon
Actor: Dominic Monaghan
Why? Hands down, he was born to play the role. And though Mat and Perrin of the Two Rivers call up the mind of the duo of Merry (a role Dominic played) and Pippin of the Shire, Mat and Perrin turn out nothing like the two. Perhaps it is my imagination, but I've often wondered if screenwriters hinted at it. For instance, in the movie version of LOTR, Dominic's Merry is mischievous, quite like Mat. In Lost, Dominic plays Charlie, who at times like Mat plays the "bad boy with a good heart". Like Mat, Charlie comes near death as he is hung from a tree, and is revived from the brink.

Character: Moiraine
Actor: Kate Mulgrew
Why? Yeah, Voyager was an okay show at best. But Kate played a cool and collected leader. She did the best with the material she had. She has this air about her that screams Aes Sedai--only under a veneer of calm and sophistication.

Non-essential casting (actors that seem good for the roll):
Thom -- Ian McKellan (hardly an original idea)
Faile -- Lucy Liu
Morgase -- Meryl Streep
Elayne Trakand -- Bryce Dallas Howard
Aviendha -- Kirsten Dunst
Min Farshaw -- Sabrina Lloyd (remember her from Sliders?)
Egwene al’Vere -- Liv Tyler

Of course, I haven't thought out Rand and Perrin, much less Nynaeve or Lan or--obviously this is a fantasy cast in progress.

Q107 Writers of The Future: The Envelope Please...

2007-04-29T22:13:00.000-04:00

In late December, I sent out “Foregleamer” to the Writers of The Future contest/anthology, the third story that I've sent there. The last two times, the stories placed in the quarterfinals, which meant that they were, “in the top 10--15% of all entries received for the quarter”. According to Kathy Wentworth, first judge and reader, "Quaterfinalist means that I did get all the way through it, and it had one or more elements that I considered well done: setting, idea, characters, plot, prose, voice."

Last week, while my wife and I were vacationing in NYC, the result rolled in. “Foregleamer” placed as a semifinalist. That, according to what I can gather, puts the story somewhere in the Top 20, though of course, NOT in the top 8. I received a page long critique on why it was one of the last cut from the potential list of finalists. I plan to absorb the critique, begin revising and mail it to another potential publisher.