Odds & Ends Talk

Not much going on lately. I’m in finals week, so I have until Sunday night to write an essay for my class on the Byzantine Empire. Then it’s a week off of school before I dig into the Middle Ages. So far, without even turning in my final, I have a C in the class. Technically, I can’t fail. Although a C gets me an academic warning (I’ve only gotten one in Grad School). So, even though I will put my best effort into it, I can relax a bit as the pressure is not so great.

In other news, as if I didn’t have enough to read already, Fight Card has an anthology out today for $1.99 at Amazon. Iron Head & Other Stories is a collection of fight stories by some pretty big names in the new pulp world. Aside from the regulars who already contribute to the awesome series of novellas, one story in this anthology is by my close, personal friend (and by “close, personal friend” I mean we communicate through Facebook, and I follow his blog), that scholar of all things Robert E. Howard, and Wannabe Gorilla Grodd, Mark Finn. I’ll be buying this soon. And you should do the same. It’s for a good cause. Plus, it’s fight fiction. That should be reason enough.

Speaking of anthologies, I always hear my writer friends talking about how they were invited to contribute to one. I’ve been invited to a couple that sadly didn’t pan out. I can’t wait until I get “famous” enough to be invited to one by an actual publisher. Not that I don’t appreciate Scott’s invites. I really do. Both times it has inspired me to produce some really good writing. So, that’s pretty cool.

What am I reading? Well, I just finished The Burning Hills, and I was going to pick up a fantasy novel next. But, I found myself still on my Western kick. So, I sifted through my book shelf, and found my small stash of L’Amours. I took out one entitled Lando (Sackett, not Calrissian). It’s pretty good, though a bit wordy, but not in the Kanye West sense. It’s in first person, and the narrator, Lando, kind of goes off on tangents. Not nearly as bad as Tolkien or Clancy, but noticeable. Still, I’m liking the story, and I’m eagerly anticipating the action that the blurb promises (boxing in a Mexican prison).

I’ve managed to watch a few movies that I missed recently, as well as some new DTV actioners. Skyfall was awesome. Very different than previous Bond films, very gritty, and very cerebral. And the end just wraps it up with a fanboy bow.

Olympus Has Fallen delivers exactly what a “Die Hard Clone” should. Good action, evil villains, and a hero you can cheer for. Oh, and quippy one-liners. Gerard Butler: Man-crush confirmed.

Ninja II – Shadow of a Tear cements Scott Adkins as one of my favorite actors. He’s got good acting chops and a really strong screen presence. Especially when he is kicking the shit out of people. Highly recommended popcorn viewing with heart and soul. Plus, this one has Kane Kosugi. You know, the son of Sho Kosugi? If you don’t know that name…why are we even friends?

And that’s about it for today. See ya!