What I’ve Learned

It’s been almost three months since I’ve updated this blog. Time flies, I suppose, though I’ve been busy with my other blog, finishing up Barbed Wire Kisses, and prepping four Bandersnatch Books first release.

Rich Ristow and I have put together our own micro/small press business after months of research and seeing what works and what doesn’t. During that time, we’ve managed to get some great names to submit work, and though we only have one announcement at the moment, as well as submission guidelines for 2-3 other anthologies, there are also chapbooks on the horizon that we’ll be pleased as hell to publish.

While others natter on about the Legion, and continue to throw salt in their own self inflicted wounds, I’ve been busy doing the work. I haven’t been afraid to get my hands dirty, make some sacrifices and determine my own destiny. Wallowing in the past, refusing to accept responsibility, and blaming others is not my cup of tea. It’s not professional and it certainly accomplishes nothing. However, watching others has taught me a few things.

1: True friends know what constructive criticism is, and accept it openly.

2: Just because someone says they can do layout, doesn’t mean they can.

3: If you’re the boss, whether you think you’re wrong or not, you accept blame and shut up about it. You don’t blame writers or editors. And you certainly don’t name them in blog postings.

4: Those who spout out that they know everything about everything, generally know nothing except how to puff up their own ego.

5: 95% of problems can be solved by communication, and not petty attacks.

6: Cutting your losses can be painful or blissful-sometimes both.

7: Don’t talk about the poor pay structure of other small presses when you do the same yourself.

8: It’s always easier to point a finger at others while ignoring the reflection in the mirror.

It’s with these hard learned lessons that Rich and I embark on a new project, a new chapter, now divested of the petty drama, self indulgence, ignorance, and inflamed ego that we’ve both experienced.

When Sense Becomes Nonsense

I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later. You can’t wallow in the mud without getting any on you, and being mistaken for other pigs in the pen.

Which has happened to The Rusty Nail.  After spending years of watching and reporting their antics, Rusty has been developing some of the same symptoms: looking for anything little thing to latch onto, whether it makes sense or not, confusing discussion with attacks, lashing out at people for no reason at all.  It started a few months ago with a comment Daggy made on someone’s blog, the blog writer gave a non committal response, and he was branded a nitwit for no particular reason.

Next Nick Cato posted a generic positive review of Daggy’s short story collection, and snark went up about that, in spite of the fact Nick is well respected in the field, and the review was hardly a rave.

Most recently, Rusty posted about Phailbin and one of his numerous posts of 9/11 paranoia, taking him to task for bad math. then went into her own nitwitesque rant about Obama’s health care plan. Others disagreed with her, or pointed out the way Phailbin did his math, and got invective hurled at them. Myself included. Now this isn’t a grudge, as anyone who’s read my blog, know that Nikita has said some of the most horrible things anyone could say.

It is however a plea for Rusty to take a look at her behavior, and maybe take a step back and look at things objectively. I have nothing but respect and admiration for what she’d done at The Rusty Nail, but there’s a fine line between on reporting the news and becoming the news.

The Yearly Shedding of the Skin

So I turn 44 today.

Hard to believe I’ve made it this far, really. I look in the mirror and see a middle aged man, losing hair and gaining weight. A few more wrinkles, a couple of extra aches and pains, but my mind still says I’m 19. Well, in all honesty my mind was never to be trusted at the best of times.

I look back over the past year, and have every reason to be depressed-at least on the surface. I was laid off and have been looking for work for eight months now; Mom’s health is getting weaker, I lost my cat, ad infinitum. However, I’m filled with an energy and excitement I haven’t had for a very long time.

I owe that to a pair of serial killers. As I write “Barbed Wire Kisses” I’ve never enjoyed my writing more.  The responses I’ve received to the first chapter have only built up my confidence, given me the hope that I can do this thing we call writing. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that people like what you do.

Here’s what I’ve been told:

Just read the chapter and the synopsis. I loved it.
Wicked as hell.
I think this work of your has great potential.
And the setting intrigues me even more.

I think this opening works well. Honestly, it’s engaging, cleanly written with minor errors, and as far as story goes, it instantly pulls the reader in. The scene is raw, brutal, impacting! I definitely grimaced a time or two. 😉 It doesn’t turn me off, and quite honestly I do want to know more. Why this girl? Why’d they start killing, and why in such an odd manner? Also, the brother aspect intrigues me. I’m not faced with a single serial killer at the opening, but rather you show the reader two killers, even though we can tell Micah is the leader. I think it’s a good start! :-

I finished the first chapter, mouth agape all the while; it’s cleanly written and certainly engaging: the brutality is, as you say, “Ketchum-like,” but that’s a good thing.  It kept me reading and, like your editor, I’m quite interested to see how you develop the story over 50 or 60 thousand words.  To be honest, this is not my usual cup of tea, but you’ve developed enough of a story, in those first few pages, to get me interested (again, mouth agape).  I think it’ll be a winner for you, Scott…

How could anyone not be excited to have that kind of positive feedback? Now my job is not to disappoint. The best birthday present is the one I’ve received of confidence. Friendships begun last year have only gotten stronger.

The future holds nothing but promise, something these cynical old bones never thought he would say without a healthy dose of snark.

I’m grateful to each and every one of you who have been there for me, and can honestly say, that the best is yet to come.

Some New Digs

Well, new digs may not be quite accurate. I have a new blog over here: http://www.scottcolbert.com . This is my writing blog. Over the course of the next couple of weeks I’ll be migrating some posts on writing from here over to there.

Does this mean I’m giving up raingods weblog? Not a chance. While my posts on the Legion have dropped as of late, they’ll always have a home here. Also my WoW posts, recipes, and cat shennanigans will remain here as well. As I get deeper into the writing of “Barbed Wire Kisses” I wanted to detail the process of that writing, and have a foundation for a more serious site once it gets published.

Please bookmark the new site, and I hope you enjoy what I have going on over there!

Hypocrisy in Action

The King of Pop is dead.

Physically anyway, his mind, talent and sould died a long time ago. I admit, I’ve never been a big MJ fan. I did like the Jackson 5 as I grew up, but always found Jackson, well annoying. I did like the Thriller video a lot, but never managed to like the song. I always found him to be highly overrated, and questioned people’s musical taste.

His death doesn’t change that. Nor does it change the countless surgeries, baby dangling, molestation charges, Bubbles the Chimp, Neverland and every other freakish thing printed about him.

His real legacy isn’t his music, it’s how one person, who apparently was never tightly wrapped to begin with, could be so consumed by delusions and fantasy simply because he had the money to indulge himself. In spite of what he’d done in the past, he hadn’t done much lately, other than make plans to perform with his family. his, is a story of tragedy, a tragedy of his own making. All the masks, surgery, oxygen tanks and money couldn’t save him.  The statues and paintings of nude boys that had been up for auction couldn’t save him. In the end, nothing could, except himself, and he was either too arrogant, or dumb to see that.

And now, he’s finally escaped his demons, family, fame, court cases and money problems.

Which is more than he deserves.

And yet the gnashing of teeth, the wailing wall of pop culture, will forget all the things that made him a staple of jokes for the last 20-30 years.  Today they shed tears for his passing, while yesterday that laughed at him for passing his skin off as white. Hypocrisy knows no bounds, and I’m beginning to think it’s become our nation’s true pasttime.

A True Survivor

I made a quick post on this over on Shocklines, but felt the need to elaborate a bit more.  First, a bit of family history. Outside of immediate family, we’re not an especially close family. Years go by sometimes before I talk to a cousin; my Aunts, UNcles and granparents are all deceased. Some cousins are of the born again variety and have no interest in talking unless they can try to convert. One cousin killed himself by throwing himself in front of a train.  So while what happened is old news, it was new to me as I hadn’t known about it until today.

Through my cousin Bobby, he told my sister about his sister, (my other cousin and one I haven’t seen in 20 years or so), had been having an affair with a coworker. Her husband found out, and killed the boyfriend, and shot my cousin Rosanne 9 times, including once in the head, and hacked at her 4 times with the dull edge of a machete.  The fact she survived is amazing, the fact she is functioning is astounding. I’m still not sure when it happened, but it had to be after my Aunt Eileen passed away (about 4 years ago).  Boby is in Florida for some job training and will visit my sister this weekend when hopefully I’ll be able to get more information.

I mention all this due to some twitter feedback I received about it, and wanted to give a more in depth idea of what had happened. I’m still not sure what to think, or feel, as this is something you read about, but never picture ever happening to you.

I’ll update this over the weekend when I find out more information.

TM Wright Interview

Just a quick note to let you all know my interview with TM Wright is up at Apex magazine online.http://www.apexbookcompany.com/apex-online/2009/05/apex-interrogation-tm-wright/ This was my first interview, and am interested in hearing what you all have to say.

 

Edited to add that the site is having some problems, so if it doesn’t load, please try again!

More Ebay pimpin’

I’ve got some more items up on ebay here:http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/raingod65 . Take a look and feel free to bid..

NJHorror and the Backstabber

Two faced, back stabbing piece of shit, to be exact. 

Me, to be specific. NJHorror has never been the most stable of posters, however his actions over the past day or two have truly elevated him to unblanced loon status. It never fails, when he’s taken to task for his ignorance on politics, he resorts to nitwit levels of namecalling, footstamping and all around idiocy. This thread in particular is where he calls me out on being two faced and backstabbing. http://theotherdarkplace.com/mboard/index.php?topic=16579.0 .

To be two faced and backstabbing would necessitate my having done something to him in the past that would dictate I’ve agreed with him on something, and then turned around and done/said something else.  

I haven’t. In fact I’ve never agreed with NJ on anything when it comes to politics. His non political posts are for the most part amusing, and manage to evoke a smile. Yet, when he gets on his political high horse, and gets his facts wrong, he becomes delusional and unhinged. In that, he shares some infamy with others like TrentTaylor, DL Murphy/Graveside Tales, John Morrisey, and closet case Alkilyu. None of them are rational when it comes to politics, and spend vast amounts of energy namecalling, and reaching pinnacles of assholism rarely seen outside the Legion. Rich Ristow does take the high road with the miscreants. Rich is a great guy, and has the patience of a saint.

I however, give as I get. I’ve never claimed to be something I’m not, as NJ has. Outside of the nitwits, I’ve never gone to any of their blogs to take things out of context (and to be fair nothing I  take from the nitwits IS out of context); I’ve only ever been tru to myself and my beliefs. Yet somehow in NJ’s warped thinking I’ve become a backstabber and twofaced.  Oh, and a piece of shit. This is the best NJ can do. Not armed with anything resembling facts, he hurls invective at myself and others who have to prove to him when he has something wrong. Whether he is a huge supporter of the horror genre or not, an asshole is an asshole, and I have no problem labeling him, Trent, Alkilyu, Murphy, and Morrisey as such. 

Nor have I or would I purchase anything of theirs or support their work. And they’re free to do the same with mine.  I do tell people to avoid certain publishers, and certainly write about it on my blog as well. And if they read this and comment, I’ll post them. I have never deleted any comments by anyone at any time.

No matter how wrong they may be, they are entitled to have their opinion, and everyone else is entitled to take them to task.

Matt’s scissors and Trent’s insult

There was a thread on SL that NJHorror started about PA Senator Arlen Specter changing political parties.  My first mistake was opening the thread knowing its author and the title, but I’ve been having stomach problems this week and my resistance was low. To make a long story short, I took NJ to task for another rant. Then Trent spoke up. I don’t have a screen capture but did at least copy the post I replied. Needless to say Matt deleted the thread less than an hour later.

trenttaylor wrote:

“LOL! NJ, I like you, but stick to things you know, like food, books and movies. Politics is beyond you. ” 

 

A quick look at your blog shows the things you know – like having penpals with only the gay drug-offenders in prison. Dude. 

 

You know Specter is credited with the Magic Bullet Theory in the JFK assassination, right? I don’t see why the left is saying he’s “DA MAN”, plus, he helped a murderer escape bail in 1979.

 

 

Ah Trent, I’m hurt to the quick. but your comparison is-like everything else you say-asinine. Number one: I never said I liked Specter. However he’s not the only politician to ever jump ship. Current Texas governor was a Democrat until he jumped ship in 1989 for the same reason, saving his career. Specter acknowledged that’s why he changed. Show me anywhere I said anything about liking and or agreeing with Specter. you can’t, because I never said anything like that. now, if you want to read my blog, and take something out of context, which is a typical rethuglican maneuver, go right ahead. Feel free to ignore everything else I wrote in that entry and use only what suits you. It has no bearing on the topic, but only points out just how mean, jaded and pathetic you are. If anyone is interested in what Trent is referring to, get the real story here, http://raingods.wordpress…09/04/02/biding-my-time/ and don’t depend on him to do anything but try and smear someone for trying to do some good. you know nothing about doing good, Trent. You only care about tearing people down; which is why you and your right wing buddies are out of power. When in doubt, don’t bother to think, smear, smear, smear. And you owe me an apology for that, though you won’t be man enough to ever give one.

What I take exception to, of course, if Trent the douchebag’s use of my blog to somehow justify his own warped thinking. It was unnecessary, hurtful and typical of his ilk. It’s trolls like him that have caused the problems we as a society face today. His support of a dead, uncaring party, and his ugly, mean spirited behavior earn him a golden douche bag of the year award. Sadly, he’ll never see the light. It’s hard to do that when your head is so far up your ass, as Trent’s is.