Tomorrow Is The 2-Hour Camelot Premiere

I'm a huge fan of King Arthur stuff. So I guess my blog today is a reminder to everyone that shares my enthusiasm that Camelot by Starz is going to air tomorrow with a two-hour premier. I'm already set to record it just in case something comes up (like surprise parents rolling into town) etc., that may seek to pry me away from being planted in front of the television.

I've become a real couch potato. It's wierd...I never thought I'd be THIS into television. But in my defense, I think that television these days has a ton to offer. I think I prefer television over movies unless its the summer season and all the huge hits are coming out...then yeah...I like movies better.  There's just no competing with 3D and DBOX (I may blog about DBOX later in case you have no idea what that is).

Above is the second trailer to the very "adult" version of this tale. I want to say, "Finally! A proper R-rated show here." I mean, hats off and all that to all the clean singing cartoon versions of this story but I think I'm ripe for a little skin and some nice adult situations. So yeah, if you're gonna watch it...I think the kids should be in bed.

At left is Arthur and the actress that plays Morgana. I'm pretty sure we can expect Morgana to have some nude scenes and probably Arthur will be showing some skin too (programs usually are conservative on the guys).  However, the show's producers are the same that brought us Spartacus: Blood and Sand so most likely, nudity will be splashed on the screen as much as it is in that show.

Next up is Joseph Fiennes who's taking the role of Merlin. You may know his last name from another Fiennes who plays Voldemort in the Harry Potter films (although he looks like a dude with no nose in those films I guess cause it makes him serpent-like or something akin to that). Interesting that two Fiennes are carrying such powerful wizards to the silver screen.

I kind of wonder why they chose to make him bald. Maybe in this particular rendition of the tale using and channeling all that magic causes you to lose your hair.

Anyway, I hope someone out there will watch this so that you can be my Camelot gossip buddy (Gazes at S.M. Schmidt to pressure her into watching the show). Seriously ladies, if you don't mind a little adult content the manuscript can wait a night.  Put it off to the side...yes that's it...put the keyboard away Misha and come sit on the couch with the popcorn and enjoy yourself.  Sara, your next chapter of "Social Skills" can wait and so can all your friends on G.A.

I'M A LOVELY BLOGGER AGAIN (You should be jealous):

Ciara over at her blog recently gave me the One Lovely Blog Award again.  I already have a copy of it in my Awards section but I'm honored to receive it again :))) If you haven't stopped by Ciara's to say hi be sure to do so because she is amazing and her blog is indeed lovely. 

I bequeath the Award to T.D. McFrost and to Munir at her blog entitled Focus :) because these two are both overachievers and you really should check their blogs out. 

2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car

2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car

BMW announces 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car for the Moto GP event Panamera announced that 2011 Porsche Panamera Turbo Safety Car will be used as the safety car, but this time in the 2011 American Le Mans Series. The 2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car is obviously based on the most powerful version Turbo model powered by 4.8-liter V8 twin-turbo engine, which offers a total of 500 hp. 2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car expect a number of changes to the specifications that define the racing series to watch.

2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car

2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car used safety car, which will be specifically used for the 2011 American Le Mans Series (ALMS). The car is based on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo has a base 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with 500 hp (368 kW) and 700 nm (516 lb-ft) between 2250 and 4500rpm. All that power is needed to keep pace on the track. 2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car from 0 to 60 km in 3.3 seconds and 100 mph in just 8.2 seconds. Quarter mile in 11.7 seconds back down to 192 km / h (119 mph). The top speed is 303 km / h (188 mph), which is very good for large four-door coupe.

2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car

The 500-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, all-wheel drive Panamera Turbo provides Porsche performance and quality, as well as a level of comfort absent among true high-performance cars. All U.S. Panamera models feature a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch gearbox delivering a dynamic driving experience, ultrafast gearshifts without the slightest interruption of engine power, a very high level of comfort for four, and outstanding fuel efficiency when compared to a conventional automatic transmission.

The Panamera is the first premium car with an automatically shifting double-clutch transmission to feature an engine start/stop system. It saves fuel and reduces emissions by turning the engine off when it is not needed, such as sitting at a stop light. All engines have advanced and fuel-efficient Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), as well.

2011 Porsche Sport Cars Panamera Turbo Safety Car

"The Porsche Panamera gives us an official safety car unmatched in motorsports," Ed Triolo, ALMS VP of Marketing and Brand Development said. "This reinforces the commitment and partnership between the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and Porsche, one of the world’s greatest sports cars that has had extraordinary success in the ALMS and IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama. It is a perfect fit."

Then not only the Panamera is a safety car, second car would be used of the Porsche Cayenne. That will always be ready as the Emergency Response vehicle, and will always stand-by to deal with any difficulties that occurred in Le mans series racing this year. As was stated by the organizers of racing series, when choosing a car, they proceeded from the fact that the Porsche Panamera – is one of the best sports cars in the world. Also, two ALMS Porsche Cayenne Emergency Response Vehicles are on standby in case there are no problems on any of the games this season. No further details of the specific vehicles, but the company release more details soon.

The Elsewhere

Time. We all want more of it to go around, right? As I go and visit the blogosphere out there I see entries lamenting the passage of time and the search to find more of it to do the things that you want to do. It got me to thinking about what I've come to learn about time and how it's peculiar in so many ways.

So, I thought I'd discuss one aspect of it that most people don't realize.

As fiction writers we all know of past, present, and future. But did you know that there was a fourth aspect of time called the elsewhere?  I'm not making this up.  Allow me to explain beginning with the simple concept of cause and effect.

An understanding of time requires that you know a little about the speed of light (most fundamentally that nothing in the universe travels faster than light). With this in mind, the state of time really depends on your reference point in an existing space.

Basically, what I'm saying is that the time order of events can be different in different reference frames. I know that this seems to wreak havoc with cause and effect. For example, is there some frame of reference in which your death could precede your birth? No, the only events for which the time order can be different are those that occur far enough apart in space that it would be impossible for a light signal to get from one event to the other. Because no information can travel faster than light, such events cannot influence each other and can be neither cause nor effect of the other.  Those events define a new realm of time, called the elsewhere.

RELATIVITY AND CAUSALITY:

Time between any two events depends on the frame of reference from which the events are measured. An event is basically specified by giving both a place and a time. However, the time order of events can differ in different reference frames only if the events are far enough apart in space that not even light travels fast enough to get from one to the other.

PAST: The past consists of those events that can influence the present.

FUTURE: The future consists of events that the present can influence. Events that will happen tomorow on Earth are in the future, and all observers will agree that events on Earth today come before those on Earth tomorrow. However, events that will happen tomorrow at the galactic center of the Milky Way are not in the future of the present moment on Earth, because there is no way we can influence them.

ELSEWHERE: Those events that are neither in the past nor the future are in the elsewhere. They can have no causal relation to the event here and now, and different observers will judge differently whether they occur before, after, or are simultaneous with the here and now. The elsewhere is not some mysterious realm that is forever inaccessible. It's just inacessible to the here and now. Events that are now in your elsewhere will sometime later be in your past and, at some earlier time, they were in your future.  But there's a band of time centered on the present during which events are unrelated to the here and now.

The above illustration is really good at explaining the concept of the Elsewhere. Since it takes 11 minutes for a signal to reach Earth from Mars, an event that takes place on Mars has a 22 minute window of Elsewhere.  It's not in the Past because it hasn't happened yet for us; it's not in the Future because it already did happen but events that are in our present have no ability to influence it.  And it isn't in our present because we cannot detect that anything has happened.  Wierd huh?

I got to thinking about this blog entry based off of my size comparison of stars entry that I put up yesterday.  The largest star ever observed has a diameter so great that it takes light 8-hours to cross its circumference. That was just amazing to me...that something was so huge and massive that it could be one body (and if sentient) would be completely unaware that something happened on one side of it for 8 full hours.

Anyway, Happy Hump Day and I hope that I didn't confuse you with my blog entry today. These are the kinds of things I think about all the time and it creeps into my writing a lot.

2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car

2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car

At the curtain raiser on 19th March 2011, the BMW 1-Series M Coupe will for the first time be deployed as the official Safety Car for the MotoGP events – in advance of its market launch late in April. The 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car is a one-off built by BMW M GmbH specifically for this race series. Only the 250 kW/340 hp straight-six M TwinPower Turbo engine and the entire drivetrain were taken over unchanged from the production model.

2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car

Cars that serve safety in the event that racing is not just paint, but also engines and some body that is converted into lighter and deserves to get an Awards. Transmission is also changed on this car, gives a strong performance and fierce racing arena.

2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car

Motorcycle road racing world championship – or MotoGP – rank among the most popular events and the spectacular in the world of sports. The involvement of BMW M GmbH in the event the upper echelon of motor-racing is now entering its 13th year. To ensure the safety of current practice and the race itself, the BMW M GmbH is the official Safety Car provided along with a raft of other high performance vehicles for use by the management team official IRTA and Dorna Sports.

In the interests of weight optimisation, the 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car comes with a carbon fibre-reinforced bonnet featuring additional large air vents, as well as polycarbonate side and rear windows. A special lightweight titanium race exhaust system not only saves weight but also delivers a captivating sound for the benefit of the spectators.

2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car

Complementing the discreet spoiler lip on the boot lid there is now an adjustable rear wing to provide the requisite downforce. On the 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car the aerodynamically honed front apron with its precisely defined air ducting, including Air Curtains, features an additional splitter integrated on the underside of the apron.

The interior of the 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car is a model of uncompromising purism. A rollover cage bolted behind the B-pillar, the absence of rear seats, two racing bucket seats with 6-point safety belts, an M steering wheel in alcantara and a fire extinguisher are all standard in the Safety Car.

The suspension technology of the 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe was specially adapted for the Safety Car. Its high-performance suspension system boasts an adjustable race track set-up that includes a sports-tuned chassis in which the dampers are independently adjustable for bump and rebound. The 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car runs on 19-inch mixed tyres measuring 255/35 at the front and 285/30 at the rear. Vehicle height is variably selectable and the camber of the front and rear axle can be altered to suit the circuit topography. The braking system of the 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car, already designed for extremely high demands, is replaced in the Safety Car with a six-piston fixed-calliper racing brake system.

The deployment of the brand-new 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car marks the continuation of BMW M GmbH’s successful partnership – begun in 1999 – with Dorna Sports, the organisers of the MotoGP World Championship. With a fleet of eight vehicles, BMW is supporting the safe running of the motorcycle world championship in the current race season.

As well as the official 2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car, this year sees two further reserve Safety Cars from BMW M GmbH present at the track: a BMW X6 M and a BMW M3. In addition, the organising team has been given a BMW X5 M for the Safety Officer and a BMW ActiveHybrid X6 for the stewards. On call this season as a Medical Car is a BMW 535i Touring. There will also be two Safety Bikes contributing to the safe running of race weekends: a BMW S 1000 RR and a BMW HP2 Sport.

2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car

The ceremonial handover of the vehicles took place at BMW M in Garching-Hochbrück on 28th February 2011. It was on this occasion that Dr Kay Segler, Director of BMW M GmbH, and Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna Sports, made an advance announcement that the successful partnership would be extended until 2016, before sealing the agreement in a signing ceremony.

2011 BMW Sport Cars 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car

A Little Thing Called Size

Some things in the universe are huge. My friend William sent me this video.

Let me know if this video makes you feel small. I know after I watched it, I felt that way. Plus it has really cool music. Happy Tuesday

2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG

2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG

In 2011 the Geneva Motor Show, Brabus biturbo will feature a new 700 performance upgrades for Mercedes-Benz AMG Gullwing SLS. Exterior appearance was little changed with the work of Brabus for this vehicle. On the exterior he added Widestar Brabus body kit featuring front spoiler, rear spoiler, rear diffuser, wide-body panels for the fenders and side outlets. tuner also added Brabus Monoblock F PLATINUM EDITION 20-inch wheels in front and 21-inch wheels in the rear wrapped in Pirelli or Yokohama tires.

2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG

A high-tech turbocharger system for the high-tech engine of the SLS: The BRABUS engine engineers have designed a state-of-the-art twin turbo system for the fast-revving eight-cylinder four-valve engine of the SLS. The high-performance exhaust manifolds are optimized for exhaust-gas flow and were custom-developed for this sports car. They drive the two turbochargers. The chargers themselves are another BRABUS custom development. For faster response and better efficiency both chargers feature an air diverter valve.

V-engines are normally fitted with two right-turning chargers, which entails drawbacks for the response characteristics. To eliminate these drawbacks the BRABUS engineers have developed the B63 bi-turbo system with a left-turning charger for the left side of the engine. That allows the turbine and its inlet to be designed for perfect gas flow and gas dynamics. The result is an outstanding engine with an exemplary power curve.

2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG

The BRABUS engine conversion also includes a generously dimensioned intercooling system with two water-to-air heat exchangers. The dual-flow intake manifold gets its combustion air through a package-optimized air filter housing and high-performance air filters. The company engine shop also modifies the inner workings of the engine that like all BRABUS engines is lubricated exclusively with fully-synthetic ARAL high-performance motor oil. Specially manufactured BRABUS forged pistons reduce the compression ratio to 9.0:1.

The 2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG increased power coming from the V8 engine to 700 HP (514 kW) and 850 Nm (626 lb-ft) of torque, mainly by fitting the B63 bi-turbo system which features a left-turning charger for the left side of the engine.

2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG

Powered by this engine the 2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG is among the most powerful super sports cars in the world. As the name indicates, the engine produces a rated power output of 700 hp (690 bhp) / 514 kW at 6,600 rpm. The peak torque of 850 Nm (626 lb-ft) is already available at a low 4,300 rpm. In combination with the SPEEDSHIFT DCT seven-speed sport transmission the resulting performance is breathtaking: The two-seater car sprints from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.7 seconds and reaches 200 km/h (124 mph) in 10.2 seconds. Top speed is 340 km/h (213 mph).

To give the SLS also a sportier appearance the BRABUS WIDESTAR wide-body version was developed in the wind tunnel. Like in Formula 1 racing all aerodynamic-enhancement components are manufactured from lightweight yet high-strength carbon-fiber compounds. The body components can be painted in body or contrasting color or finished with a clear coat for a purebred racing look.

2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG

Developed by Brabus, contains the conversion engine a large inter cooler, high-performance air filter, new maps and specially-designed forged pistons. Other changes include a new titanium exhaust system and a new suspension, level control and 30 mm (1.2 in) lower and has a “Ride Control” function, changing the attenuation as needed.

BRABUS sport stabilizers in the front and rear axle affects more agile hand in capacity and the roll is reduced. The BRABUS smooth riding Ride Control suspension system is also available with an optional lifting BRABUS front. 2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG Front Lift the front wheel to increase by 50 mm (2.0 inches) and improve the approach angle.

2011 BRABUS Sport Cars BRABUS 700 Biturbo Mercedes SLS AMG

BRABUS custom interior has been the exclusive domain for over three decades. upholstery shop crafts proprietorship, excluding experts Alcantara leather interior or the color desired for the SLS. The interior is complemented by the ergonomic sports steering wheel, a speedometer with 400 km / line-hour (250 mph) and matte or glossy carbon fiber elements in any color desired. Matte anodized aluminum pedals and footrest add sports highlights clearly.

Captain America Looks Awesome

It comes out 7/22/2011.

You can look at the official site here.

I'm just going to make the statement right now that this is going to be the top grossing movie of the summer and the one that I probably go and see four times over opening weekend (Yes, I'm being completely serious). Captain America (and comic books in general) is a guy-version of Twilight. And just like you ladies that dragged all your boyfriends and husbands to go and endure Twilight you might as well get prepared now because every man in your life is going to have a total bromance with Captain America this summer.

Anyway, here's the latest trailer for it (and also here's to much kicking of ass). I love how they used CGI to put the actor's face on a really scrawny body and it looks convincing (cause the actor is a bodybuilder in real life).

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

2012 Toyota FT-86 II Concept, a new concept debuted at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the second generation prototype and according to Toyota, 2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II take a step closer to final draft coming sports car. Toyota designers restyled 2012 Toyota FT-86 II Concept coupe profile by removing the lower fold line and add a new line, which starts from the front fenders with air vent and the theater round at the top of the rear window, which itself grew in size. In addition, Toyota is split windshield and took Blackout column surface, while the rear wheel arches are pronounced, and new side rocker panels.

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

This concept cars measures the length 4235 mm, width 1795 mm and 1270 mm high, with wheelbase, length 2570 mm.yang same for I-86 FT. The FT-86 will come with a six-speed manual transmission and rear wheel drive in standard form. While Toyota has not stated what power plant will be in the FT-86, Subaru announced this week that their version of the car will feature a 2.0 liter flat-four boxer engine in base models. A turbocharged variant akin to what is available in the WRX models is a logical possibility. An automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are also possible, though not listed as options at this time.

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

Production version of Toyota’s FT-86 II, developed in conjunction with Subaru, will using free gasoline boxer engine-revving with a manual transmission compact and lightweight 6 -speed and low center of gravity to achieve the best possible resources for the ratio weight.

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

The car says Akio Toyoda is inspired in part from the vintage Toyota 2000 GT and Corolla Levin AE86. ‘When the Toyota 2000 GT was built, I was eleven years old – and I loved it. I said: “I want to drive something like this when I grow up”. My dream came true when I drove a 2000 GT in a vintage car rally. That was a really great experience.  I want young people to feel those same desires when they see a new Toyota sports car. I want to transfer the thrill of the race track to our vehicles, and make driving fun and exciting for our customers.’  Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation.

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II uses petrol boxer engine which is paired with 6-speed transmission. 2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II will have better strength and will be offered in both FWD and RWD configurations. No official statement about the power output. Toyota FT-86 prototype will undergo phase II testing in various street characters of the world. This is to get the 2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II as a model that is ready production.

Since Toyota began the development of its 2-cylinder boxer engined Sports 800 in 1962, the company has maintained a long history of creating exciting, driver-focused sports cars that have proved as popular with the public as they have been successful in competition. The beautiful 2000 GT helped establish the company’s global reputation as a sports car manufacturer.

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

With its reputation for delivering pure excitement and embodying the fundamental joy of driving, the Corolla Levin AE86 is the inspiration behind Toyota’s latest sports car concept, the Future Toyota-86 II.

With the proportions of its long, low bonnet, high wings and rear-set cabin paying homage to Toyota’s illustrious sports car history, the dynamic power of the 2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II gives the clearest indication yet as to the final design of Toyota’s next sports car. The 2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II is an entirely driver-oriented concept, designed to give form to the intrinsic joy of driving through precise, instantaneous responses to even the smallest throttle or steering input, for those who regard driving as a passion rather than a necessity. Based on the ‘Functional Beauty’ concept, its bold, sweeping form has been generated entirely through the constraints of function, and aerodynamics developed from F1 technology.

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

Both powertrain and driving position have been set as low and as far back as possible to optimise balance for maximum poise, high speed stability and dynamic agility. Allied to a front engine, rear-wheel drive format, this awards the FT-86 II lively, accessible performance, highly engaging, readily-exploitable dynamic abilities and maximum driving pleasure.

European sales of Toyota’s new sports car will begin in 2012.

2012 Toyota Sport Cars FT-86 Concept II

A Few Thoughts On The Business Of Publishing

He scoffs at the publishing industry.

The more I educate myself on the whole publishing process, the more I think I'm becoming a little disillusioned by it and that makes me sad. When I was a kid, I loved reading books (more so than I do now). I devoured them and could go through five a week easy. Now, I go through about two a month.  I follow buzz because I figure that's where the good books are and the lesson I learned was that a book never lives up to the hype. Now, as a child and a teen I had the utmost respect for authors. I thought, wow...this is the coolest thing ever. I'm enjoying this story so much and what must it be like to have this kind of influence. I quite frankly believed that it might be the coolest thing in the world.


Young Adult Loot Pinata

So then we have books like "I Am Number Four". I never read it, but I saw the movie and it was terribad. I know Michael Bay's movies so I shouldn't have been surprised but you know, the material for the movie comes from the book. Unlike some people, I'm a firm believer that unless the director is an absolute moron, then there's got to be some blame that falls to the author (the originator of the source material). So I looked into this. It's penned by an author called Pittacus Lore and I discovered it was the pseudonym for James Frey. He's the same guy that penned "A Million Little Pieces"...the memoir that Oprah endorsed and later became infuriated when she discovered it was fiction.  A media storm followed and James Frey became a pariah in the publishing world. His agent left him saying essentially that she could never represent a person once the trust had been ruined. So how did James Frey get paid millions of dollars for "I Am Number Four"? Answer: he remains well connected and the publishing business is all about money. They apparently don't care how bad you stink or that Oprah hates your guts. They seemed to have enough faith in James Frey that he had a "formula" for making money that it was like nothing ever happened. So here is what James "Pittacus Lore" Frey did.

He went to Columbia University with a book contract (read about it here) and hired the starving MFA students there (and from other reknowned universities) and created a writing factory. "I Am Number Four" is the result.  Here are some choice words from that article:

"Frey believed that Harry Potter and the Twilight series had awakened a ravenous market of readers and were leaving a substantial gap in their wake. He wanted to be the one to fill it. There had already been wizards, vampires, and werewolves. Aliens, Frey predicted, would be next." 

So yeah...take the Twilight script cross out the vampires, insert aliens, make them hot teenagers that show plenty of skin and bam you have a bestseller?  I would be laughing...only... I guess the answer is yes you can do exactly this.  Like WTF? Seriously?

Here are more details from that article:

"Frey handed him a one-page write-up of the concept, and Hughes developed the rest of the outlined narrative. Frey’s idea was a series called “The Lorien Legacies,” about nine Loric aliens who were chased from their home planet by evil Mogadorians and are living on Earth in the guise of teenagers. Through early 2009, Hughes told me, he delivered three drafts of the first book, I Am Number Four, to Frey, who revised them and polished the final version. Hughes wrote the novel without any compensation and signed a contract, without consulting a lawyer, that specified that he would receive 30 percent of all revenue that came from the project. The book would be published under a pseudonym, and the contract stipulated that Hughes would not be allowed to speak publicly about the project or confirm his attachment to it. There was a $250,000 penalty Frey could invoke if Hughes violated his confidentiality terms."

Well all I gotta say is that people bought it in droves and the book has been sold in 44 countries and translated into 21 languages. When asked about memoirs, Frey responded of the genre that it was "bunk" and "bullshit".  Nice eh?  When asked about truth, James Frey said "It doesn't exist." When asked about Oprah he said, "I should never have fucking apologized." How about self-editing?  He responds, "A trap for young inexperienced writers." I would laugh at him and hold tight to the ideals that I've learned but the industry is rewarding this guy with millions of dollars in his pocket. If you didn't catch that I'm going to spell it out for you:

He's getting paid millions of dollars.

As writers of fiction, is what we do a joke? From where I stand it almost seems like, yes, it is. Readers embraced the first books out of his young adult fiction factory so well that honestly, it looks like a huge "loot pinata" that James Frey is pounding at with a bat, using formulaic plots, crossing out vampires and inserting aliens and whammo...Harper Collins book contract and movie deal produced by Spielberg (and it bears repeating that the movie sucked and that they moved on the movie rights before the book was even published).



Paramount cannot afford to
make this movie apparently.

Meanwhile, the remake of Dune has been canned because the studio needed 100 million to get it off the ground, Max Brooks' excellent zombie apocalypse novel World War Z got scrapped (again for budget) even after star/producer Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster already agreed to make it a PG-13 picture, and Universal dropped Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of At the Mountains of Madness because he wouldn't budge from an R-rating for that $150 million dollar epic.  Why the hell are studios quibbling over these numbers? Films were being made 20 years ago that cost this much. But there's more than enough money to throw at every Young Adult novel that gets pushed out. I'm so confused. Whatever happened to plot? What happened to originality? Is writing now just a formula and as long as you fit into the formula you get paid? Are readers just sheep chewing on grass and if you're somehow smart enough to find the formula then bam, you get a book deal?  


Is this what we are when we read?

So I look to restore some faith in the book market and I discover this. The book is completely blank and it has sold out its first print run, hitting no. 744 on Amazon's list ahead of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  Like f*cking really?!? I can understand gag gifts but this is absurd.

Anyway, this post is not directed at any of you fine writers to whom I visit often on your blogs. On the contrary, your honesty and willingness to share your struggles with me is the only thing that keeps the spark of my youth (where I used to think being a writer was awesome) from completely going out. Rather, it's a disillusionment with an industry that I perhaps had on a pedestal. Now, maybe...not so much. I know all of you out there are working extremely hard. I just think that what James Frey has done is a slap in the face to every author trying to make it out there and seems to be endorsed by an industry that really could give a sh*t to be honest. Making money is all that matters and there appears to be a formula (which I don't know) on how to do exactly that. I'm sure Faulkner, Twain, Hemmingway, and Austen to name a few are rolling over in their graves at the question, "Where has all the integrity gone?" The trailer for the H.P. Lovecraft movie is a fake but done so well I included it to give you an idea of what the movie may have been like if it hadn't been canned.

A Home For A Hobbit

Check out this home. It has a beautiful interior and could probably work for one person. Honestly though, I'm thinking that Bilbo Baggins lives here. My apartment has 600 square feet...this house is 300. I feel like I have so much space now.  It's being sold for $179,000 in Toronto.