1 Jun

          Dear Agent,
          There's a whole whack of folks that have my back, hoping you'll take me on as a client.
          There's my family, of course (Mom, Dad, James--even if Mom always did like him best--Janet, and their respective spouses and kids.) There's my wife, Pen, and our two kids. Oh, and my Grandma, and my fifty or so aunts and uncles and their kids and grandkids. (I could probably sell through if everyone in my family bought a copy of my book alone!) And of course all their friends.
          Then there's all my OWW and LJ friends, many of whom have made sacrifices to various and sundry gods (and we all know you don't want to piss them off).
          There's at least a few hundred old recruits of mine, and probably a few hundred more ex-students, and I'm sure the Canadian Military would get behind me if I were actually to get published (and even though there's only about 50-60 thousand of them, they're all armed--well, mostly.)
          So it might be in your best interests to--yanno--come across.
          Just saying.
          Me.

2 Jun

          So I mailed the manuscript off to the agent yesterday, and now I'm freaked. The woman who worked at the post office had a big badge that read "TRAINEE", and didn't seem to have a clue what she was doing. She weighed the parcel several times, couldn't decide how it had to be sent, couldn't find half the paperwork and wasn't sure how to fill it out when she did, and did the calculations several times.
          She assured me she knew what she was doing, and that she was simply being extra careful to get it right because she knew how important this was. At least she didn't have stamps and packing tape accidentally plastered to her face.
          The worst part now is wondering how long I have to wait for a reply from the agent before I query them to find out if they even received the book.
          Grrrrrr...

5 Jun

          So I took Velvet's advice and tracked the location of my manuscript. It's currently in Mississauga. That's right, it's taken it four days for it to travel one hour from my house. Oh well, at least I know it's on its way.
          On a more funner note (I are such a writer) the brain cell got together this weekend to work out bookstuff on the novel we're collaborating on, and much fun was had by all. Okay, much fun was had by me--and after all, that's what's important.
          And, just a note, if when you finally read this opus you find your favourite character has been killed off, I'd just like to go on record as saying that it was all their idea.
          Bloodthirsty much? 

7 Jun

         According to Canada Post's parcel tracking website my manuscript is still sitting at the depot in Mississauga. What are they doing? Reading it?
          I only hope if they are, that it's Canadian Customs reading it and not Homeland Security--and not because of any concerns that it may trigger some breach in security protocols either, but because it'll take them forever to read it what with all the big words and all.
          Maybe when they're finished they'll send it along to the agent with a reader review. I just hope they don't get the terms Literary Agent and Secret Agent confused, because I figure the agent will have a much harder time trying to sell my book from Guantanamo.

8 Jun

          So I was chatting with a few of my old Army buddies the other night, and they were going all gung ho on me, putting the Air Force down as usual, and feeding me all that rah-rah-the-army-never-leaves-a-man-behind propaganda, to which I replied, "Yeah, well in my entire career in the Air Force, I can honestly say I've never left an airplane in the air."
          And according to Canada Post my manuscript was delivered yesterday. Delivered where they didn't say.

9 Jun

          I like to think I'm one of the good guys. Sure, I have my shadowy bits, but overall I fight for Truth, Justice, and the (mostly) Canukistanian way. Still, I've often wondered just what it would take to trip me over the line to the ways of E-vil.
          For instance, there's no way I'd have joined the Dark Side simply because Darth Vader was my Pa. Unless it was the Dark Frosted Side.
          Then I'm totally there. 

12 Jun

          I've tinkered with my computer no end, and it still won't show me the future. And no matter how many times I rewire my toaster it won't open up a trans-dimensional portal. I've even tried melding my cell phone to my satellite dish, but either I've got the area code wrong or the aliens aren't taking collect calls, because they're not answering. (Although I've not discounted the notion that maybe they have call display and know who is calling.)
          Let's face it, I'm a trained avionics technician, so how hard can this be?
          Why yes, I am at work, and I am bored. How did you know?
          So, does anyone know where I can pick up a flux capacitor and an oscillation overthruster for a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire, cheap?

14 Jun

          Still nolove from the agent(s). Sure, I was holding my breath there for a while, but then I started to turn this icky off-white colour, and hallucinating--so it wasn't all bad.
          My boss at work gave me a copy of 3D Max so that I can build my own spaceships and stuff for a novel that the brain cell is working on. (I'd draw it, but my artistic talent is so nonexistent that even my mom wouldn't put my stuff up on the fridge when I was a kid.)
          I've mapped out cities and star charts before, and buildings and ship interiors--I find it grounds me more in the world I've created, and helps with continuity. (Sometimes I even have lists of stuff--like what does the main character have on her desk in her office.)
          Does anyone else do this? Or am I still crazy.

15 Jun

          [info]mmerriam posted this quote, which seems to resonate for him:

          "I was not the most talented, not the most hard working, not the one to whom writing mattered most. I succeeded because I was the toughest." -- Karen Joy Fowler

          If only it were so. I mean, if getting a big fat publishing contract and a successful writing career were based on the outcome of a no-hold-barred cage match, I'm so there. I don't think there are many agents, editors or writers that I couldn't take two out of three falls.
          (And yes, Miss Snark, this means you. And that goes for your little dog, too.)
I'm not sure, but I think when [info]ccfinlay suggested that all the women-folk slush-bomb F&SF, it was really secrit manspeak code for, "Why don't all you ladies run over to F&SF so that GVG and JJA can kick you in the uterus." Because that's the only way I can make any sense over all the kerfuffle.

*JJA on my decoder ring = 665. Close, but no cigar.* 

16 Jun

          Dear Americans,

          Next time would you pretty please elect a president who has no stake in the petroleum industry? Maybe then we wouldn't have to worry about going to war, or how hurricanes in the gulf, political unrest in Middle Eastern countries, or the timing of the birth of Brad and Angelina's baby will affect the price of gas here in Canada.
          Maybe you could elect a president who's family and friends have a vested interest in, say, the solar panel business, or those electric generator windmill jobbies--or even hybrid vehicles. I'm sure if the president and his friends thought they could monopolize...make a killing...pass legislation for the betterment of humanity there would be huge incentives to develop, manufacture and purchase these environmentally friendly products.

          Just saying.

          Me. 

20 Jun

          Today I would like to go water skiing, or jet skiing, or maybe parasailing, hang-gliding, bungee jumping, sky diving or base jumping. I might like to take an ultra-light up for a spin, or take a hot air balloon ride. Or how about white water rafting?
          Then again, scuba diving might be nice--maybe somewhere around Bermuda or the Mayan Riviera. As a matter of fact, a visit to either place would be great. I could laze around the beach all day, browse the markets, and go dancing all night.
          Or I could fly out to Victoria BC, get some Noodle Box takeout *wipes drool* and check out the buskers on Government Street, or the vendors in Bastion Square, or along the Inner Harbour. Or maybe I'd go to Burchart Gardens and catch a late afternoon concert.
          What I don't want to do is go to another stupid meeting to argue over points we decided on in countless meetings we've already had, and then go back to work on explaining the theory behind gallium-arsenide oscillators, reflex klystrons, and magnetrons.
          Oh, Lotto 649 Gods, why have you forsaken me?

22 Jun

          I don't feel like me anymore, which sounds odd coming from a guy who has always known who he is. Maybe the problem is I know who I was, and currently I'm not living up to that idea. The me-that-was exercised religiously every day, practiced martial arts, rode a motorcycle, wrote, took pride in his work, looked forward to doing things. The me-that-is doesn't do any of those things. I feel apathetic--at best, disinterested.
          Maybe it's the underlying feeling that no matter how hard I try--how hard I've tried--things aren't going to get better, and I'm never going to get the things I want.
          I think I've given up, and I'm just going through the motions, although I can't be sure. The me-that-was would never give up, so the me-that-is doesn't know what it feels like.
          Maybe this is it.

26 Jun

          Anyone out there into astrology or tarot? If so, I'm looking for an on-line reading. My birthday is 20 April, 1961, at 06:35 AM. Trenton, Ontario.
Any other info you need, just email me. All readings will be posted to my journal, and their accuracy verified or not, over time.
          We'll consider it our little social experiment.
          Go ahead, I dare ya. *g*

27 Jun

Name Meme  
What does your first name mean?
Steven means "Crown."

What does your middle name mean?
Kenneth means "Handsome," and Stanley means "Rocky Meadow."

What does your last name mean?
Perry means "Pear Tree."

So what does your name mean when put together?
Er...um...ah...???

What would you have been named if you were the opposite gender?
Well, my sister is a year younger than me, and her name is Janet, so I suppose...

Any other name oddities?
My initials--S.K.S.--also stand for the Russian SKS semi-automatic carbine that was basically replaced by the AK-47.

Do you like your name?
*Channels Hammy* "I like Steve. It's a pretty name."

What do you like best about it?
It's not hard to pronounce?

What do you like least about it?
There's already about a half dozen famous people with the name Steve Perry--singer, sf writer, producer...apparently I'm the only one with the name who hasn't made anything of themselves. It's also the reason I write under S.K.S. Perry.

If you had to change your name (witness protection program, whatever), what would you want it to be?
What, you mean again?

28 Jun

          Arggggh!
          There are some people that just need kill'n, and most of them are in arms reach right about now. Only years of practice and self-denial are keeping them safe from harm.
          Little do they know.