Gryffyd Eamonn Dempsey

E Oliver, li proz e li gentilz

Gryffyd — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:45:45 +0000

I got on my bike this morning and as I rode down our street the sun was bright and warm, such that, as they might have said in France a thousand years ago:

Bels fut li vespres, e li soleilz fut cler

Then I turned into a street upon which the morning sun had not yet shone and up which a cold, biting wind was blowing. I like to have died. It is still winter.

Monetizing the Rapture

Gryffyd — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:04:40 +0000

This seems like taking unfair advantage.

Into the clouds

Gryffyd — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:10:19 +0000

I have been unable to interest any literary agents in my novel Anti-X. Perhaps I just don’t know how to write query letters, or else the book is just not right for anyone to represent. I have had a couple of requests for sample chapters, but nothing more beyond that. So I am putting the novel up at HarperCollins’ Authonomy website. You can find the book here.

Anyone who stumbles across this post can read a free book by following that link. Additionally, anyone who wants to can register at the site and vote for the book; once a month the top five rated books are read by HarperCollins editors themselves. This is no guarantee of publication, but I thought it’s worth a shot. So, the book has been set free; read or not, as you choose.

Last Books of the Year

Gryffyd — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:25:57 +0000

The Autobiography of Malcolm X Malcolm X & Alex Haley

Oishinbo A la Carte: Ramen & Gyoza Tetsu Kariya & Akira Hanasaki

High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed Michael Kodas

One Ring Circus: Dispatches from the World of Boxing Katherine Dunn

Shot in the Heart Mikal Gilmore

First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of American Indian History Colin G. Calloway

A History of Rome Marcel Le Glay et al

Roman Warfare Adrian Goldsworthy

Pfui

Gryffyd — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:59:31 +0000

So for my recent birthday, Mrs The Fyd got me a great present: an iPhone. This very cleverly turned out to be good for her, since naturally she got one too. Anyway this thing is absorbing, given the number of apps available. While browsing through them the other day I saw that there was a free I Ching app. Now I don’t credit such superstition, but I had to have it. Why? Because Marîd Audran, in the late, great, George Alec Effinger’s Budayeen novels, had an electronic I Ching. Yes, I rate accessories depending on whether they have belonged to favorite fictional characters.

Audran also had a brain modification plug-in that allowed him to assume the persona of Nero Wolfe. Perhaps when they develop the technology I’ll get the moddy that plugs in Audran plugging in Wolfe.

Books

Gryffyd — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:14:28 +0000

Books

Gryffyd — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:41:34 +0000

Matter by Iain M. Banks

Poison Sleep by T.A. Pratt

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Tick-Tock by Dean Koontz

To Make Our World Anew: A History of African Americans to 1880 ed. Robin D.G. Kelley and Earl Lewis

Race And Revolution by Gary B. Nash

Not a fan

Gryffyd — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:32:21 +0000

The phrase “second chance” occurs four times in this article. How many second chances did Vick ever give any of those dogs he tortured to death?

Stumptown

Gryffyd — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:32:24 +0000

Nancy Rommelmann writes about tragedy with great skill, in this piece that explores where the latter exploits the former. Do read it.

Cat abuse

Gryffyd — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:09:52 +0000

I may have offended Asparagus, our most gregarious cat. I’ve no doubt I’ll be held accountable for this, but hot jasus if it’s been 106 that day there’s going to be a reaction if you insist on plopping your fat furry body right up next to mine when I go to bed. That reaction might end up with you bouncing off the floor.

The newspaper predicts a high of 107 today. Asparagus, you’ve been warned.