Minutiae

I finally saw I Am Legend with Will Smith. I enjoyed Will's performance immensely but I have to say the special effects and CGI weren't nearly as riveting and frightening as the 1971 version, Omega Man with Charlton Heston. There wasn't much interaction with the plague victims and all they did was roar and bite and climb up walls like they were monkeys on acid. The CGI effects were too visible and not sleek enough to make them anything but paltry next to Anthony Zerbe's menacing and intelligent leader of the "Family". Still, Will Smith's acting was very convincing and quite impressive, but it wasn't enough to erase the obvious computer generated effects. Sorry about that. Sometimes, the simple way is the best.

I have my taxes done and filed, but unfortunately, due to making a considerable sum of money from writing last year, I cannot e-file my federal taxes. At least the package is in the mail and I'm way ahead of most of the pack so it shouldn't take six weeks to get my check and they will deposit it directly into my account. I still could e-file the state taxes and it's a nice enough chunk of money that it will keep me in new geek toys at least until the feds come through. I'm just glad all the hard work is done and I can rest until next year while the rest of you wait it out until the last few hours before April 15th. I like getting the hard stuff over and done with as soon as possible.

I also got a notice from Adams Media about the first of the eight books coming out this year. It was from their publicity rep and it looks like I'm going to be doing interviews and book readings and signings for the next year or two. The nice thing, especially since stories in Cup of Comfort and Chicken Soup, both of which are owned by Adams Media and F+W Publications, is that even though the stories were work for hire and I got a one time payment, I am also being paid to do the publicity. As much as I hate doing publicity, I'll grit my teeth, read and sign books, answer questions, and send in my invoices to be paid. Even if I have to go out of town, if I have enough notice, I can schedule a book signing or two and Adams Media will stock the place with books and make sure press kits are sent, and I will be paid promptly. Since I have plans for next year that require a considerable amount of money, those events will definitely help out. The only thing is that my mother wants to come out and watch me do readings and signings. I think she thinks it will be some kind of media event and that's not the case. She's been watching way too much television. I'm not Patricia Cornwell or even John Cornwell, just one author among many who contributed stories to a few books. She'll have to wait until I'm on the NY Times best sellers list for what she wants to be a part of.

In the meantime, there are more books to read and review and more checks to cash, stories to write, reviews to post, articles to research and write and ham club newsletters and exam sessions to keep me busy. Life could be better. I could be living in a little mountain cabin high in the Rockies around 10,000 feet with a stream burbling close by where trout jump and swim and the wild life treks through my door yard and stays out of my garden. Life could also be a whole lot worse. There's always room for improvement -- and that's a good thing.

That is all. Disperse.