by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 16, 2010 | Blog
So having discovered Lady Gaga (I was writing on the new Urban Fantasy this morning while listening to Beautiful, Dirty, Rich, Starstruck, and Boys Boys Boys. All of which work really well for a book set in Hollywood), I have now downloaded the Adam Lambert song Whataya Want From Me, and Rhiana’s Rude Boys. Second teen childhood I guess. Now that I’ve actually started the book (BOX OFFICE POISON), I’m having a blast. I’ll hit the point half way in when I...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 15, 2010 | Blog
Check out this link to the Daily Show where Stewart just destroys Fox News. I went to the Daily Show web site, but they don’t seem to have it up yet, but you can watch it through the Huffington Post. It’s disheartening when the only journalist making any sense is a comedian.
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 15, 2010 | Blog
I’m reading a book set in the world of Darkover. Yes, Marion has been gone for a number of years, but the series lives on, and I keep buying these “share cropped” books because I love the world so much. There are some places that are just real — Middle Earth, Barsoom, Hogwarts, and Darkover is among these. What’s frustrated me about this book is that the protagonist keeps making stupid decisions, and I, as the reader, know they are stupid. ...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 14, 2010 | Blog
So, now, after black members of Congress were subjected to racial epithets and spitting, and while many on the right deny it ever happened; some of the leaders of the Tea Bag movement are “worried” that they are being perceived as racist. Gee? Do you think? Check out this video. It’s sickening, but instructive. Maybe because I grew up as a minority in New Mexico this demographic shift in the United States does not alarm me in the least. But it is...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 11, 2010 | Blog
For folks who might not go to my home page I wanted to announce that THE EDGE OF RUIN will be available on Tuesday April 13th from fine booksellers everywhere. For those of you who might be in the Albuquerque area I’ll be signing with Ian Tregillis (his fabulous book BITTER SEEDS comes out the same day) at the Barnes and Noble at Coronado Center starting at 1:30 pm. Stop by if you get the chance.
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 6, 2010 | Blog
Here is an incredible article all about the history of the Lusitano horse. With my love of ancient Rome this just adds to my fascination with these horses. Enjoy.
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 6, 2010 | Blog
I had to drive to Farmington to be a natural gas maven yesterday. Seven hours round trip with meetings in between. My classical music station craps out about sixty miles out of Albuquerque so I then go flipping around the dial looking for music as well as loading up the CD player in the car. I’ve also been spending more time listening to the modern pop stations because my classical station has been playing really boring and lugubrious music. And now the confession. I...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 4, 2010 | Blog
For the first time I feel like I totally get the title to Harlan’s story, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. I have to keep going to the barn so Vento gets out and gets exercise, and so I can feed him, but it’s killing me. I’m watching other people riding their horses — particularly the two ladies with the new Lusitano geldings. The youngest one, Campio, just captured my heart when I was in CA, and I thought about buying him because he was a total...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 2, 2010 | Blog
Watched The Smartest Guy’s in the Room on CNBC this morning. I kept meaning to rent this documentary, and hadn’t done it. What a brilliant piece of reporting. And I’m so glad Skilling is still in jail. I also wish more of the traders were also in the slammer for what they did to California, and most of all to the employees who trusted the executives, poured their life savings into this company, and got screwed. Yes, I know people should have a diverse...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 1, 2010 | Blog
Some folks may just go directly to my blog and not see the home page or my cover art gallery. If you haven’t been over to the website itself you might want to check it out. The cover of the second Edge book is up, and they’ll be posting the cover to the anthology I’m in SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH shortly. It’s coming out in November, and it looks like a great line-up of writers. Just checked and it’s not up yet, but probably by tomorrow. ...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 1, 2010 | Blog
Thanks to folks who sent me messages of comfort about Vento. Cautious good news. My vet did a course of mesotherapy on him Tuesday, and I rode him yesterday. He didn’t buck. He didn’t rear. He was my horse again. I didn’t canter because I was trying to go slow and easy, but he was back to his happy self. I looked up mesotherapy on the net and found that it’s a cosmetic treatment in humans. In horses it’s used to reduce...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 1, 2010 | Blog
I’m going to offer an important safety tip to anyone writing a space opera. Please don’t start your book with a space battle that goes on for _111_ pages. Now I know that the sainted Robert Heinlein taught us all that you have have to start with an exciting hook so the person in line at the supermarket decides your book is a better buy than a six pack of beer. I’m all for excitement, but throwing me into a battle when I haven’t met the people, and have...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Mar 29, 2010 | Blog
For those of you who have been following my riding career, here’s an update on Vento. Unfortunately, it isn’t very good. I had sent him out to CA because my coach hates the cold, and January, February and March are the most miserable months in N.M. I drove out at the same time, and got to spend 10 days riding my boy, and enjoying a brief bit of sunshine and a lot of rain. Then I had to return home to attend Boskone and go to NYC to see my agent. My...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Mar 27, 2010 | Blog
There is a really interesting article by Ta-Nehisi Coates an Atlantic senior editor. Here’s the money quote “When you lead a protest you lead it, you own it, and your opponents, and the media, will hold you responsible for whatever happens in the course of that protest. This isn’t left-wing bias, it’s the nature of the threat.” He discusses the Million Man March and the Civil Rights Movement as led by Dr. King to...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Mar 25, 2010 | Blog
This is a great article from the NY Times about a potential new human species. It seems our world was filled with a variety of interesting humanoid branches back 30,000 or 40,000 years ago. Wonder why all those other branches got cut off? Us, maybe? Judging by the red faced shouting Morlocks in Washington over the weekend, we’re certainly angry enough and violent enough. It does make you think about epic tales where there were other species — elves, dwarves,...
