What is Essential is Invisible to the Eye

The freckles in our eyes are mirror images

Fri, 09 May 2008 14:18:38 GMT

You know, I COULD be working on book three in the Simon Canderous series right now, but I'm not. Instead, I'm catching up on stuff and movies until I get my editorial letter back on book two.

Finally saw Cloverfield. I love that in the month or two when I can't get to the theater, the DVD is already out. Watching it, I couldn't help but wonder if other New Yorkers just saw it as a typical day's commute through the city as I did? That aside, I liked it, but I think all the premovie hype was hyped a bit too much so I was a little underwhelmed at times. The extras on how they did it all are fascinating tho. I think it might have been better if the monster had turned out to be a thirty five story tall Jason Castro from Amer Idol, stumbling around stoned out of his gourd.

Also, if you are not familiar with Such Great Heights by the Postal Service, I recommend you go download it now. Came up in my shuffle today, and I forgot how haunting and lyrical it is. Makes me a little weepy, mostly because I remember the moment at my wedding last year when it played.. but aside from it being one of my own personal triggers, I think you will like it too.

Know thy enemy

Wed, 07 May 2008 20:36:22 GMT

The deep seated animosity I bear towards New York Times Bestselling fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss is no secret. The origins of said animosity may be, but alas, that is a story for another day...

Clearly I have the goods on this gnomish-looking freak of an author, elsewise why would he mention me at his blog?
http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/blog/2008/05/what-should-i-do-7-new-authors.html

Rest assured, gentle readers, I will be keeping a wary eye on him...

I don't just talk about Dead To Me, you know!

Tue, 06 May 2008 04:32:08 GMT

New things are afoot over at the League ! Head on over and check it out!

Of particular note are the new members of the League and the contest here:
http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/2008/05/whole-new-league.html

Also of note, our new About Us section,
http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/
presented in Playboy interview fashion (no nudes, I'm afraid! Sorry, kids!)

I take my swollen, not stirred

Mon, 05 May 2008 03:17:52 GMT

So I had heard much good about the last Bond film, the reboot of Casino Royale.

And I did enjoy it, but I have to ask...

Do we need a ball slapping torture scene? I mean, really?
We used to have space shuttles and Jaws and lasers and sharks (and yes, sharks with frickin' laser beams) and now we're down to slapping Bond in the nutsack?

Sure, I'd give in after about .0007 seconds (see what I did there?), but c'mon...!

You have plagued me for months like ebola coursing through a monkey

Sun, 04 May 2008 22:39:17 GMT

Dear short story due in a month to my editor,
Fuck you, you fucking fuck! You are done... at least in first draft anyhoo.

Now if you will excuse me, there are some hookers that need killing in GTA4.
(please note I'd never kill hookers in real life.. unless, you know, they didn't live up to my exceedingly high standards.. or they talked back)

Sincerely,
The Management (Mrs.)

It was bound to happen!

Thu, 01 May 2008 03:54:54 GMT

So the other day I was fretting? Why you might ask? Because, as I had been dreading, I finally got my first one-star review, which I honestly was having trouble shaking it off.

Then about three hours later John Scalzi posts about one-stars review with the unique perspective of embracing them, the bad with the good as it were. At first it simply seemed like something that a well established author could easily get away saying since the proof of success is in their long career, but I decided it could apply to the likes of the new kid on the fantasy block too. He asked everyone to post their one-star darlings and without further ado, here is my first one-star review and I feel liberated posting it, as terribly misguided as it is and accusatory .of plagarism to boot! Woot!

"Seems too familiar for a recent book.
I started reading this book last night kept getting the sinking feeling that I'd read it before. I knew since this book was published in 2008, and even my memory isn't that short, that I must be mistaken. It finally dawned on me that the plot the characters and even the irreverent dialogue was a complete rip off of the movie "Men in Black" right down to the veteran paranormal investigator at his rookie partner. The author merely substituted ghosts and spooks for aliens."

Now I have a great idea for book two featuring a talking dog sidkick and a giant cockroach!

Anyway, discuss at will!

There's no such thing as bad press, right? RIGHT?!?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:59:21 GMT

Wonder what an Anton sez when he's trying to be diplomatic about someone kicking his baby in the toof? Head on over to the League!

http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/2008/04/book-on-shelves-thicken-up-your-skin.html

Geekgasm ahoy!

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:56:55 GMT

In a few short hours, cheese curd and Mario Kart for the Wii will be in my eager little hands.

Oh yea, and that woman I live with will be back too... apparently tattooed, if I am to believe her...

The GTA IV midnight tomorrow! Perhaps I will have to drag her to the line as punishment...

It's late, and my mind wanders..

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:00:53 GMT

You know what bugs me? Olive Garden commercials. Moreso because I'm a New Yorker and we have Little Italy here, no doubt.

But I think if someone took me to Olive Garden (or worse the Olive Garden cooking school in Italy) in search of fine Italian cuisine, I think I'd have to murder them in their sleep. I'm not sure what method I'd use, but it would probably involve those breadsticks...

That said, every once in a great while, I will go... but other than the bottomless salad bowl, I'm ALWAYS disappointed.

Ah well, I guess they won't be selling Dead To Me at Olive Garden now...

for Ms. Trent

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:47:54 GMT

I'm yours... feast!

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:07:27 GMT

In lieu of any actual content, I am an open book, people. Ask me anything as normal, writerly, ribald, cheeky as you want and I'll answer. Comments are screened for your pleasure. I'll probably respond via messages. Let's see if you can snap me out of my boredom.

The short term memory of the almost kinda semi famous author

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:02:25 GMT

Someone out there said they were sending a Jayne hat from Firefly and for the life of me, I can't remember who...help anyone?

Fate? You be the judge

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:28:27 GMT

When I was a kid, I watched a little show called Romper Room, where a teacherly woman hung out with a bunch of little kids and there was learning and stories and hijinks. Over time, I came to be very frustrated with the show. Why?

There was a section called Magic Mirror, where the lady would incant some arcane text and hold up a "mirror" that let her see all us kids watching the show out there. Then she'd say "I see Michael and Shannon and Lisa and Kevin and..." and every week she'd say different names. But NEVER in the years I watched it did she ever say "Tony"! It's common enough, but bitch never said my name.

Cut to yesterday at Passover. Orly breaks out some old VHS tapes. Pops one in. It's the early 80s and she's actually one of the little kids on an episode of Romper Room. She was the cutest four year old I evah done seen, running around and jumping and clapping. Then it gets to the Magic Mirror portion and I shit you not, they said "I see Tony!"

Thirty years of bitterness gone just by seeing my wife on the show! If that's not proof that the universe has me married o the right woman, I don't know what is!

For the curious

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:37:21 GMT

I know many of you are on the edge of your seat, wondering how Anton did at comic con.

Let's see.. first I was in the Penguin booth, which was oddly being run by all the lovely ladies of Ace, Roc, DK, and the juvenile division.
And Chris Clairmont just happened to be hanging out there and we chatted about how we met 21 years ago up in Albany when I had him sign my Wolverine four part series and now I'm all full circle as a writah too!
Then I started talking to this other guy, only realizing partway through it was Orson Scott Card. I think my voice cracked like that teenage boy on The Simpsons...
And then the signing... there was a line of very nice people, except for one I wanted to stab in the eye, and I signed until we ran out of books!
Also, one of my clients from one of my accounts came by to tell me he really DID enjoy my book.. hehe.
So really no complaints and it was the last of my big planned events until Denvention in July and Gencon in August. Tomorrow I'll be wandering the show floor or stopping by the Penguin booth (1941). Then Passover, then my sleep of a thousand years!

Since no matter how many times you post it, someone is bound to miss it...

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:23:11 GMT

Tonight, 6-7, Penguin booth (1941), New York Comic Con, me signing Dead To Me.

Be there or be. .ummm.. elsewhere!

I'll be there Friday and Saturday ~~drooling like a rabid fangirl~~ acting like a professional writer.

And since I have several scenes set AT comic con for book two, any 15 dollar hot dogs I buy can be expensed!

I can haz sigh-ning?

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:45:11 GMT

This announcement of my signing at New York Comic Con this Friday amuses me to no end. It goes from top of the barrel to the bottom.. hehe. Read on! And if yer there, come by!

http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/blogs/roc-ace-comic-con-weekend

Sharing the warm fuzzies

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:15:29 GMT

One of the hardest things to get used to when your first book, your baby, comes out is the variety of criticism. And it only takes a bad review here or there, out of hundreds of good ones to put you in a bad mood. They're the minority, but they still stick in your craw. And then you get letters like this that just floor you in a good way:

Normally I don't go about stalk--- er writing fan letters, but for you I decided to make an exception.
I just finished reading "Dead to Me," and I gotta say...Wow! I enjoyed it so much I could hardly put it down. Likely I wouldn't have save for the "onerous" duties of Mommy-hood. I do have to keep my rugrats fed and amused and the like. This book was one of the finest of it's genre I have read to date. It blended a macabre and off-beat sense of humor perfectly with some pretty heavy stuff. The world you crafted is fantasical and yet still retains a sense of reality to it. The characters are finely crafted and believable. I found myself thinking that Simon and Jane are just the sort of people that I would "hang" with given the chance. I love that you gave Simon psychometry, a talent that I find fascinating. It hasn't really been used to it's full potentional, IMHO, in any genre.
Kudos to you for a great book. My only complaint is that I have to wait for the next one. There have been very few books I've actually been a little sad at finishing and yours is one of them. When I finished it I felt a mild sense of loss, like leaving a good friend behind not knowing when next I'll see him.

These days I need good escapes on occasions from reality (my kids have ADHD and Autism respectively and it can be a bit stressful at times). Thank you for providing me a chance to unwind.

Looking forward to the next installment,
Sara Camarata

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:16:04 GMT

To all my friends who want to be writers or wish to remove the suck from their writing, the League is holding a critique session of your work. It's open to the first 15 responders... you'd be crazy not to get the hell over there and ~~hit on the fine, fine ladies of the League~~ get some useful advice.. for free! (Void in Spain... take that you, Spanish bastards!)

What is you waiting for?
http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/2008/04/lets-have-some-fun-fellow-left-behinds.html

My book signing at New York Comic Con

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:31:25 GMT

For those of you going this year, I finally have my signing schedule:

Friday, April 18th, 6-7 at the Penguin booth, #1941. If you are in attendance, please swing by to say hi, get a signed copy of Dead To Me, or to take my life. The rest of the weekend I'll be working on getting that Jim Butcher restraining order against my piddling urban fantasy ass.

Check it

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:31:11 GMT

My rambling for the week at the League of Reluctant Adults:

http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/2008/04/answers-for-my-peanut-gallery.html

Will blog for food

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:13:21 GMT

Inspire me, my lovely friends.

What do you want to hear me piss & moan about over at League today people? What do you want to know about writing/my elusive career/anything?

Also, the visual that pops to my mind when I use the phrase "piss & moan" always cracks me up. I mean, really.. think about it.

No rest for the wicked retarded

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:34:04 GMT

Still traveling for work and all, but I found time to add to the League of Reluctant Adults, where many secret things are brewing. Check out what I have to say and discuss over there!
http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/2008/04/hardships-beyond-book.html

I know all new kinds of pain nao

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:01:47 GMT

So the book is just about a month old right now, and I've done several signings in that time, most of them 30-50 books signed at each, but today.. lordy, I have found new depths of physical pain.

Today, I was supposed to sign for two hours, but it ended up closer to three because people kept a-comin'. I ended up signing over 300 copies in a day.. granted they were all give aways so it's not like it was a crazy sale or anything, but its good press among the B&N College management.

Thing is, I didn't stand the entire time, and when I finally went to, I nearly fell over... my legs just didn't want to respond. And I had no idea it had been three hours, time just flew in a blur of faces and names. Luckily they all had nametags so I didn't have to ask them all!

I was exhausted through and through because for three hours straight I had to be "on", which is just numbing. I know, some of you are thinking "poor whiny author, shut the fuck up!" but I'm not complaining, just reporting on the state of how my body and mind are adjusting to the long haul. It's all new to me. I could sleep a thousand years, but I've got the show to finish, sales conference in Tuscon, then signing at New York Comiccon. Then I shall sink back to the bottom of the ocean for my thousand year slumber till the Awakened Ones rouse me...

The serious writer prepares...

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:12:32 GMT

Tomorrow I head off to Orlando for more book stuff including a signing for all the B&N College store managers, but more importantly I'll be in the Orlando airport which means... CHIK-FIL-A, bitches!

We don't have them here in Manhattan, one of the few drawbacks to this city, and man oh man I am jonesing for some Chik-fil-A!

I may just say screw the rest of the trip and stay in the airport eating Chik-fil-A the entire time. There goes the short story stuff I needed to wrap up!

Don't you wish your hero was hot like mine?

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:42:26 GMT

Well, here's a new piece that will be appearing in Romantic Times, cuz hey, Simon is one sexy bitch!

Urban Fantasy
Dead To Me
Anton Strout

* * * * stars (out of 5)

Welcome to Strout's offbeat and dangerously weird world! Making a strong debut, Strout quickly throws his idealistic and gung-ho hero into the deep end to see if he can swim. Seeing the world through SImon's eyes is a funny, quirky and occasionally scary experience. Strout's world will be well worth revisiting.

Summary: Simon Canderous is blessed/cursed with the power of psychometry. Regrettably, this "gift" has played havoc with his love life. Having decided to leave his life of petty crime behind, Simon has gone to the good side and joined the New York Department of Extraordinary Affairs.
Still learning the ropes, Simon and his mentor Connor are dragged into a possibly apocalyptic case when a newly deceased young woman turns up at thir office. Who is Irene, and why was she killed? Irene doesn't remember, but the case takes a really weird turn when a stolen fish appears to be at the epicenter of a nefarious plot. (ACE, Mar., 368 pp., &7.99)
---Jill M. Smith