Noble Pen Meeting

April 7th, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

“Ah, my daughter,? he said. ?Eighteen, and already you?ve been accused of murder, aided felons, and acquired a death count higher than most guardians will ever see.? He paused. ?I couldn?t be prouder.”
— Richelle Mead (Last Sacrifice)

Victories

Tyree got first runner up for Darrow Award. He refused to show us the tiara.

Bob’s story was published in Aiofe’s Kiss. I attribute this to his epic beard.

Back it up.

In celebration of the recently passed World Backup Day, March 31st, and in celebration of Ciuin’s recently deceased laptop, I was asked to send out a link to the utility that I use for backup.

The utility is called dropbox. Here is a video about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFb0NaeRmdg Basically, they give you two GB of free online storage and the best synchronization utility (Linux, Mac, or Windows) I’ve ever seen.

Here is a link to dropbox, which gives me referral credit. If you don’t want to give me a referral credit, find it yourself. (It’s really not that hard, the address is even in the video.)

News

From the Nathan Bransford forums, a scary story about finding an agent.

Some new editing marks that could be helpful.

Sure, Borders is closing hundreds of stores, but at least they can find time to give out executive bonuses for saving all that money, from closing all those stores. Maybe they should close all their stores, that would really save on operating costs. Or maybe they could keep one store open in Kansas; they could sell cozy mysteries and keep a couple cats.

Upcoming Schedule

April 7th
(8)Nick
(8)Kris
(8)Bill

April 14th
(8)Tony
(9) Tyree
(9) Ciuin

April 21th
(9)Kris
(9)Shannon
(9)Tony

April 28th
(10)Shannon
Education -> Tyree

May 5th
(10)Kris
(10)Tyree

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

March 31st, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person. But these seemingly fragile people are the strong people really.
–Tennessee Williams

Victories

Ian did a thing with another thing, neither of which I clearly understand.

Ciuin has to write a declaration, press pack, and a letter to invite the Artists Initiative spokesperson, a person who is not Roma, but looks like he is.

The USGS has made a correction based on mistake that Bill found. Due to a snowball effect, we will be forced to cede Detroit to Ontario. So far, Ontario has refused.

News

Ambrose Bierce sucks at humor.–Samuel L Clemens

From Mandy Hubbard, slush works.

In a role reversal spectacular Barry Eisler turned down a $500,000 book deal in order to self publish while self-published superstar Amanda Hocking signed a $2Million, 4 book deal with St. Martin.

Upcoming Schedule

March 31st
(8) Tyree
(8)Ciuin
(8)Shannon

April 7th
(8)Nick
(8)Kris
(8)Mark

April 14th
(8)Tony
(9) Tyree
(9) Ciuin

April 27th
(9)Kris
(9)Shannon
(9)Tony

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

March 24th, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

“Pass the word for Chief Campeti. Have him issue rifles and sidearms to any deck personnel not part of the gun crews. Prepare to repel boarders.” Matt was struck by the strangeness of the order even as he gave it. Probably not since the War of 1812 had the captain of a U.S. warship given the order to repel boarders on the high seas.
— Taylor Anderson, Into the Storm: Destroyermen, Book I

Victories

Tyree will be attending MidSouthCon. He is up for a Darrow award. Maybe Rick Gervais will present it.

I sent my piece out to a fifth beta reader.

Cuiun wrote a declaration for the artists initiative against Romaphobia, which was signed by Dr. Ian Hancock, President of the Romani Nation in the United States. I wrote a declaration on a men’s room wall once, it was not as enthusiastically received.

News

This is an example of a bad query letter.

John Cleese on creativity.

Upcoming Schedule

March 24nd
(7) Bill
(7) Ciuin
(7) Educational

March 31st
(8) Tyree
(8)Ciuin
(8)Shannon

April 7th
(8)Nick
(8)Kris
(8)Mark

April 14th
(8)Tony
(9) Tyree
(9) Ciuin

April 27th
(9)Kris
(9)Shannon
(9)Tony

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

March 17th, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

Vogon poetry is of course, the third worst in the universe. The second worst is that of the Asgoths of Crea. During a recitation by their poetmaster Grunthos the Flatulent of his poem “Ode to a Small Lump of Green Putty I Found in my Armpit One Midsummer Morning” four of his audience died of internal haemorrhaging and the president of the mid-galactic Arts Knobbling Council survived only by gnawing one of his own legs off. Grunthos was reported to have been “disappointed” by the poem’s reception, and was about to embark on a reading of his 12-book epic entitled “My Favourite Bathtime Gurgles” when his own major intestine, in a desperate attempt to save humanity, leapt straight up through his neck and throttled his brain. The very worst poetry of all perished along with its creator, Paul Neil Milne Johnstone of Redbridge, in the destruction of the planet Earth. Vogon poetry is mild by comparison.
–Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Sometimes writing is like pounding a brick wall with a ball-peen hammer in hopes the barricade will evolve into a revolving door.
— Chuck Klosterman

Victories

Tyree has gotten is 141st story accepted. It will appear in Potter’s Field–the magazine, not the housing development.

Kris finished the illustration for her story, and she was offered a sale for another illustration.

John sent out work to beta readers. Sadly, he won’t be joining us anymore.

Ciuin has been asked to write another declaration and a speech. Her first declaration will be published in the EU within the next month. Despite all her fame, she still hangs out with us.

Dylan got paid for his commission. He was paid in chocolate coins.

I sent stuff off to beta readers. So far, there have been no attempts on my life.

News

Nathan Bransford blogs about why ebooks can cost more than hardcovers. Personally, I just think publishers are bad at math.

From The Onion Why Haven’t We Finished Our Novel?

Upcoming Schedule

March 17h
(7) Shannon
(7) Tony
(7) Kris

March 24nd
(7) Bob
(7) Ciuin
(7) Educational

March 31st
(8) Tyree
(8)Ciuin
(8)Shannon

April 7th
(8)Nick
(8)Kris
(8)Mark

April 14th
(8)Tony
(9t) Tyree
(9t) Ciuin

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

March 10th, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

Zest. Gusto. How rarely one hears these words used. How rarely do we see people living, or for that matter, creating by them. Yet if I were asked to name the most important items in a writer’s make-up, the things that shape his material and rush him along the road to where he wants to go, I could only warn him to look to his zest, see to his gusto.
–Ray Bradbury

Victories

It’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon. Of course, as everyone predicted, Nick Tharalson’s ice fishing equipment rental business went under. Nick saw early on that the business wasn’t doing so well, as everyone in town has more  of ice-fishing gear than they could ever use, usually passed down from their grandfathers. Last week, Nick was spotted several times at dusk, pushing his shack towards the thin side of the ice.

Tony Mione was seen hiking with his fourteen children. It’s kind of a sad thing to watch, really. No matter how often he takes them out into the wilderness, they always make it back.

And once again, Bill Hart organized the Sons of Knute Pancake Breakfast. This year, his wife Karen supervised, given the tragic events of last year’s pancake breakfast in which twelve bachelor Norwegian farmers were killed.

News

The Times has an article on why authors abandon projects.

Cat Rambo has some tips on sentence and paragraph construction.

An interesting note about how libraries and e-books are clashing.

Upcoming Schedule

March 10th
(7) Dylan
(7) Nick
(7) Kelly

March 17h
(7) Shannon
(7) Tony
(7) Kris

March 24nd
(7) Bob
(7) Ciuin
(7) Educational

March 31st
(8) Tyree
(8)Ciuin
(8)Shannon

April 7th
(8)Nick
(8)Kris
(8)Mark

April 14th
(8)Tony
(9t) Tyree
(9t) Ciuin

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

March 3rd, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

The idea that all ideas are partly true, partly false, and partly meaningless is partly true, partly false and partly meaningless.
–Hagbard Celine

Victories

John checked us out.

Ciuin finished her class, “the EU.” She also finished the poetry section of her creative writing class–poor, poor Ciuin.

Tyree is done with Kafka–poor, poor Tyree.

Dylan is done with two commissions–that’s not too bad actually.

News

Name of the Wind author Patrick Rothfuss has offered to give part of his next novel’s royalties to Nathan Fillion, so that they can buy Firefly from Fox.

Eric at Pimp My Novel explains that publishers like money.

Upcoming Schedule

March 3rd
(6) Ciuin
(6) Mark
(6) Nick

March 10th
Dlyan
Nick
Kelly

March 17h
Shannon
Tony
Kris

March 24nd
Bob
Ciuin
Educational

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

February 24th, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

When Reginald Iolanthe Perrin set out for work on the Thursday morning, he had no intention of calling his mother-in-law a hippopotamus.
-Opening sentence, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, David Nobbs

Victories

Sams’s Dot is now on Smashwords and selling electronic editions. Welcome to the year 2000, too bad it’s 2011.

Ciuin’s materials arrived from Montreal and is on to some serious translating.

Dylan submitted a story to an anthology, for which he will no doubt be arrested.

News

J.A. Konrath has an interesting article on ebook pricing.

The Daring Novelist has written about pesky dialog tags.

Upcoming Schedule

Feb 24th
(6) Tyree
(6) Bill???
(6) Shannon

March 3rd
(6) Ciuin
(6) Mark
(6) Nick

March 10th
Dlyan
Nick
Kelly

March 17h
Shannon
Tony
Kris

March 24nd
Bob
Ciuin
Educational

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

February 17th, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

As far as I was aware, he’d never shot the gun on the job. But he kept it ready. When I came here as a child, he would always remove the bullets as soon as he walked in the door. I guess he considered me old enough now not to shoot myself by accident, and not depressed enough to shoot myself on purpose.
–Stephanie Meyer, Twilight

Victories

Kelly is American. Her name changed, and she now owes $45,000 on the national debt.

Nick wrote the end of his Medieval epic, which takes place in Milwaukee.

Tony saw his first short story in print, a sure side effect of over-medication.

Tyree is working on two new publications: one involving procedural investigation in space and a second devoted to paranormal activity. Looks like it’s time to dust off my stories about Ecto Hardbullet, Interplanetary Ghost Detective.

News

You can make it by self-publishing.

The shitbird cometh.

Upcoming Schedule

Feb 17th
(6) Tyree
(6) Bill
(6) Bob

Feb 24th
(6) Dylan
(6) Bill
(6) Shannon

March 3rd
(6) Ciuin
(6) Mark
(6) Nick

March 10th
Tyree
Nick
Kelly

March 17h
Shannon
Tony
Kris

March 24nd
Bob
Ciuin
Educational

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

February 10th, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

The three of us, and millions of primitive hew-mans… I like those odds.
-Quark, Deep Space Nine, “Little Green Men”

Victories

Hopefully, by this point, Kelly as been sworn in as a US citizen. If everything has gone right, congratulations. If, however, something has gone wrong, you’ll be missed.

Dylan has another commission, a repeat customer, and yes that was a double entendre.

News

An interesting video on the importance of mastery.

Behold, seven ways to eliminate passive sentences.

Upcoming Schedule

Feb 10th
(5) Mark
(5) Tony
(5) Kelly

Feb 17th
(6) Tyree
(6) Kris
(6) Bob

Feb 24th
(6) Dylan
(6) Bill
(6) Shannon

March 1st
(6) Ciuin
(6) Mark
(6) Nick

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

February 3rd, 2011
Scott’s Family Restaurant
1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

I was walking along the bank of a stream when I saw a mother otter with her cubs, a very endearing sight, I’m sure you’ll agree. And even as I watched, the mother otter dived into the water and came up with a plump salmon, which she subdued and dragged onto a half submerged log. As she ate it, while of course it was still alive, the body split and I remember to this day the sweet pinkness of its roes as they spilled out, much to the delight of the baby otters, who scrambled over themselves to feed on the delicacy. One of nature’s wonders, gentlemen. Mother and children dining upon mother and children. And that is when I first learned about evil. It is built into the very nature of the universe.
— The Patrician, from Terry Pratchett’s Unseen Academicals

Victories

Nick, along with P Diddy, Kim Porter, and Rodney King is being sued for $1 trillion. They have been accused a stealing a poker chip worth $100 billion and causing the destruction of the World Trade Center.

News

NPR has a story about writing great sentences.

The Future is Now. Kindle books are now outselling paperbacks at Amazon. And some more proof that we are living in the future: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x35r4m_the-future-is-now-1955_tech

Upcoming Schedule

Feb 3rd
(5) Nick
(5) Kris
(5) Shannon

Feb 10th
(5) Mark
(5) Tony
(5) Kelly

Feb 17th
(6) Tyree
(6) Kris
(6) Bob

Feb 24th
(6) Dylan
(6) Bill
(6) Shannon

March 1st
(6) Ciuin
(6) Mark
(6) Nick

Keep Writing, Penites.

Shannon