| Learn to Write Good |
[Jan. 7th, 2010|12:37 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  optimistic | ] |
Judging by the emails I receive, there are a lot of aspiring writers among my readership.
I wanted to make mention of a couple of summer writing programs that might be of interest to you.
First, the legendary Clarion workshop, which began with Damon Knight in Clarion College, Pennsylvania, and is now in scenic San Diego. An intensive six-week writer's boot camp that will make you, break you, maybe change your life. I will be one of the instructors at this year's Clarion, along with Delia Sherman, Dale Bailey, Samuel R. Delany, Jeff Vandermeer, and Anne Vandermeer. For more details, check out
http://clarion.ucsd.edu/
Applications for Clarion are being accepted now, and will close on March 1... so if you've ever wanted to have me read and critique your work, and learn the secret handshake and the diagonal relationship, speak now or hold your peace until the next time I do a workshop (which probably won't be for a few more years).
[[ I do NOT read unpublished manuscripts that are mailed or emailed to me, so don't even think that. I do my teaching and critiquing only with a workshop context. And sorry, no, I won't be your mentor.]]
Clarion has been helping to turn out professional SF and fantasy writers since the 60s. Maybe you're the next one. You'll never know unless you apply. But be warned, only a few are chosen. Admissions are extremely competitive, with only one of five applicants getting in.
For writers who are already published, but are looking to take the next step in their careers, there is the Taos Toolbox, founded and run by my friend Walter Jon Williams and held right here in scenic New Mexico.
http://www.taostoolbox.com
Walter Jon's pitches his Toolbox as more of a "graduate study" program, for writers with a bit more experience. Graduates of Clarion, Clarion West, and Odyssey, neopros with a few sales under their belts, even journeymen looking to improve. I am not connected with the Toolbox, but I did a guest lecture there a few years ago, and it struck me as a great program. This year Nancy Kress will be assisting WJW with the teaching, and Carrie Vaughn (of Kitty and Wild Cards fame) will be giving a guest lecture. And when you're not writing, reading, critiquing, or listening to lectures, hey, you'll be in Taos.
Clarion Workshop and the Taos Toolbox. If you want to write, check 'em out. |
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| Giants D |
[Jan. 6th, 2010|01:56 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | nfl | ] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
Various sources are reporting the Pepper Johnson might be a candidate for the defensive coordinator opening on the Giants, created when Bill Sheridan was released.
That would be a risk, maybe -- Pepper doesn't have the experience of most of the other candidates -- but it's one I'd be glad to take. I have fond memories of Pepper from his days in the Giants defense of the late 80s and early 90s. He was always a fiery competition, a real leader, and the Giants defense desperately needs some fire right now. The last thing we want is another Xs and Os guy like Sheridan. Pepper has never been a coordinator... but neither had Steve Spagnuolo until Coughlin hired him, and Spags was great.
Other reported contenders include Dick Jauron, Romeo Crennel, Percy Fewell, Bob Sutton, and George Edwards. Some of them might be okay... but if it was me, I'd go for Pepper. |
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| Adventures in 2010 |
[Jan. 5th, 2010|11:42 am] |
Life is magical... but full of pain.
The Jets are in the playoffs. Who woulda thunk it, a couple of weeks ago? The game against the Bengals was certainly impressive. Can they do it again, though? We'll see.
The Giants didn't play. I don't know who those guys in their unis were, but they sure were inept.
Goodbye, Bill Sheridan. A good guy, by all reports, but a horrendous defensive coordinator.
I meant to post yesterday on the weekend's games, but got busy writing instead, and finished a Tyrion chapter that I've been struggling with for six months. Nibbling away at that knot. We'll see if the finished chapter holds up to reread and polish today. |
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| Happy New Year |
[Jan. 1st, 2010|02:31 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  bouncy | ] |
2010. Who would believe it? We're in another Arthur C. Clarke novel.
Here's hoping all of you have a great year. |
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| Life Is... |
[Dec. 28th, 2009|09:56 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | nfl | ] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  disappointed | ] |
... meaningless and full of pain... but sometimes it gives you an unexpected gift.
The Giants game was a disgrace. Bill Sheridan has to go. How he could destroy the Giants defense in a single year, when he had all the players Steve Spagnuolo had and then some, is a mystery for the ages.
And the Jets... well, yeah, I'm glad they got the W, but really... call me old school, but I believe a team should play hard every week, no matter what. What Caldwell did was a disgrace. A nice late Xmas present for Gang Green, sure, but all the other teams contending for the AFC wild card must be steaming, and Peyton and the other Colts first-stringers looked none too happy on the sidelines either. I would not be the least surprised if the Happy Horseshoes make an early exit from the playoffs after this. Disgraceful.
Meanwhile, back in the Meadowlands, I can only hope that the final Jets home game in Giants Stadium has a happier result than the final Giants home game. |
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| Singapore Pepper Crab |
[Dec. 27th, 2009|02:33 pm] |
Black Pepper Crab is one of the two most popular ways that
crab is served in Singapore, the other being Chili Crab.
It is made with hard-shell crabs, and cooked in a thick gravy
made with an abundance of crushed black pepper, salt and butter.
The creation of Singapore's Black Pepper Crab is attributed
to Long Beach Seafood Restaurant in 1959.
Black Pepper Crab
Ingredients
2 lbs large mud crabs, or soft shelled crabs, or crab claws
1 cup flour if using soft shelled crabs
4 tbsp freshly ground whole black pepper corns
3 to 4 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
4 tbsp butter, at least
10 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
10 slices young ginger
1 to 2 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
2 tsp sugar (optional)
2 tsp dark soya sauce
malaysian curry leaves (optional)
Coriander leaves to garnish
Oil for deep frying
Method
Dry-fry* black pepper in a wok or frying pan till fragrant.
Remove and keep aside. The crabs taste best if they are deep
fried in very hot oil first – deep fry on all sides till the
crabs turn red. Drain and keep the oil aside.
For soft shelled crabs, pat the crabs dry, cut each crab into 4,
coat with flour and deep fry till golden browned and crispy.
Heat a wok, add the butter and when it melts and is hot, add the
garlic, ginger, chilli, and curry leaf and stir fry for three
minutes till the mixture is fragrant.
Add the oyster sauce, soya sauce and sugar and stir well before
adding the black pepper. Stir fry a few seconds on high heat,
add the crabs and stir fry one minute. Serve with the garnish.
* DRY FRYING is an old fashioned cooking method where food is
stir fried till fragrant in a wok or frying pan without oil. |
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| Merry Christmas |
[Dec. 24th, 2009|06:01 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | happy | ] |
Here's hoping all my friends and readers have a merry Christmas.
And you other people too. |
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