The Confabulator Cafe

Author: barista

  • New Year, New You? (Week of 6 January 2013)

    Winter is a time when things reset, readying themselves to be born anew when the weather warms up, and for assessing what needs to be done. And 2013 has a great deal of promise for us here at the Cafe. Several regulars have been published and are continuing to be published in the months ahead.

    But we wanted to take another look back over the past year and see if anything’s changed for us. Are we still writing in the genre of our choice? Why? Has our writing changed? If it has – why? On close inspection (or just off the top of your head) do you think you’ve changed as a writer? Grown? Gotten more or less confident?

    Why?

    Our awareness as writers has shifted, certainly, and it’s time to take that deeper look and see if we’re still the same as we were last Winter. Can some cycles be broken or should they be embraced?

    Pull up a chair, wrap your hands around that warm mug of tea, coffee, or cocoa, and let us regale you with our thoughts. We promise it’ll be informative.

  • Ephemera – Writing Resolutions for 2013

    Here we are, the first weekend of 2013. The Cafe has survived it’s first year, and most of us are still here. This past week we wrapped up the end of the year talking about our favorite topics. For this first Ephemera of the year, we asked the Confabulators what their resolutions as far as writing were for 2013. We all have big dreams, and lots of us reached them last year. This year, we’ll all continue to work towards even bigger ones.

    Ted Boone

    Finish NaNo 2012. REVISE NaNo 2012. Write every day. Pick a manuscript to Pitch at Backspace 2013 in NYC.

    Christie Holland

    I hate resolutions in general, but I have several that are very specific to writing for the year.  The most significant is that I will read and/or write something every day this year.  I spent too much time in 2012 sitting in front of the television when I could’ve done something better.  I also plan on editing/rewriting my 2012 NaNoWriMo novel and I want to start submitting my short stories for publication.  I’d like to say that a resolution is to get published, but seeing as how that is out of my control and is slightly terrifying, I’ll focus on baby steps.  To get published, I have to start submitting!

    Jack Campbell, Jr.

    2013 will be another tough year. I will still be working on my master’s degree. That severely cuts into writing time. However, this year has been very productive as far as short story submissions. I should have several pieces published this year. I would like to continue that run of success, as well as finish writing the first draft of Heaven’s Edge. I am also eager to edit my first novel, Kill Creek Road, but school comes first till August of 2014.

    Sara Lundberg

    I’m hopeful that 2013 is the year I learn to edit a full length manuscript. I have two novels that I wrote in 2011 that deserve attention. I haven’t decided if I want to continue to submit short stories for publication or not, or if I want to focus on novel-length works. I’d also like to take a crack at writing another novel or two this year, since I ended pretty much novel-less in 2012. It seems that 2012 was Year of the Short Story, since I wrote at least one a month over the course of the year, had one published, once accepted, and three short-listed.

    Kevin Wohler

    Practice, practice, practice! My biggest goal for 2013 is to be more consistent in my writing. I’m setting aside two nights a week (and one day on weekends) to work on my novel or short stories. I actually made a short story sale to an anthology last year, and it felt great. I’m going to try to do more in 2013.

    Jason Arnett

    I’m determined to see the novel in the hands of a publisher. I really believe that’s going to happen this year. Additionally, I’ll be sending out more and more short stories (inspired by Jack’s and Sara’s success) so that they’ll be published somewhere. I need to finish the sequel to the novel (still have 50K words to go as of this writing) and then I’m inspired to go back to another unfinished novel and work that until it’s ready. And more short stories.

    Larry Jenkins

    Write more frequently and get something accepted for publication. The two go hand in hand, but that last one is especially important. My fellow Confabulators are kicking ass in the publications department, and I’m starting to feel the pressure.

  • 2012 Year in Review (Week Ending Jan. 5)

    2012This week, we celebrate the end of one year and the start of the next. And with it, we here at the Confabulator Cafe also celebrate our first anniversary. The Cafe officially opened on January 1, 2012. Two days later, the first of our posts was published — and we haven’t looked back since.

    Until now. This week we’re asking our writers to discuss their favorite post (or posts) of 2012, whether their own or someone else’s. We may even have some who pick several in a theme.

    For those who have been reading with us since the beginning, we hope this week will remind you of some of your favorites. For those who are just finding the cafe, we hope you discover some gems in our archives.

    Until Next Week,

    The Cafe Management

  • Ephemera – Favorite Book of 2012

    It’s the end of the year, so we’re asking the Confabulators what their favorites of 2012 are. This week, they tell us what their favorite book of 2012 was. For this question, some interpreted as best book published in 2012, others answered it as their favorite book they read in 2012. We accepted either version.

    Ted Boone

    The Hydrogen Sonata by Iain M. Banks, Wool (Omnibus) by Hugh Howey, and Among Others by Jo Walton (don’t ask writers to pick ONE favorite book!)

    Kevin Wohler

    I’m going to be honest here. My favorite book of 2012 has been Monster in My Closet, by R.L. Naquin. I’m not just saying that because she’s in our group. She’d forgive me if I picked something else. The truth is, of the few NEW books I did read this year, it was the only one that left me feeling I could read the sequel immediately.

    Christie Holland

    It’s a tie between The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Both very different. Both fantastic.

    Larry Jenkins

    Broken Harbor by Tana French. Every book she has written has broken my heart in some way, and I love her for that.

    Jack Campbell, Jr.

    Hugh Howey’s Wool. I don’t read many new books. I don’t like to pay inflated prices for new releases, and there are only one or two authors that I can’t wait long enough to find their book on a used shelf somewhere. I certainly don’t read as much science fiction as I used to. Enter Hugh Howey and Wool. Howey wrote Wool as a short story and released it directly through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing System. Howey’s silo world became an overnight success, leading to the release of parts two, three, four, and five of Wool, and their release as a single omnibus edition. Since then, it has been followed by the prequels First Shift and Second Shift. If you like dystopian science fiction, Wool is waiting for you. Ridley Scottbought the film rights. Yes, that Ridley Scott. The original short story is free on Kindle, but you can pick up the omnibus (stories one
    through five) for $5.99.

    Sara Lundberg

    I’m a few years behind on most new releases – there were several 2012 books I wanted to read but didn’t get to – so pickings are slim. Luckily, I think I probably read the two best books of the year. The first one being our very own R.L. Naquin’s Monster in My Closet. Of course I am obligated to mention it because she’s my fellow Confabulator and friend, but in all honesty, it was the best book I read all year. It helps that I’ve watched her series evolve over the past three years, so it was incredibly rewarding to be able to read the finish product. A close second, though, was the third book in another one of my favorite series: Grave Memory by Kalayna Price. It’s in the same genre – urban fantasy – which I just can’t get enough of these days. Honorable Mention goes to the anthology that my own story was published in, Shadows of the Mind. Lots of good tales of horror in there. That was it for 2012 for me.

  • Holiday Happenings (Week Ending Dec. 29)

    Christmas backgroundAs you are probably well aware (unless you’re reading this from some cave far removed from civilization), Christmas is celebrated in much of the world this week. Here in America, our holiday season begins with Thanksgiving in November and doesn’t end until the New Year next week.

    The holiday season means different things to different people. Where I work, it can mean a slow-down in business or a last-minute rush to get client work finished by the end of the year. For some it’s a time of excess, as we give in to our fondness for rich foods, candies, pies, and fine wines. I know that I spend the holidays enjoying as much hot chocolate with marshmallows as my body can stand.

    This week, we’ve asked our writers what the holiday season means to them. Do they love this time of year or hate it? Are the holidays a time of coming together or pulling apart?

    As always, remember to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter — and tell your friends!

    Until Next Week,

    The Cafe Management

  • Ephemera – Favorite Movie of 2012

    It’s the end of the year, so we’re asking the Confabulators what their favorites of 2012 are. This week, they tell us what their favorite movie of 2012 was.

    Jason Arnett

    The superhero films were EXCELLENT this year. Avengers and Dark Knight Rises were both very satisfying films to me.

    Larry Jenkins

    Full disclosure: I love movies, but I don’t get to see near as many as I would like. That being said, I really enjoyed The Cabin in the Woods, which is not so much a horror film as it is a film about horror films. If you’re more the indie film type, I’d recommend you check out Safety Not Guaranteed. It’s a nice film with both a mystery and a heart, and I appreciate movies that ask me to think and feel at the same time.

    Kevin Wohler

    Asking me to pick my favorite movie of the year is like asking a mother to pick her favorite child (“B-b-b-but.. I love them all!”). Even so, there’s one movie that I have gushed about more than any other this year. And it’s not The Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises. The truth is, my favorite movie this year has been John Carter. Yes, it was ripped apart by harsh critics. Yes, it failed to be the box office blockbuster Disney wanted it to be. But the truth is, this was a marvelous movie. It’s visually stunning. It’s epic in scope. It’s a great adventure. The only flaw in John Carter is that it had a horrible marketing team. That, and it should have been titled John Carter of Mars (focus groups be damned).

    Ted Boone

    The Avengers.

    Christie Holland

    It’s a tie between The Avengers, because of Joss Whedon and the flawless way he juggled a huge cast and kept every character true to themselves, and The Hunger Games, because it was a wonderful adaptation of a YA novel and hopefully ensures that other adaptations of YA novels are treated with just as much respect.

    Jack Campbell, Jr.

    Skyfall. This one was tough for me. I absolutely loved Cabin in the Woods. The Dark Knight Rises was epic. The Avengers was everything I hoped it would be. Wreck It Ralph proved again that Pixar is the hottest studio in animation history. However, 007 and I have a long history. I spent so many hours watching James Bond movies with my dad. I read Ian Fleming’s books in junior high. Skyfall does James Bond the right way. It’s by far the best Bond movie in years, and one of the best in the franchise’s history.

    Sara Lundberg

    I am one of the biggest Joss Whedon fans in the world, so tied for second place are The Avengers and Cabin in the Woods. He’s finally made a name for himself in the mainstream with his work on The Avengers, which he pulled off amazingly. Cabin in the Woods was a horror movie, yes, but like all of his horror, it makes you think and also makes you laugh, which I think are two key components of horror that most people forget. But my hopes are high for the release of The Hobbit, because The Hobbit is something from my childhood and the movie will hopefully be as magical as it was when I was young. It holds the number one spot until I see it, at least.

  • Return to Straeon Manor (Week Ending Dec. 22)

    Straeon Manor at the Confabulator CafeIt’s confabulating time at the Cafe. And this month, we have a real treat. We’re returning to Straeon Manor.

    Straeon Manor is a different sort of house. And the people who live there experience strange and unusual things.

    Every story is set in a different room and a different year in the history of the house. In our first round of stories, our writers gave us tales of murder, mystery, and the supernatural.

    Now it’s Christmastime at Straeon Manor. Many of the stories in this second round are set around the holidays. Some are likely to be stories of family, others of loss. Regardless, we hope you enjoy each of these gifts from the Confabulator Cafe.

    Until Next Week,

    The Cafe Management

  • Ephemera – Favorite Song or Album of 2012

    It’s the end of the year, so we’re asking the Confabulators what their favorites of 2012 are. This week, they tell us what their favorite song and/or album of 2012 was.

    Jason Arnett

    If you look at my iPod, it’ll tell you that the soundtrack for The Dark Knight Rises is tops for the year. I liked Fiona Apple’s new album but I haven’t listened to it enough to have a real opinion. As for songs, I’ve gotta admit that Adele’s Skyfall theme was pretty damn cool.

    Ted Boone

    I haven’t bought a lot of music this year. Imagine Dragons’ Night Visions as well as Milk Famous by White Rabbits, I guess.

    Sara Lundberg

    I fell in love with the song “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men earlier this year. I went and bought their mp3 album, My Head is an Animal,  which I never do because I very rarely buy music anymore, but it was cheap, and I love just about every song on there. Also really loved most of the Black Key’s album El Camino, my favorite song on there being “Gold on the Ceiling,” which is currently my ringtone.

    Kevin Wohler

    I’m not much for pop music these days. My satellite radio is usually tuned to an oldies station or Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. That said, this year I “discovered” The Explorers Club, a band out of South Carolina. Their 2012 album Grand Hotel is a throwback to the pop music of the 1960s. My favorite track on the album is “Grand Hotel/Go For You.”

    Christie Holland

    Theatre is Evil by Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra. There’s not a song on that album I don’t love.

    Larry Jenkins

    Some Nights by Fun. I absolutely love this album, and the song “One Foot” seems like a great tune to listen to if you’re gearing up for a fight. At least it makes me want to punch somebody.

    Jack Campbell, Jr.
    Stone Sour: House of Gold and Bones Volume 1. This is the first half of a dual release project for Stone Sour. Volume 2 will be out in 2013. I’ve been a fan of Stone Sour for some time. I hosted a metal show on KURE at Iowa State University back when Slipknot first hit big. It was a fantastic time to be a loud rock fan in Iowa. I’ve had a special place in my heart for Slipknot ever since.
    Stone Sour falls into that, as well. Fantastic band.

  • Gifts for Writers

    “The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shock-proof, shit detector. This is the writer’s radar and all great writers have had it.” ~ Ernest Hemingway, Paris Review interview

    Book of Answers by Hollow Book Co.
    Book of Answers, from Hollow Book Co.

    We’re counting down to the holidays, so we thought it would be a good idea to ask our writers for gift ideas. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are history, but we have some suggestions if you’re still struggling to find the perfect gift for the writer in your life.

    The writers in our Cafe were so busy writing last month that many of them didn’t have a chance to put together a wish list, so we’ve asked them to take some time this week to put together some of their favorite gift ideas.

    We hope you’ll find some great ideas. If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments below.

    Until Next Week,

    The Cafe Management

  • Ephemera – Will You Edit your NaNo Novel?

    This past week, the Wrimos said their final words on their Nanowrimo adventures for 2012. Words were written, lessons were learned, sleep was missed out on, and way too much caffeine and junk food was consumed – even if it wasn’t for Nano. For one last summary on the experience (and then we’re back to regularly scheduled programming so you won’t have to hear about it for another year), we asked our Wrimos what their plans were for their novel written in November. To edit, or not to edit?

    Christie Holland

    I’ve never edited a NaNo novel before. But this year, I’m considering it. Editing it actually means “completely rewriting it,” but that’s okay. I’m excited to keep working on it.

    Ted Boone

    I absolutely intend to finish this year’s novel (still have 25-30% story to tell, by my best guess) and then edit it. I’m probably more surprised by this answer than anyone, as I thought my story idea this year was sort of a throwaway, but as things progressed, I really grew to love the idea and the characters.

    Jason Arnett

    Definitely going to edit. I love this year’s book even though I’m not done writing it yet. I think I’m to the point as a writer that what I write is deserving of at least a couple of attempts at getting it out to the public.

    Kevin Wohler

    I’m going to keep working on my NaNoWriMo novel. I didn’t get to 50,000 words, but that’s okay. I like my main character and I’m convinced she has a good story to tell. Most importantly, I’m starting to see the true bones of the story. Much of my writing has been fat, which will need to be trimmed. Now that I’m done with NaNo, I’m going to ignore word count and focus on time spent with my novel — whether writing or editing. I want to finish it in 2013.

    Sara Lundberg

    Nah, not this year. It needs way too much work. I’ve been doing NaNo for enough years now to realize when I have something worth putting more work into, and while this novel definitely had its moments, and I might revisit the idea someday, overall it’s best that this one gets a proper burial in the Novel Graveyard.

    Larry Jenkins

    Hell, yes, I’m editing it. The zero draft is finally done, and I’m ready for someone else to read the damn thing. Beware, writer friends. Some of you may be dodging an email from me very soon.

    Ashley M. Poland

    I’m planning to edit this novel. It’s not going to be easy nor do I think I’ll do it right away — I’ve already got the rumblings of another novel in me — but I think there’s something redeemable buried in this draft. Not sure what it is, yet, but I’ll find it with another draft or so.

    Jack Campbell, Jr.

    I never leave anything unfinished. I usually edit a piece several times before I submit. Sometimes, that process takes years, but I don’t believe in trunking anything. There is always something to salvage, something that can work for me. My most recent story acceptance, “Waking” was originally written in 2002. I completed the final re-write last year.