Get the anthology I'm part of, The Crimson Pact, Vol. 2! Details and order links for Amazon, B&N, Apple's App Store, and more, are at http://thecrimsonpact.com/store.html#tcpv2.

There's an incredible mix of authors here, from New York Times best-sellers all the way on down to newbies like myself, and we cover pretty much every sub-genre of fantasy/dark fantasy I can think of. I'm honored to call several of my fellow CP authors friends (including three members of my writing group, Barbara Webb, Sarah Kanning, and Isaac Bell--who should also be congratulated on being named the next AboutSF director at KU) and some of those I call friends may not be too overly embarrassed to admit that they know me.

Once you've read it, if you could pretty please post reviews at Amazon and/or wherever else you can think of, I will love you forever. (Hyperbolically speaking, that is.) And the electronic edition is only five bucks--about the same price as a coffee shop latte, so me love you long time for cheap. (Note that if you buy it directly through the CP site, you get a zip of it in every major ebook format, and the authors get a larger cut. I'm just sayin'.)

Here's the promo copy from the back of the book (and since you're reading about this on my blog, I'm using that as an excuse to bold-ify references to myself):

The Pact is back and the demons are as devious as ever in The Crimson Pact Volume 2. Read 28 original stories, many of which are sequels to the stories in volume 1. Suzzanne Myers’s powerful flash fiction piece, “Withered Tree” continues with the exceptional short story, “Seven Dogs.” Chanté McCoy’s, “Inside Monastic Walls” is followed by the literally gut-wrenching follow-up short story, “Body and Soul.” Rising star Patrick Tomlinson is back with “Monsters in the Closet” and the urban fantasy mayhem is off the charts in his, and many other stories, especially D. Robert Hamm’s “Karma.”

The demon bots strike again in EA Younker’s steampunk apocalypse tale, “Stand.” If you want more steampunk, you’ll enjoy Sarah Hans’ sequel about professor Campion, “A More Ideal Vessel,” and the steampunk Western featuring automaton horses, “Wayward Brother” by Elaine Blose.

Sarah Kanning’s character, Danielle, from “Hidden Collection” must deal with the lingering effects of being possessed by a demon in “Dark Archive.” There are also fascinating sequels from Gloria Weber, “Crimson Mail,” and Justin Swapp, “The Merging,” and new stories from Lester Smith, Kathryn McGee, Adam Israel, Valerie Dircks, T.S. Rhodes, Elizabeth Shack, Daniel Alonso, and Nayad Monroe.

“The Long Run” by Isaac Bell is an indirect sequel to “Stained with Nightmare Juice” and features the tireless John Oldshoe, who must help a black teenage girl discover her superpowers and defeat the demons infesting the dying heart of a crumbling city.

New York Times Bestselling author, and Campbell award nominee, Larry Correia presents a wildly entertaining and exclusive short story, “Son of Fire, Son of Thunder” co-authored by Steven Diamond, about an FBI paranormal investigator and a bad ass marine who knows the exact moment of his own death.

Travel to the alternate history Earth of the “Red Bandanna Boys” by Patrick M. Tracy and find out how ruthless you have to be to survive the slums of St. Nikolayev. Follow “The Trail of Blood” by Alex Haig, a horrifying Western about a bounty hunter who wants vengeance, not money. Hunt for Nazis in a disturbing 1950’s America in “Hunters Incorporated” by Kelly Swails. Patrol the steaming jungles of Vietnam with a squad of soldiers in Lon Prater’s “Last Rites in the Big Green Empty.” Then enter the mind of a godlike demon in Donald J. Bingle’s ambitions tale, “Dark Garden,” or visit the creepy shadow world created by Richard Lee Byers in “Light and Dark.”

View some of the 23+ one minute story trailers on The Crimson Pact YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCrimsonPact) to learn more, and most importantly . . . watch your back, the demons are coming.

It's volume 2 of the Crimson Pact series of anthologies, which is scheduled to come out around the end of August. (Volume one is already out. See http://www.thecrimsonpact.com for details.) They even made trailers for our stories. Here's mine (plus an excerpt, below):

Exerpt from Karma:

We hit the interstate like an unguided missile. Needles of frozen rain and jagged blades of wind beat my face numb and turned what was left of my dress into a full-body ice-pack. Even with the heater on 'incinerate,' I couldn't stop shivering, but the outside air was all that kept me from gagging on the smell of my own puke and the rusty stench of blood, so the window stayed down. Between the black pavement and blacker sky, the air was wet and gray. It sucked the vitality from my headlamp beams well before their natural time, but that was okay. I wasn't paying much attention to the little they revealed anyway.

The man in the passenger's seat either didn't feel the cold or was too stoic to show discomfort. The dashboard glow turned his short white beard to green and deepened the age lines in his face. Gods, I'd loved that face growing up. It was my grandfather's face. But right then, I could barely look at it, because this wasn't my grandfather; just a sad, confused spirit wearing his body. And even though he was one of the good guys, that didn't mean it was easy to take.

"You're going to catch cold," Not-Grandpa shouted over the storm.

"I'm... what?"

Since last night I'd been shot at, whipped, and electrocuted. I'd watched a good man beheaded and disemboweled before my eyes, and learned things about myself, my family, and especially my past, that had already driven other people into padded-room territory. I was marinated in a vile concoction of blood and various other body fluids, quite a bit of it my own, and had spent the last however-many hours fighting horrors that should never have existed. In the middle of all that--because I'm an overachiever--I took time out to kill a man I loved.

And this guy was worried that I'd catch a fucking cold.

Once I started laughing, I couldn't stop. The kind of deep, full-body laughter that doubles you over and makes your stomach muscles ache for days afterward. The kind that shreds the lining of your throat and rises in pitch to rapid staccato squeaks, like sneakers on a hardwood floor. I held back the worst long enough to wrestle the car onto the shoulder, then let go. The laughter turned to howling, the howling into screams, the screams into sobs, and the sobs into a quiet whimper that finally, gods finally, tapered off, and I could breathe again, in great, ragged gulps. I wiped away a rope of snot hanging from my nose and sat hunched over with my eyes closed and my forehead against the steering wheel, shaking, while the rain pummeled my back with tiny, ice-cold fists.

In shock? Probably. Hysterical? Definitely. Look, I make sandwiches at my family's restaurant for a living, okay? Sandwiches.

Not-Grandpa waited until I quieted down before speaking. "I'm sorry," he said. It was the dozenth or so time he'd said it. The line of his mouth stayed hard, but his eyes and his voice were soft and broken. I believed him. Had to believe him.

"I know." I didn't mean for it to sound bitter. He'd saved my life, after all; he deserved better than that. I just didn't know if I could forgive him for not being who I wanted him to be.

#

A little too "in media res" for you? Yeah, me too.

So here are the vitals: My name is Karma Miranda Rodriguez. I'm twenty-three years old, five foot six, with brown eyes, light brown skin, and dark brown hair that I keep boy-short. I claim to be a size five, and I dare you to say otherwise. I like strawberry daiquiris, support equal rights for supernaturals, am indifferent toward long walks on the beach, and...

And oh, yeah—Apparently, I kill demons.

Okay, I am by no mean a "real" developer, but I made a .deb file for the latest Scrivener for Linux beta (2.9) from the latest tarball. This should install on 32-bit Ubuntu 11.04 (and Ubuntu-based distributions) with a double-click. See below for instructions for installing on 64-bit systems. See the "attachment" link at the bottom of this post to download.

(Since OS X is *nix-based, some have asked why it wasn't ported over from the Mac long ago. Easy--It was originally written in Cocoa, meaning that it had to be re-written from the ground up for Linux and Windows, which couldn't happen until the creator hooked up with the right Windows/Linux developer.)

For 64-bit systems:
sudo dpkg -i --force-architecture scrivener_0.2.9_beta.deb

Important: if you want spellcheck to work on 64-bit systems, before installing Scrivener, download getlibs from here http://frozenfox.freehostia.com/cappy/ and install it.
Once getlibs is installed, run the following commands:
getlibs -p libaspell-dev
and
getlibs -p  libaspell15

Either way, it should also make a launcher in the office section of your main menu, but you may have to edit the launcher to include the icon.

EDIT: While the .deb I built installed and works just fine on my 64-bit Ubuntu 10.10, some others have had problems with it. If that includes you, download the package built by JG Starsoupsky at http://www.handsomeplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/scrivener_0.2.4.... His deb should install via Ubuntu's software center for 32-bit systems, but to install it on a 64-bit you'll need to run the command:
sudo dpkg -i --foreign-architecture i386 scrivener_0.2.4_i386.deb

Download link at the bottom (or if you're reading this on LJ, go to my blog). This is the most recent Scrivener for Linux beta, which I've packaged into a .deb. Ubuntu (or similar) software center will now install it with a simple double-click, and it should work for both 32 and 64 bit systems. This beta will expire on June 30, 2011, by which time another will be available. See my post at http://robhamm.com/legacy/primary-categories/scrivener-linux-21-beta-dow... for details.

Of course, as usual, the .tgz, the Windows beta, or the long-running Mac version can be downloaded at http://www.literatureandlatte.com.

The spell-check doesn't work on this beta (at least on 64-bit systems), but that is probably a problem with my packaging.

Download the .deb at http://www.robhamm.com/temp/scrivener-beta_2.4_all.deb

First off, what is Scrivener and Scrivener for Windows and Linux? Only, IMNSHO, the best writing software ever developed. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I've never found anything that's worked as well for me. Formerly Mac-only, it is now nearing the end of the beta cycle for both Linux native and Windows versions.

Here I'll cover some features and tell you how to install and run the Linux native version from the attached .deb package, as well as providing links for the tgz, the Mac version, and the Windows version (which works quite well in Wine, by the way). The Linux version is (for now) distributed via tgz files, but community members like Randy Wallace and I have been putting together .deb files for easier installation on Debian-based distros like Ubuntu. As of this writing, this is the only place to get the latest .deb, but please feel free to share by any and every means possible. And no, I don't get a dime for pimping Scrivener out or building debs--This is just about sharing something awesome. read more »

EDITED on Jan 19, 2011: Amee has tentatively agreed to come back on board for Blue Crash Kit art duties, so barring unforeseen circumstances, we'll be posting new strips at some point. I have a lot on my plate right now, so it'll be a few weeks or so before she and I can really get into it deeply. Even then, considering all the false starts we've had, I intend to wait until we have a fairly large buffer of comics done before posting any of them.

For a while, every time I looked at this site I got discouraged because there was so much to do before I felt ready to post on it again. That, my friends, was an unacceptable situation. The changes have begun, but I've got a lot on my plate right now, so they're coming slowly.

To start with, BCK is now in its own sub-directory. And speaking of BCK... read more »

Disclaimer: I in no way wish to denigrate Ms. Fawcett, Mr. Jackson, nor the pain and anguish of their families, friends, and fans. I feel for them, and I wish them comfort. But let's get some perspective. read more »

My short story, The Cemetery Girl grew from a novel I've been working on (and mucho thanks to Lane, Kij, Erick, Nate, and Aaron for writing advice.) I had originally intended to intersperse modern day action (written in a tight third-person simple past tense) with little flashbacks from the protagonist's childhood (written in present-tense, and in a more literary style), but came to realize that they really should be separate stories.

While I, of course, won't post the entire thing--either the novel or the short story--here is the first scene from the short story version, which is out awaiting editorial judgment. read more »

I hear a lot of would-be fiction writers say they "don't believe" in studying writing. They fear that to do so will force them to write by some preset formula and destroy their "personal styles."

Nothing could be further from the truth. If you look at some of the greats--who have wildly divergent styles--you will find that they almost universally studied the craft. Not all of them took classes, but they still studied the craft in one way or another, even if mainly by reading works they admired and paying attention to what worked and didn't work for them. Until you begin studying the craft, you can't call yourself a serious writer any more than you could call yourself a neurosurgeon without going to medical school--Because no matter how talented you are, if you're serious about writing, you'll want to reach your full potential. read more »

(I have researched this, but I am not a lawyer. My references come from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (http://www.uspto.gov), but any interpretation of them by me is just that--my interpretation. I encourage you to, after reading this, do your own research.)

First--In most cases, the average webcomicer or other online content provider does not need a trademark. There is nothing wrong with having one, but read on to determine whether you need one and/or whether you need to register an existing one (the short answer to the registration question being no).

What to trademark
For most practical purposes, the bulk of the things a webcomicer is concerned about protecting are actually covered in a roundabout way under copyright law (covered in a separate article). Still, you may have some catch-phrases or other things you would like to tradmark, and it’s good to know a little something about trademarks in general. This article should help dispel some of the myths about what they are and what they do.

Trademarks (Huh! Good Gawd, ya'll)--What are they good for? (Don't worry if you don't get the reference.)
According to the USPTO, a trademark is, "a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others." (http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/trade_defin.htm)

Notice that phrase, "identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods..." Correlate that phrase with the information at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/appcontent.htm#basis, and you see that a trademark is, essentially, a way of ensuring that goods or services are indeed coming from where they look as though they're coming.

Trademarking something doesn't mean that no one can use it at all, though--Just not in such a way that it might confuse a customer about the source of the goods or services.

Here's an example of trademarking--Marvel and DC filed a joint trademark on the word, "superhero," in all it's forms. It was established in court that most people, when they think of superheroes, think of Marvel and DC. Does that mean you can't call your characters superheroes? Not at all!

Despite the huge outcry about the trademarking of the word, most of it was due to a misunderstanding. You can still legally use the term superhero in all its variations as much and as often as you want in your comic. You can have characters call themselves, and be called, superheroes, and have the narrator (if any) refer to them as such.

What you may not do is make the word a part of your title or subtitle, or use it in any other way that might lead a consumer to think that he or she is buying a product of DC, Marvel, or a company owned by either of them, or that they endorse your product.

You cannot, for example, sell a shirt with a picture of your character and the caption, "Chicago's number one super hero!" Nor could you market a cereal as "Superhero Flakes." Both of those would imply at the very least a licensing deal with DC and/or Marvel, and could give the impression that one or both of them endorse your product.

Here's another example. Say you've developed a distinctive logo for your site--which is your product. You've been using it for a couple of years now, and you've put the little TM thingie on it. One day Joe comes along and starts using it on his own site. Well, this could obviously confuse people about whose site they're at, so that's violation of your trademark. On the other hand, if Joe just shows one of his characters wearing a T-shirt with your logo on it, he's probably within the law.

Yet another example, many, many sprite comics are in violation of trademark law for using trademarked names in their titles, etc. For instance, a webcomic called, "Sonic and the Mario Brothers," could be found to violate trademark law, as it could be interpreted to imply a connection between the producers of the game and the comic.

One final example—I’ve spoken to a few people who were worried about using brand names in their comics and other fiction. In most cases you have nothing to worry about. Remember that the issue here is giving the impression that your work is somehow affiliated with, manufactured by, or endorsed by the owner of the trademark, so yes, it’s okay for your character to order a Coke and drink from a can with the Coca Cola label.

That’s good news, too. Who among us has time to come up with an entire world’s worth of company names, product names, and logos? Certainly not me, and probably not you. So yeah—Go ahead and have your characters accidentally level the local Taco Bell during a super-powered battle, drive a Jeep Cherokee, or order Glenlivet neat.

Now, just staying within the bounds of trademark law doesn't mean you are off the hook about everything. One place you could still run into trouble here would be if you started publishing nasty things about a company--even if you're not technically in violation of trademark law, and even if your defense id, "but it's fiction." For instance, if you need an evil corporation to try to take over the world, don’t use the name Microsoft, however close to reality you feel that may be. Don’t have your psycho killer poisoning the Gatoraid supply for the American Northwest. A little common sense here goes a long way. Imagine yourself the head of a major corporation and think about what kinds of portrayal of your company would get your dander up, and just how much time, money, and expense that you, if you were that CEO, would be willing to expend to put an end to it.

In other words, do not meddle with the reputations of big corporations with huge legal teams, for you are small and crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.

Trademarks--Do they have to be registered? (U.
Despite all the misinformation out there, the answer is no, so you can save your three hundred bucks.

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, "You can establish rights in a mark based on legitimate use of the mark." (http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/register.htm)

The site lists several advantages to registering a trademark with the federal government, but is unclear on what rights one has with an unregistered trademark.

The page seems to imply that one can take advantage of most of the rights of a registered trademark holder even if unregistered, but that being registered establishes your right to the mark beyond question--as in if you have to go to court, the issue of whether you own the trademark is already established, and all that is up for consideration is if it is being violated. If it has not been registered, you would presumably be required to prove that you have established rights to it. (I will get confirmation or denial of this and update this tutorial at that time.)

Basically, though, feel free to use the TM (trademark) wherever appropriate—The Trademark and Patent office is very clear about this. You may not, however, use the R mark unless you have registered your trademark.