#DS91sttime: Season 4, Episode 5, “Indiscretion”

September 13, 2013 in #DS91sttime, General Topics

There are some actors and actresses that can pull your attention completely to the screen and hold it there. Mark Alaimo is one such actor, and in my book is not just one of the best performers in Deep Space Nine, but across the entire Trek universe as well. It’s the range of emotion he gives his character; the sense that Dukat is forever in conflict with the society he’s a part of–at once a willing participant and a victim of its savage power struggles and strange mores. He is a man of duplicity, as human as any of us beneath his alien skin. Read the rest of this entry →

#DS91sttime: Season 4, Episode 4, “Hippocratic Oath”

September 5, 2013 in #DS91sttime, General Topics

Season 4, Ep 4, "Hippocratic Oath"

Season 4, Ep 4, “Hippocratic Oath”

If I was in Starfleet, I’d get very nervous if ordered to fly off in a runabout to perform a planetary survey, or some other banal task. I’d definitely bring a phaser rifle or eight, and I’d also make sure the vessel sent constant updates from my galactic positioning system. These trips never end well.

I’d have to be on my toes, too, because runabout missions have rules, a la Scream. One of these is the danger of idle chatter. Don’t ever get into conversations about nothing, because if you do, something is going to show up.

Bashir and O’Brien are returning from just such a survey–and having just such a conversation–when they run into an odd sensor signal on a nearby planet, indicating a downed starship. Before they can gather more information, the runabout is lanced with a plasma field, causing it to crash land onto the planet’s surface, in what is a fairly solid effects sequence. Predictably, Bashir and O’Brien are fine, though both vow never to discuss Keiko O’Brien again. Read the rest of this entry →

My Experience with Apple’s Cover Requirements

August 31, 2013 in General Topics

I’m going to keep my emotions out of this, and simply be as transactional as possible regarding a situation that’s arisen between myself and Apple. Call it a warning, or a heads-up, or a complaint, or what have you.

I use Draft2Digital to publish my ebooks on iTunes\iBooks, because I’m not dropping $600 or whatever on a Mac–a ridiculous requirement, by the way. Draft2Digital is amazing. I’d love to name the person involved in D2D’s camp, because they were a jewel at helping me jockey with Apple, but I’ll refrain. In any event, I want to stress that D2D had nothing to do with the problem I’m about to relate.

Anyway, my covers run me anywhere from $25-$50 a piece. I use a contractor to do them, and I think they do a fine job. It matters if I have to get them replaced. Matters a lot. Matters to the tune of expense. This is a business. Costs aren’t invisible, and can’t be shrugged off. Read the rest of this entry →

Continue the Beacon Saga with Part IV, live now!

August 30, 2013 in General Topics, Slideshow Topic

beaconIV_300pxI’m thrilled to bring you Beacon – Part IV, the latest installment in the Beacon Saga. This one’s even longer than Part III, packing in sixteen thousand words of prose for your enjoyment. I do hope you like it. If you want to skip the rest of my sales pitch, just head right here to find links to the installment on your choice of platforms (with my thanks). And if you want to use one of the “like” or “share” buttons in this post, that would help, too. Remember, if you’re sitting on the sidelines, that you can grab Part I absolutely free (where available).

Still here? Then have a gander at the blurb:

They thought they were safe. Instead, they’re targets. Part IV of the Beacon Saga.

What should have been a triumphant homecoming becomes utter chaos. Abandoned by their friends, and assaulted by unknown forces, the scouts must play a dangerous cat and mouse game through Beacon’s mysterious third layer. They will uncover many secrets. But the most shocking will be what’s happened in orbit while they’ve been gone.

A serial installment of sixteen thousand words. Part V coming soon.

And yes, Part V will be coming soon. Then VI, then VII, and however many it takes until the Saga is wrapped-up. When I make a commitment to my readers, I stick with it.

Speaking of, none of this would be possible without those of you out there that are supporting me and spreading the word about my fiction. You really do make a difference, whether it’s leaving a review where you bought the book (which helps so much), or on Goodreads, or especially recommending my work to a friend, or what have you…every little thing you do makes ripples toward the success of this series. You rock.

Well, don’t let me keep you any longer. You’ve got a book to read. And remember, too–your honest feedback helps me improve, so whether you want to leave it on one of the vendor sites, Facebook, Twitter, or just email it to me–I would be honored to have it.

Stay tuned.

#DS91sttime: Season 4, Episode 3, “The Visitor”

August 28, 2013 in #DS91sttime, General Topics

Egad, am I stepping into it this time. I knew after I finished “The Visitor” that I was going to find myself in trouble.

See, I’ve some guidelines I stick to so that each review in this series is truly a virgin experience. One of these is that I make a point not to check out Memory Alpha, or Trek Core, or anywhere else for anyone’s opinions on an episode ahead of my viewing. I don’t want to know about the public’s derision or acclaim, because that small bit of dye dropped into the waters can color my perception.

I failed that guideline with this episode, because of a slip-up that happened well prior to my decision to even make this review series. Sometime back–maybe a few years ago–I googled the most popular Trek episodes of all time, and wound up staring down a list of the best Deep Space Nine episodes. And there was an image of Sisko, holding some old guy’s shoulders–that’s all I knew–and since the episode’s title was simple to remember, it stuck in my head.

Many regard “The Visitor” as the best episode in DS9’s entire run, and–checking Wikipedia after I watched–I saw quite a few viewers believe it is the best episode across the entire Trek universe. Wow. That’s overwhelming.

Overwhelming, too, was the pressure I think I placed on the episode before I watched it. I was ready to slingshot around the sun over this one. How could I not be impressed? So many people loved it, after all.

And yet, I’m left with a somewhat-contrarian review to write. Here comes the shuttle crash. Holofilm at eleven. Read the rest of this entry →