Random thoughts...

[TacomaDiver]

I'm heading to California for a memorial for my mom at the end of the month. We're going to drive again because it's easier and cheaper than flying. My "new" car will now have driven through 19 different states ones this trip is completed. We'll seeing some beautiful scenery when we visit my home town in the Sierra Nevadas.Â

To get ready for those mountain landscapes, I did some research on landscape photography and bought myself a very nice used wide-angle camera lens. That research also sent me down the rabbit hole of astrophotography which I want to do so badly. But now it makes me want a new camera, but I need to use the one I have first before I go and start buying new ones.Â

Fingers crossed I can get some nice shots.

I will never claim to be a photographer, or even claim that I have the slightest idea of what I'm doing. In my mind I'm taking gorgeous OMG shots, but then I look at them on the computer and realize I'm utterly clueless when it comes to pictures.

However, I did take a look at a few shots, and did some minor editing (it's actually kind of fun messing around in Lightroom if I'm honest,) and wanted to share a couple of the first shots I edited.

lp_cactus copy.jpg
This first one is actually a composite of a handful of other pictures. Focus stacking is kind of a neat trick that I wish I had a better understanding of
when I began actually taking the pictures.

This second shot is of a tree in the area where we laid my mom to rest. Mostly just experimenting with settings in Lightroom; I'm particularly fond
of the fact I was able to edit out someone in the background with a few passes of my mouse cursor. That's really slick.
lp_tree copy.jpg

[RonClinton]

Holy crap am I jealous! I've always wanted to visit each of those bookstores and hope to do so one day...Â

Every one was a very special and memorable experience...hopefully I'll see each one again someday (Powell's, definitely, as I live somewhat nearby so visit it at least once a year).

[sholloman81]

I was excited to visit the famous Poisoned Pen bookstore a short while ago:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...CUeUjfN8huHsPw

Holy crap am I jealous!  I've always wanted to visit each of those bookstores and hope to do so one day... 

[RonClinton]

Just found out that Phillip Fracassi is doing an event/signing at my local bookstore in July, The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale AZ. Am so excited and just put in for some afternoon PTO so that I can attend.

I was excited to visit the famous Poisoned Pen bookstore a short while ago:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...CUeUjfN8huHsPw

[Sock Monkey]

Just found out that Phillip Fracassi is doing an event/signing at my local bookstore in July, The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale AZ. Am so excited and just put in for some afternoon PTO so that I can attend.

That's awesome!

[sholloman81]

Just found out that Phillip Fracassi is doing an event/signing at my local bookstore in July, The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale AZ. Am so excited and just put in for some afternoon PTO so that I can attend.

[Ben Staad]

Received my copy as well. I was very happy with the purchase. My only comment is that the font size is a little small for me but overall it's a nice edition at the price point.

Just received my LE of Kristopher Triana's "The Prettiest Girl in the Grave". Ordered this one directly from his website and wasn't sure what to expect; however, I'm pleasantly surprised. It cost $45. Had a feeling that it might end up being a case laminate book; however, this one does in fact have a dust jacket. Also has a signature sheet, and the author threw in other personalized goodies such as stickers, bookmarks, and a Halloween charm bracelet. Other than that, it is pretty basic. That being said, per the author's website, this will be the only hardback version of this title; so, I'm still very glad to have snagged a copy as Triana is fast becoming one of my favorite Horror authors!

[sholloman81]

Just received my LE of Kristopher Triana's "The Prettiest Girl in the Grave". Ordered this one directly from his website and wasn't sure what to expect; however, I'm pleasantly surprised. It cost $45. Had a feeling that it might end up being a case laminate book; however, this one does in fact have a dust jacket. Also has a signature sheet, and the author threw in other personalized goodies such as stickers, bookmarks, and a Halloween charm bracelet. Other than that, it is pretty basic. That being said, per the author's website, this will be the only hardback version of this title; so, I'm still very glad to have snagged a copy as Triana is fast becoming one of my favorite Horror authors!

[jamhorbert]

But isn't the world going to end in 2012?

Or maybe just the Mayan view of the world...

A question for the CD folk about signature sheets. I assume (and correct me if i am wrong) that part of any contract with an author and any artists that are associated with a project is the timely submission or return of all the pieces and parts related to that project. That would include signature sheets. If this is indeed part of a contract, then why are there cases like Strange Weather where your production page states that one of the artists has had the sig sheets in their possessions for over a YEAR! I understand that life and work sometimes gets in the way, but what about responsibility and the honoring of written agreements? And if this is not the case, that this is not part of any standard contract, why isn’t it? Perhaps it is easier to just not rock the boat, but people like that are making you guys look bad.

Thanks!

[jeffingoff]

I think the problem with authors or contributors not contributing is probably due to the passion for the project getting ahead of the business of books. For example, selling a book that's not even written yet. I'd imagine those types of delays wouldn't happen at a bigger, more structured place. But this is a small, indie, home-brew place and what has built the company is passion for horror and a "let's go!" attitude that puts ideas too far ahead of reality at times. It is super shitty for anyone agreeing to a project to then not deliver on their promise. The downside at the intersection of art and commerce.

[swintek]

Dark Harvest was my entry point, but CD was the almost-immediate followup, so I have a LOT of warm feelings and goodwill built up around their legacy. Perhaps that’s what makes some of the recent issues so frustrating, the negative impact it’s understandably been having in the eyes of some on that legacy. But of course I get it. For me, though, I just hope for the best for the company and that they continue to work on turning things around. But even if things ultimately don’t turn out that way, they have a (thus far) 35-year history that deserves a heckuva lot of respect…not too many small presses out there that can lay claim to that kind of enduring industry impact.

+1 Well said, Ron. I whole-heartedly concur.

[TacomaDiver]

Don't know if there are any other Kristopher Triana fans here on the forum, but I am a huge fan and wanted to mention that Triana just posted the pre-order link on his website for the limited edition of his upcoming book, The Prettiest Gilr in the Grave. It does state that it will be limited to only 150 copies & will be the only hardback version; so, you may want to order asap as I expect it to sell out quickly. It also comes with a bunch of bonus trinkets and should ship late May. I placed my order!

Here's the link if you had trouble like I did figuring out where the news was (it's in the shop, and not the news part of the site)

https://www.trianahorror.com/product...igned-hardback

[sholloman81]

Don't know if there are any other Kristopher Triana fans here on the forum, but I am a huge fan and wanted to mention that Triana just posted the pre-order link on his website for the limited edition of his upcoming book, The Prettiest Gilr in the Grave. It does state that it will be limited to only 150 copies & will be the only hardback version; so, you may want to order asap as I expect it to sell out quickly. It also comes with a bunch of bonus trinkets and should ship late May. I placed my order!

[Sock Monkey]

Testing a theory - the little As with hats - are they only showing when I type a doublespace at the end of a sentence? Which by the way, is the way I learned how to type. That's a really hard habit to break.

ETA: I may be onto something. One space after a period, no weird characters.ÂÂ But if I doublespace, there's the little A.

Huh. I double-space after my periods as well, but don't have the weird "A" character show up on my posts when I do it on my desktop computer.

[TacomaDiver]

Testing a theory - the little As with hats - are they only showing when I type a doublespace at the end of a sentence? Which by the way, is the way I learned how to type. That's a really hard habit to break.

ETA: I may be onto something. One space after a period, no weird characters.  But if I doublespace, there's the little A.