Visitor update

I thought you might be curious to know who else been reading my blog lately, so here's another visitor update. Bear in mind that the free version of Stat Counter only counts the last 500 visits (correction: the last 500 hits, and most visitors are responsible for more than one hit. Thus the relatively small number of dots on the map). So you're not seeing, for instance, the two or three folks from New Zealand who've dropped by in recent weeks, the Alaskan, the Israeli, or the South African (Yes! Now I've had visitors from six of the seven continents!). Also, you can't tell just how fervent some of my visitors have been. For instance, I seem to have a true kindred spirit in London; though I've never actually heard from him or her. Anyway, whoever you are, your presence is much appreciated. As is everyone else's. :-)

Art Appreciation 102

If you followed the link in last Saturday's entry to Sci Fi Wire's page of Halloween costumes, you've already seen the image at left here. The author of the article on the SFW page wondered "how she made the tail." Well, dingbat (the SFW author, not you ;-)), "she" didn't "make" the tail. This isn't a costume; it's a painting by an artist named Chio Maisriml, whose work can be found in a subsection of the Beesign website. I've been enjoying his stuff for years now. Here are just a few of my favorites:






For larger versions of these pictures and many, many more along similar lines (including one with an alienized Susan Wayland), just follow the link above. Oh, and by the way, don't be worried that the site is mostly in German; even if you don't speak the language, all you really need to know is "Galerie," which is pretty self explanatory.

Sadly, this isn't the first time a Beesign pic has been taken out of context and/or abused. The pic at left was my first introduction to this artist. I found it on some latex site or other (I'm sorry now that I didn't bookmark it because I can't find it again, and this particular pic isn't on the Beesign website) with the logo attached, just as you see here. Then I rediscovered it on the Hypnopics Collective with the logo removed, some random text added, and the asshole who posted it claiming it as his own work. I dashed off a quick, angry correction in the "comments" section; but the thing had already been up for a year by the time I got there, so I doubt anyone's dropped in on it lately to learn the truth. Oh, well. You and I know, don't we?

My deepest apologies

...to the sumptuous Kate Winslet for not raving about her on this blog before today. Believe me, I've raved about her many times in other venues. To me, this lady is absolute perfection in any of the various sizes and shapes she's adopted through the years, and I love her soul every bit as much as her body. This is the kind of woman I could marry...and just in case you were wondering, my beloved feels exactly the same. I think we'd make a delightful threesome. ;-)

Anyway, I found this lovely Barbarella-esque pic on the Vanity Fair website today (I won't tell you where I got the link for fear of lowering your opinion of me ;-P) and just felt the overwhelming need to share. VF has a ten-image slide show of Kate Winslet images, but IMO this one is by far the best. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Um, I think these people are knocking on the wrong door

Everyone expects a certain amount of spam, right? But when your e-mail address is only posted on X-rated websites, should you really expect spam from a Christian dating service??? That's what I've been getting lately, over and over again.

I can't help wondering how they'd react if I actually signed on with them: "lesbian and proud member of the Religious Left with several kinky fetishes seeking same." Maybe I'd even post that Sorayama gynoid pic as my personal photo. Do you think they'd be more anxious to a) purge their records of my merest blasphemous touch or b) evangelize my poor, benighted soul and help me realize that homosexuality really is a lifestyle choice?

*sigh of relief*

I'll admit to being a bit worried when the new update showed up on the EMCSA and my revised versions of Solitaire and A Tenpack of Trixies weren't included. Fortunately, they're up now. I guess Simon just had so much on his plate this week that he had to do the update in pieces.

So anyway, for those of you who didn't like the thought of downloading the RTF previews, the long wait is over. ;-P "Solitaire" is about 95% what it was before, though I am quite pleased with at least one new turn of phrase. On the other hand, I think "Tenpack" 2.0 is a significant improvement over the original, especially in two crucial explanatory passages that I don't think were clear enough the first time around. I hope you'll enjoy both stories.

As for me, when I haven't turning and returning to the EMCSA in search of my updates, I've been continuing my research into Irish fairy lore. My plan for (working title) "Ethna Redux" is to stick as close to the original script as possible, but at the same time give you "the rest of the story" as I prefer to imagine it. And we all know what that means, don't we...or do we? I might surprise you this time. I might surprise myself. To be honest, I'm not 100% where this one is going yet.

And for my next trick...

Just thought you all might like a little heads-up about my next story. Recently, a certain shadowy friend pointed me toward this old Irish legend, and it immediately set my cogwheels churning. I'm a long way from actually writing anything down yet, but I have begun the necessary research and cogitation. So while you're waiting, here's a little question to set your own gears in motion: weren't those mysterious voices that helped Ethna's husband in the legend just a wee bit too convenient?

Slightly tardy Halloween goodness

Saturday's blog entry was going to be about my next story, but then I got this link in my e-mail box and had to share. Sci Fi Wire offers several sexy suggestions for Halloween partygoers, including the following. Click the link above above for bigger versions of these pics and several others, as well.



And, of course, this post offers me the perfect opportunity to finally share this, which I secreted on my hard drive several weeks ago because you just never know when something is going to come in handy:



Look for a post about my next story tomorrow.