Burning Update Experience: Clearing Out the Bullpen

My browser has a folder labeled "BZE Bullpen." This is where I keep all the links I want to eventually pass on to you. Well, the BZE Bullpen is too damned full, and it's time to pass those links that can be passed on without lengthy comment (that is, an entire post), all at once, so I can finally be free of them.

Here goes nothing.

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Check out this horrifying new bastardization of our art: personalized teen books. Actually, I'm probably being unfair here. I had a book like that when I was younger, and I cherished it for years. I think my dad made it with the printer at home and had it bound somewhere. My imaginary friends were even in it!

I think I was seven at the time.

Enough said.

Oh, I guess if it gets kids reading it's all to the good. I guess.

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Also in the world of vague outrage, if you want to buy anything from Peter S. Beagle do it from here. Apparently some kind of publishing SNAFU means that he isn't getting money from some of his work published through other channels. And besides, authors almost always make more money when they sell their stuff directly, and we all want Mr. Beagle to be rich, don't we?

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In more awesome news, check out this (in no particular order): 

• Summer camps that emulate Camp Halfblood from Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Damnit, where were the camps like that when I as a kid?
• The Other Side blog muses about using experience points to get gamerlings to practice their writing skills. As a gamer, a teacher, and a one-day-to-be-dad, I approve of this tactic.
• Tongue in cheek (in heel?) GURPS rules for high heels.
• Black Gate's Goth Chick has higher hopes for the American remake of Let The Right One In (which I saw recently, and loved) than I do.
• This new offering from game designer John Wick looks awesome.
• This short story that recently aired on PodCastle was awesome.
• As was this story from EscapePod. More importantly, Steve's send-off at the end was... well... that's how I try to live my life. Beautiful. Thanks, Steve.
• And this story from the Drabblecast.
• This Deviant Artist has created some fascinating and clever anatomical diagrams of imaginary creatures. It tickled my fancy, and might tickle yours. Warning: I think some of those images aren't 100% safe for work.
• J.J. Abrams is making a movie of Boilerplate! Steampunk awesome ftw!
• And finally, if you're ever personally responsible for personally managing our first contact with an alien species, well... check it out.

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That just about does it. The BZE Bullpen is now a little slimmer, and everything that doesn't really demand a longer post is cleaned out. Enjoy the links.

And last but not least, I'll be going to the podcaster pub night this Thursday (August 5th) to meet Chris Lester, Abigail Hilton, J. Daniel Sawyer, and Kitty Nic'Iaian. Well, actually just Chris Lester and Abigail Hilton. I mean, I'm going to meat Sawyer and Nic'Iaian, but I've never read their works and don't know them from trolls. That'll probably change after the pub night.

Anyway, you should go, too, to also meet these wonderful people who make podcasts. Not to meet me, though. If anyone there has heard of little old blog-writing me - except Abigail Hilton, whose written a guest post here - I'll probably pass out from shock. The event details are here, on the Metamor City blog.

That's it for now. Burn on.