52 Novels. I counted them myself.

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2

Observations from Red Rocks, June 3, 2008
2008-06-04 15:07:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Saw the R.E.M. last night at Red Rocks . Great show. As always. People may not be buying R.E.M. records like they did in the 80s, but these geezers still know how to entertain a crowd for a couple of hours. The opening band was The Nation. I liked them better when ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Observations from Red Rocks, June 3, 2008 ", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/observa tions-from-red-rocks-june-3-2008/" });

The best television episode in the history of television episodes
2008-06-03 14:28:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. The Young Ones + Motörhead = (Awesome X 1000) I really miss this show. Copyright © 52 Novels, 2005 – ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "The best television episode in the history of television episodes", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/the-bes t-television-episode-in-the-history-of-te levision-episodes/" });
More About: Television , History , Episode , Episodes

Another reason my wife is awesome
2008-05-28 15:26:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Mrs. Novels and I were sitting through the coming attractions of IRON MAN on Sunday — viewing number two for me — and the one for THE DARK KNIGHT rolled last. She gasped (swooned?) when Aaron Eckhart appeared on screen the first time. Later, when the trailer flashed a scene of ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Another reason my wife is awesome", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/another -reason-my-wife-is-awesome/" });
More About: Wife , Awesome , Iron Man , Reason

My first mention in Kirkus Reviews
2008-05-28 15:19:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Seems I’ve backed my way in. Here’s a snippet of the review: FUZZY NAVEL In the beginning were the three murderous members of The Urban Hunting Club: Swanson, Munchel and Pessolano. Conceived by Swanson in righteous anger, TUHC has taken it upon itself to kill perverts. Rob Siders, who attacked Swanson’s beloved ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "My first mention in Kirkus Reviews ", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/my-firs t-mention-in-kirkus-reviews/" });

?I?m seriously flipping out right now?
2008-05-17 21:12:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. At seven o’clock this morning Mrs. Novels woke me from a dead sleep, a shout from the bathroom as she got ready for work. “Can you come take a look at this?” she asked. Half asleep — not in frog pajamas — I rolled my ass out of the sack. The bathroom’s ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "“I’m seriously flipping out right now”", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/im-seri ously-flipping-out-right-now/" });
More About: Flipping

Quoted for truth
2008-05-16 14:07:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Wil Wheaton dropped this nugget on his blog yesterday: … Sure, it’s great to have the convenience of buying and instantly downloading records and stuff, but the damn kids today who will grow up without ever setting foot in a record store or talking to a hardcore music geek who works ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Quoted for truth", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/quoted- for-truth/" });
More About: Truth

Buns and gutter vs. guns and butter
2008-05-14 15:02:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. A local Denver strip club (rhymes with motgun sillies) has been using its marquee advertising to entice people to bring in their stimulus checks for some good old fashioned stimulus of a different sort. A buddy and I mapped out the economic cycle it might spawn: Dudes bring in their checks, ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Buns and gutter vs. guns and butter", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/butts-a nd-gutter-vs.-guns-and-butter/" });
More About: Guns , Butter

In other news
2008-05-12 15:23:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. If you paid minimal attention to the YouTube post here a few weeks ago — and an ancient post at Elephino Creative — then you may have noticed a microtrend. If not (why would you?) I’ll spell it out: Mrs. Novels and I are trying to have a kid. In a month ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "In other news", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/in-othe r-news/" });
More About: News

It?s safe to say I?m stoked
2008-05-02 15:37:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. People who know me are well aware I’m ready for the first of this year’s summer Hollywood blockbusters. Since June of 1995, I’ve had this etched into my left leg: And speaking of comic book tattoos, here’s a guy who’s really dedicated. While I’m on the subject of comics, don’t forget about ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "It’s safe to say I’m stoked", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/its-saf e-to-say-im-stoked/" });
More About: Free Comic Book Day , Safe , War Machine

Memo to myself…
2008-04-22 15:18:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com.  Copyright © 52 Novels, 2005 – 2008. All rights reserved. Except when they're not. I'll let you know. Visit 52 Novels on the Web… ’cause that shit is tight, yo. Similar Posts:Fade to Blonde 3 ways to help a soldier More books to love Welcome to Denver. Here’s some cattle. Two parts to the writing game… ShareThis
More About: Memo

The Sunday Salon: Wanna win a book?
2008-04-20 16:23:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Free books are good. And Lynn Viehl agrees. That’s why she’s decided to grant a Book Wish. Just drop by her blog before midnight EST on April 21, 2008… leave a comment in this thread. Sometime after the deadline she’ll draw a name at random and the winner gets a book of their choice from any online retailer (up to $30 maximum). Copyright © 52 Novels, 2005 – 2008. All rights reserved. Except when they're not. I'll let you know. Visit 52 Novels on the Web… ’cause that shit is tight, yo. Similar Posts:On being prolific Win free stuff from Michael Connelly *cough*hack*cough* The gauntlet has been laid WIN FREE BOOKS from Simon Haynes ShareThis
More About: Sunday , Salon

bleep bloop beepety beepety? POOF!
2008-04-18 18:15:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. That’s what happened to my crusty, not-so-trusty desktop computer on Tuesday. Well, okay, maybe not exactly like that. I was at work when it went tits up, so the specifics of its ever so timely demise are unclear at press time. In fact, I didn’t know a thing about it ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "bleep bloop beepety beepety… POOF!", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/bleep-b loop-beepety-beepety...-poof/" });
More About: Writer , Bleep

The Sunday Salon Monday Edition: Where the hell have you been?
2008-04-07 15:17:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Every time I think about The Sunday Salon, Deb Hamel’s terrific group of reader blogs, I’m reminded of the bit in the movie Dances With Wolves when Timmons is driving John Dunbar out to his new post. Along the way Timmons and Dunbar come across a picked-clean human carcass — ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "The Sunday Salon Monday Edition : Where the hell have you been?", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/the-sun day-salon-monday-edition-where-the-hell-h ave-you-been/" });
More About: On Writing , Hell

Commenty goodness restored (mostly)
2008-04-07 02:30:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. This post’s title says it all. Intense Debate is installed and mostly functional. There might be some other funkiness while the kinks get ironed out. But all should be good enough for rock and roll. Copyright © 52 Novels, 2005 – 2008. All rights reserved. Except when they're not. I'll let you know. Visit 52 Novels on the Web… ’cause that shit is tight, yo. ShareThis
More About: Goodness

*cough*hack*cough*
2008-04-02 02:43:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Dusty in here. In the odd chance anyone’s feeling the need to comment here at 52 Novels… well, you can’t. At least not for an as yet undetermined amount of time. It’s not an April Fool’s joke. I’m trying Intense Debate and it’s causing some wonkiness. To troubleshoot the bug, the guys from Boulder need to take a look under the hood here. Meantime, hold that thought. Or e-mail me at rob at 52novels dot com and I’ll add the comment manually. Similar Posts:Sorry… this post is trés unique. Copyright © 52 Novels, 2005 – 2008. All rights reserved. Except when they're not. I'll let you know. Visit 52 Novels on the Web… ’cause that shit is tight, yo. ShareThis
More About: Hack , Cough

THE UNDEAD KAMA SUTRA and the best book trailer ever
2008-03-26 14:51:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com.  If you’re in Denver this week, go check out Mario Acevedo at Murder by the Book tonight (3/26/2008) at 5:30, or at Tattered Cover–Lodo tomorrow night (3/27/2008) at 7:30. Mario — whom I’ve written about before — is busy pimping touring for his latest book, THE UNDEAD KAMA SUTRA. If you’re not in Denver, you can see him in a city or town near you. Do the right things: buy the book, buy him a beer, and tell him Rob says “hello.” Similar Posts:Six on the brain #13 Hey Primus fans! Author events at The Tattered Cover Author events at Murder by the Book The Sunday Salon and the subtle art of sucking up Copyright © 52 Novels, 2005 – 2008. All rights reserved. Except when they're not. I'll let you know. Visit 52 Novels on the Web… ’cause that shit is tight, yo. ...
More About: Kama Sutra , Sutra

On being prolific
2008-03-19 14:17:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. A couple of things I noticed yesterday around the Intarwebs: First, Lynn Viehl of Paperback Writer posted her Novel Notebook template… including what a completed version looks like. In a nutshell, the book serves as her novel-writing blueprint and covers everything from cover art concepts to deep, deep character maps. She ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "On being prolific", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/on-bein g-prolific/" });

If I had an Indian name?
2008-03-15 16:20:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. It would be “Meme Hater.” I’m giving this one a pass because I like Greg Becerra, the man who possesses, um, Greg’s Brain. Good thing because I’m not sure anyone else could handle it. Have you seen some of the shit it produces? So here’s the thing… Look up page 123 in the ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "If I had an Indian  name…", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/if-i-ha d-an-indian-name.../" });

A Godin nugget?
2008-03-14 14:53:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com.  Persistence isn’t using the same tactics over and over. That’s just annoying. Persistence is having the same goal over and over. Link to source Similar Posts:Six ways writers can profit from THINK AND GROW RICH Two things about my free copy of Small is the New Big Six on the brain #7 I got some free stuff yesterday Another writer takes control ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "A Godin  nugget…", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/a-godin -nugget.../" });
More About: Seth Godin

How to find your voice, Part 3
2008-03-12 14:42:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com.  So far in this three-part series on “voice” we’ve talked about choosing your pronoun (I, you, he/she/it, we, they) and building rhythm. Now it’s time to really nail some Jello to the wall. Let’s take a look at the elusive characteristics of “style” and “attitude.” In fact, these traits are so tough to describe, I’m not even going to try. Instead, I’m going to show by example. Style Just as skirt lengths can be long or short (or somewhere in between), so too your writing style can range from formal to casual. Notice how a writer’s word choice and point of view will affect your perception of his or her style. Casual: “One of the popular girls came home with me after school one day, to spend the night. We found my parents rejoicing over the arrival of my dad’s new novel, the first copy off the press. We were all so thrilled and proud, and this girl seemed to think I...
More About: Voice , Find

It?s funny because it?s true
2008-03-09 19:20:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com.  And the irony isn’t lost on me… Similar Posts:I has a ass SHAME, by Alan Russell I say Bombay, you say Mumbai THE LAST SCORE, by Ellery Queen The most beautiful blog in the world ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "It’s funny because it’s true", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/its-fun ny-because-its-true/" });
More About: Funny , True , Wiley

How to find your voice, Part 2
2008-03-05 15:33:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Like music, writing has rhythm. Think of Shakespeare. He wrote his plays in iambic pentameter: Da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum. Okay, I know you’re not Shakespeare but you and your sales letter have rhythm too, whether you know it or not. The beat that exists behind your writing is a key part of what we call your writing voice. It makes your work unique and recognizable. It expresses your personality. It’s part of what makes you, you. Some lucky people are born with an ear for good rhythm. Just as “born musicians” know when to slow down and when to speed up, “born writers” instinctively understand how to play with the rhythm of their words. Others need to learn. Here are five strategies to help you do better: Vary your sentence length When I teach writing workshops, I urge people to aim for an average sentence length of about fourteen words. According to studies by the American Press Institute, this is ...
More About: Voice , Find

Darren went on holiday and all I got was a lousy guest post
2008-02-29 16:13:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com.  Welcome, everybody from ProBlogger. You’re probably here after reading my contribution to ProBlogger while Darren takes a little vaca with the fam. I hope you learned from the post and liked it well enough to drop by on the regular… maybe even become a subscriber to the 52 Novels feed. I realize there’s an About me page, but I figured I’d give you the nickel tour. I’m a writer here in Denver, and I read lots of books featuring guns and cops and criminals. I’m writing a crime novel — my second — and I won’t tell you what it’s about. I used to puke out reviews for the books I blow through. But I enjoy reading them more than I like writing about them, so I stopped doing that. Besides, there’re are people who do it who are much better at it than I. Instead, I shine the light on writing — the topic in general, as well as the pursuit — and I’m adding more stuff about...
More About: Holiday , Post

How to find your voice, Part 1
2008-02-28 14:46:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Remember the days before RSS feeds and everyone and their uncle distributed content or newsletters via e-mail? I do. You’re probably like me, and have long since unsubscribed to just about every single one. With the ease of content syndication, there’s really no need these days. In some ways, the e-mail newsletter feels, well, dated. But there is a single hold out in my e-mail in-box. It’s Daphne Gray-Grant’s Power Writing newsletter… I can’t live without it and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Each issue — delivered on Tuesdays — has something I can use. Or it reinforces something that I tend to sometimes forget. Even though her site and the newsletter’s geared toward corporate communication, she passes along awesome writing truisms that always give words — your words — a bit more than they had before. Plus, her columns are super short and I usually get through them in ...
More About: Voice , Find

Manhunter vs. Red Dragon
2008-02-27 15:22:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Within the last week or so, I’ve had the chance to see both Manhunter and Red Dragon … the two movie versions of Thomas Harris’s fantastic novel — also called RED DRAGON — that first introduced us to Hannibal Lecter. The debate over which is better seems to rage on — some twelve years after Manhunter and six years after Red Dragon — I figured I’d add my two pennies. My recent viewing of these movies came quite by accident. The week before last, the Sleuth Channel showed Manhunter — Michael Mann’s 1986 version. Then, a few days ago, the channel showed Red Dragon — Brett Ratner’s 1986 remake. Stumbling across them while flipping through channels was utter serendipity. I’d seen both movies before (Manhunter was a rental many years after the theatrical release; I saw Red Dragon in the theater the week it came out). But I’d never seen them this close together. It was a...

Once in a lifetime… probably
2008-02-23 17:54:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Just a few minutes from now I hope to be the owner of tickets to see The Police and Elvis Costello at Red Rocks. Denied. Similar Posts:Jeff Bezos’s folly? Upgrading to Wordpress 2.1 this weekend No time to write? Whatever. Whaddya get when a product of manufactured stardom attacks? Two ways the Stockdale Paradox can help us as writers Copyright © 52 Novels, 2005 – 2008. All rights reserved. Except when they're not. I'll let you know. Visit 52 Novels on the Web… ’cause that shit is tight, yo. ShareThis

Win free stuff from Michael Connelly
2008-02-21 16:51:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Did you read THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly ? Is it in your TBR pile right now? If you answered “yes” to either of those questions, then you might want to check out the contest the author’s having. Here’re the details: The Mickey Haller Trivia Contest Michael’s next book, THE BRASS VERDICT (due October 14, 2008), features Mickey Haller from THE LINCOLN LAWYER. So it is time to refresh your memory of this character with a little trivia contest. To be entered into the prize drawing you must answer all of the questions correctly. You may be entered into the prize drawing only once. Five winners will be randomly selected from all of the correct entries and will be notified via email. Each winner will receive a DARK SACRED NIGHT CD, a BLUE NEON NIGHT DVD, and a Michael Connelly T-shirt. The contest will run through March 28, 2008. The answers and winners’ names will be posted on March 29, 2008. Similar Posts:...
More About: Free Stuff , Free , Stuff

When do they have the time?
2008-02-19 15:39:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. Stop! Whatever you’re doing right now, stop doing it. I want you to take ten seconds and click the following two links: gtd getting things done You back? What did you notice? If you’re at all like me, you picked up on the fact that for “gtd” there were 5.67 million results. For “getting things ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "When do they have the time?", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/when-do -they-have-the-time/" });
More About: Time , Getting Things Done , The Time

How to beat writer?s block in 30 minutes
2008-02-18 19:02:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com. What happens when your muse has gone missing in action? Almost every writer goes through a period of writer’s block at some point. Frustration can take over, causing you to lose passion for your writing. The pain is real when you stare at the blank screen or page, willing yourself ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "How to beat writer’s block in 30 minutes", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/how-to- beat-writers-block-in-30-minutes/" });
More About: On Writing , Writer , Beat , Minutes , Block

More books to love
2008-02-18 18:17:00
Copyright © 52 Novels dot com.  Similar Posts:How to make friends on the Web (or “Here’s some gratuitous link love for others reading a book a week this year”) WIN FREE BOOKS from Simon Haynes Is this too sensitive? Are we too sensitive? Novel a week in 2006 Download another free e-book from JA Konrath ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "More books to love", url: "http://www.52novels.com/archives/more-bo oks-to-love/" });
More About: Books , Love