Two years ago, I wrote an outline for a Merlin novel. I sent it off to the editor handling the Merlin novels at Random House Childrens UK, and about six weeks later it came back with a very nice rejection letter. The editor liked the story, but they weren’t publishing original Merlin novels, just novelizationsContinue reading “On Making Merlin Plans”
Monthly Archives: September 2011
On This Autumn’s Anticipated Albums
In the next two months, there are five albums I’m looking forward to. Actually six, if you count the freebie disc cover-mounted on MOJO each month, but some people wouldn’t. 😉 Let’s take it from the top: New Blood — Peter Gabriel, October 10 Last year Peter Gabriel released a covers album, Scratch My Back.Continue reading “On This Autumn’s Anticipated Albums”
On American Briticisms
Ah, language. Slate weighed in on the Britishism invasion, charting the slow creep of British English into the American idiom. This is new? 🙂 To quote Sherlock Holmes, “My font of English has been permanently defiled.” I’ve been reading Doctor Who novels for years. I watch BBC America on a regular basis. I have shortcutsContinue reading “On American Briticisms”
On Seeing Elbow in Washington, DC
Thursday I went to DC to see Elbow. Elbow, as long-time Allynologists know, is the Mancunian band that I really groove to, and they’re a band that I push on all my friends. Despite being something of a big deal in the UK, the band has never broken the American market; they play festivals andContinue reading “On Seeing Elbow in Washington, DC”
On Zooey Deschanel’s “New Girl”
Last night I watched the first episode of Zooey Deschanel’s new television series, New Girl. I’ve been captivated by Zooey since I saw her in Almost Famous a decade ago where she portrayed Patrick Fugit’s rebellious older sister. While she is a fine musician (see the She & Him albums) and an actress capable ofContinue reading “On Zooey Deschanel’s “New Girl””
On New Doctor Who Christmas Special Announcements
The BBC has made some announcements about this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Special, starring Matt Smith. Filming began last week. The story will be set during World War II and its guest cast includes Claire Skinner, Bill Bailey, Alexander Armstrong, and Arabella Weir. Weir, by the way, played the Doctor in Big Finish’s audio playContinue reading “On New Doctor Who Christmas Special Announcements”
On George Harrison and “The Pirate Song”
It’s another International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and while I normally post a bootleg video of George Harrison’s performance of “The Pirate Song” on Eric Idle’s Rutland Weekend Television, this morning I found something far more interesting. A ukulele cover of “The Pirate Song”! Yes, the things that amuse me… This cover is byContinue reading “On George Harrison and “The Pirate Song””
More on Doctor Who Spin-Off Thinking
A couple of weeks ago, I mused on potential Doctor Who spin-offs. I’m not the only one. SyFy’s Blastr website yesterday posted an article on the five modern Who characters who deserve spin-off series: River Song Liz X Canton Everett Delaware III Sally Sparrow Martha Jones Let’s set aside the fact that the last twoContinue reading “More on Doctor Who Spin-Off Thinking”
On Student Loan Relief and the Potential for the American Economy
This morning, while checking some of the news and pundit websites I follow, I found a link to a chart at Mother Jones on student loan debt. To describe the charts in words, over the last decade, student loan debt in the United States has quintupled. Americans now owe more in student loans than theyContinue reading “On Student Loan Relief and the Potential for the American Economy”
On Peanuts Coffee Mugs and Rerun
I went to Big Lots today, not because I needed anything but because it was a lovely afternoon and I wanted to get out of the house and go for a drive. So across the reservoir I drove, and to Big Lots I went. I found myself looking at coffee pots. I had a veryContinue reading “On Peanuts Coffee Mugs and Rerun”