Wednesday, September 30, 2009

More Bio


And . . . since an author must always have more than one bio on hand (just in case the publisher needs something else) here's another humble approach to the proverbial question: What does an author write about himself?

Todd Outcalt is, without doubt, the Biggest Loser. He has written twenty books, none of which have turned a profit, and most of his books are no longer available accept in used stores like Half-Priced Books. He has lost in many ways. In 1985 he lost his virginity to Becky. This was a year and a half into their marriage, and since then, Todd has had whoopie some twenty-five times with this woman. This has resulted in two run-of-the-mill kids and a promissory note from his peri-menopausal wife who often asks, "Is it hot in here, or are you making me feel that way?" He has also lost at backgammon, chess, and nearly every conceivable sporting event, including ring-toss. Todd has also lost forty-percent of his pension, and he frequently loses bets to the dog. He once lost forty pounds preparing for a bodybuilding competition, but gained this weight back in one week eating glazed donuts after his last place finish. He continues to write on a fifteen year-old-computer that frequently belches fire and he would love to complete at least one more book on it before it explodes. He is available for speaking engagements on Handling a Losing Streak, Are You at Loser, Too?, and Your Loser Inside . . . Ten Steps to Discover What You Can't Be.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Author Bio


In the past month, I've been asked to submit three author bios to various writing projects: two books and a magazine article. I'm always stumped by these requests. What, after all, does one, or should one, say about one's self? How does a writer tell the truth without coming off as self-serving or self-glorifying?

Well, I think I've hit upon a solution. Here's a bio I'm toying with. Maybe this one will be more accurate, actually, than the others floating around out there. It's totally honest . . . without being self-serving.

Todd Outcalt is your proverbial loser. In 1968 he lost his 2000-count baseball card collection in an ill-fated trade for a plastic horse. In 1975 he lost a basketball game for, at that time, his undefeated 20-0 freshman team when he mishandled an out-of-bounds pass. In 1979 he fouled out of his final basketball game as a high school senior and once again found his ass attached to a hard pine bench. In 1984, Mr. Outcalt received an "F" on a paper along with a red-pencil note that read: "You can't write!" However, since 1998, Mr. Outcalt has published 20 books in ten years, all but one without the assistance of a smart-ass agent. He has also published numerous magazine articles, columns and corn-on-the-cob recipes (but he's not bragging). Additionally, he's been the recipient of two writing awards, which have since been taken away from him because Beyonce had one of the best writing awards of all-time! He is married to the loser, Rebecca, his wife of twenty-five years. They own four junk cars which they keep running with bailing wire and duct tape. They have two loser children who each own one of two loser pets. Within the next five years, one or both of these animals will be euthanized. Mr. Outcalt's losing streak actually began in 1973, when, at the age of 13, he lost his marbles to Jimmy Southwood.


Monday, September 28, 2009

My Facebook Friends


I've been on Facebook for about three months now and I've finally hit the 100 "Friend" mark. This is not difficult, as I accept anyone as a friend.

However, I never know what to write on Facebook. What do I say?

Here are few of my Facebook profile entries I have NOT WRITTEN . . . so I publish them here for the first time.

Not published on August 27: "Do any other of my friends shave with a Gillette Siete . . . the razor with the seven blades? (Men responses only please.)"

Not published on Sept. 14: "Do any of my friends practice ventriloquism while you are in the shower? (Men responses only please.)"

Not published on Sept. 20: "What's the difference between a Facebook entry and a blog entry? (Anyone.)"

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Blogging Bloggers


I'm tired . . . but I've been up late the last few nights trying to blog the bloggers. Or, to be more exact, I've been trying to convince bloggers to link my blog to their blog. I've been trying to give my blog a higher profile by linking to other blogs. And on and on it goes . . . .

I have no idea what I'm doing.

I wonder . . . is there a blogging service . . . some business that one can hire to blog other bloggers, make these links, get this groove on?

Anybody out there, other than my wife, wanna blog with me?

Friday, September 25, 2009

Advertising

(My driveway . . . coming very soon)



Recently I had a thought . . . I could write advertising copy or, rather, sell advertising by painting it on my cars. I could make it part of the "cash for clunkers" deal.

On the news this morning I heard someone say that the cash for clunkers didn't work because 85% of Americans do not have a clunker car that qualified. Obviously, these census-takers have not been to my house. I have four absolute pieces of crap sitting in my driveway. I know they would qualify because, on any given day one of them may not turn over, or may break down along the side of the road, or have a flat, or just stall while driving down the interstate. All of these things have happened in the past month. It's fun driving an Outcalt car.



So . . . why not make a little money on the side? Got a slogan you'd like to see as a traveling billboard? I'll paint it on the van: "Seniors Eat Free on Tuesdays at Elegance". That would fit nicely along the side of our 2001 Ford "Dungheap" Van. Or how about: "Got Hot Wings?" I could paint that on the tailgate of our 1993 Chevy 4X4 "Craphole" Pickup. Or how about: "Lowes" or "Kohls" or "KMart"? Any of those I could handpaint on the side panels of my 1991 Caprice "Black hole of Calcutta" wagon.


Believe me . . . it pays to advertise. Call BR-549 to check on my rates. I'm very reasonable and I can write anything!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Writing Science Fiction


I've been making my way (slowly) through the massive missal, The Year's Best Science Fiction, 26th annual edition, edited by Garner Dozois. I have a shelf full of these babies, dating all the way back to the 16th annual edition (guess I'll have to find the first 15 in a used bookstore).

Many people may not know that I have written quite a bit of science fiction myself over the past five years or so . . . and published a fair number of stories, too. A couple of years ago I placed a short story entitled, "Passover" in the little magazine, Alpha Centauri, and three years ago Amazon accepted one of my short stories, "The Word Master" as an Amazon short publication. Three of my best science fiction stories, "The Sea and All That Is In It", "Triple's Blog" and "Sentience" have made the rounds through most of the major markets, and now I'm saving them for a collection that I hope to have in a few years.

Science Fiction is one of the genres I write late, late at night (when I'm between major projects) or early, early in the morning, when my brain is fried and I'm hopped up on Starbucks Verona and begin to combine elements of my Sunday sermon with bizarre thoughts about the last dolphin on earth ("The Sea and All That Is in It") or a guy who lives in a future age when conversation, and not sex, is the commodity men purchase from prostitutes ("Triple's Blog") or a future age when people live for centuries and a lawyer is someone who handles cases to decide if other life forms are sentient beings, or not ("Sentience").

Yeah, I write this stuff. I think it up. All flows out of my little brain. And I write hundreds of other pages, too. In fact, just writing this blog is giving me more ideas. Lots more. Might be a very late night! Perhaps a story about an artist who paints the moon? Or how about a story about a priest who, in some future age, is the last remaining in his order, and must hear the confessions of the entire planet? Or how about a story about an average guy who writes himself to death, only to discover that he is resurrected through the pages of a book?

Could happen. Could.

Potato Peel Pie


A few days back I began reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The book came highly recommended from several women I know, and has been on the NY Times bestseller list for months.

Still, I guess it's a woman's book, because I just couldn't get past the first fifty pages. And when I can't get past the first fifty, I give up. So I shelved it.

I'm not downplaying Ms. Shaffer and Ms. Barrows and their accomplishment of writing a novel through a series of letters, but I just couldn't get into it. I hear it's good at the end, but please, ladies, give me something more exciting than potato peel pie to get me there.

And while we're talking about it . . . what the heck is potato peel pie, anyway?