I was reading an article about the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Harrison Ford, questioned about how he thinks the movie will be received by critics, mentioned he doesn’t read reviews, good or bad.

That got me thinking about reviews and how I feel about them. In particular, how I would feel about my own books being reviewed. In terms of the reviews I read, I find that positive reviews sometimes make me want to pick up a book or watch a movie that I might not otherwise have read or watched. But when it comes to negative reviews, I don’t think I’ve ever read one that made me stay away. I think it’s a bit like the little kid who is told the stove is hot but doesn’t really believe it until he touches it himself. If a book or a movie sucks, I need to experience it myself rather than have someone tell me.

Now, when it comes to my own books being reviewed one day, I don’t think I could go the Harrison Ford route and ignore them entirely. I’d be too damn curious to hear what people think. Having said that, I have a pretty thick skin, I write to amuse myself, not critics, and I think I could keep them all in perspective. The good reviews wouldn’t inflate my ego too much because my wife wouldn’t allow it, and the bad reviews wouldn’t get me down, at least not for very long, because I know it’s just one person’s opinion.

Of course, that’s all theoretical. We’ll see how I feel once it actually happens.

You know, assuming I write the book.

And find an agent.

And get them to sell it.

Then I’ll know.

• Currently reading: "The Heavy," by Cherie Priest

Received the editor’s notes for my story, “Camp Zombie,” that will be appearing this July in Broken Pencil. I went over the requested changes and sent out the updated story this evening. The edits were fairly minor, a couple of show-don’t-tell fixes, and a small change to the ending. All of which made the story even stronger. I think you’re really going to dig this one.

Now I must be off. Cry-Baby is on Bravo, and I freakin’ love that movie.

• Currently reading: "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road," by Joe R. Lansdale

This is a long weekend for us Canadians, called both the Victoria Day Long Weekend and the May Two-Four Weekend (two-four, as in a 24-case of beer). Kat and I are spending it at home, thank Christ, no trips, no family functions, just the two of us, some wine, some movies…

Kat is planning to paint the bedroom tomorrow, while I’ll be breaking in the new barbecue and the new lawnmower. And since I got the payment for “The Nanny” in the mail today, I think I might take my sugarpuss out for dinner.

Also, the editor-in-chief at Burning Effigy Press mentioned on her blog that she is catching up on horror submissions this weekend, which will hopefully include my novella, “Temporary Monsters.” Not a lot of markets out there for novellas, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this one.

• Currently reading: "Beginnings and Endings," by Michael Bryson

Guy Anthony De Marco posted a review of Cemetery Dance #58 on his blog and named “Inheritor” one of the notable stories. He said it provided “creepy gothic-esque chills.” Woo! Thanks, Guy!

Also, I can’t believe I actually found this on YouTube, here’s the opening scene of an old horror movie called The Appointment that I haven’t seen since I was a little kid. This opening scene scared me so badly and probably contributed greatly to my love/fear relationship with the woods. Check it out.

Oooh, scary stuff, kids.

Hey peeps, sorry I haven’t written very much here lately, particularly on the subject of writing. This journal has changed a lot over the years, and during that time it seems I’ve become less inclined to talk about all the behind-the-scenes action. Now that I’m working on a novel, I find I’m even more aware of what I want to talk about on this journal, and what I don’t want to talk about.

It’s not so much about keeping anything on the q.t., or any bullshite about a magician not wanting to reveal his secrets. It’s just that I feel some things are not really worth mentioning, whereas others are best kept to one’s self. Part of it is boredom. Let’s face it, it’s boring to watch someone writing a novel. I’m sorry, but it’s true. I’m having a blast, but I don’t expect others to sit and watch and marvel at what I’m doing. This is really about the end result. Watching a behind-the-scenes special on the making of a movie might be interesting, but there’s nothing entertaining about watching a guy sitting at his computer, getting up occasionally to put on a pot of coffee. Although I use to like my trusty word-meter, it eventually fell by the wayside. It went from in-progress metrics to my only post the final word count of completed stories, to not being used at all. I just don’t care anymore, and since I’ve never received a single complaint about its absence, I’m guessing no one else misses it either.

Likewise, I tend not to talk about the stories I’m currently working on, problems with plot, or pacing, or character motivation. I don’t want to spoil the story before people get a chance to read it, and while I’ve seen some writers get around that by being extremely vague — Today I had a problem with Character A, but then I thought about it for awhile and fixed it —I find that even less interesting. I understand what those writers are trying to do, but again it’s not something I’m interested in.

Having said that, I don’t want this journal to be a place where I don’t talk about writing, because my personal life isn’t that interesting, and quite frankly people are coming here because they know me as a writer, and to not talk about writing would be kind of dumb. On the other hand, I don’t want this place to be like some other writers’ websites that serve only to sell books. I definitely want to use this website to promote my work, but I don’t want to feel like I’m hawking steak knives or Amway products.

I think part of my malaise comes from the fact that in terms of my small press horror pursuits I really peaked with my story in Cemetery Dance. That’s really about the best a guy can do in this day and age in terms of publishing short horror fiction. There are other markets I’m still trying to crack, but that was definitely the big one, and now I find myself kind of bored with the entire small press scene. I still like writing short stories, and will continue to sell them wherever I can, but I’m more focused on novels right now, and I have no intention of publishing one with a small press (not until I’ve exhausted all other options, anyway).

I suppose the key is to balance all of these topics on my journal and, hopefully, give visitors the kind of experience that they want to have on a regular basis. I think even if I’m talking less about the business side of things, or rejections, or word-counts, I can still make this an entertaining place.

Speaking of things tangentially related to writing, Kat and I were supposed to go to Toronto yesterday to have Greek with some of my fellow Canadian writer peeps, but plans fell through and we ended up having Greek in Peterborough (good but not the same as having it on the Danforth) and then went to see Iron Man, which was as great as everyone has been saying (be sure to wait until the end of the credits).

Now I’m off to put together our new barbecue and lawnmower. Ahh, the life of the writer as a new homeowner.

• Currently reading: Perfect Skin, by Nick Earls

Elmore Leonard is one of my favourite writers, in part because of lines like this one:

He had gone by the book and purposely picked a sweet little June Allyson and discovered too late that when you take the girl next door into a different life she isn’t the girl next door anymore.

Simple but sweet.

• Currently reading: "The Old Country," by Ethan Coen

Just heard that The X-Files: I Want To Believe opens July 25th.

My wife and I recently watched the entire series on DVD and really enjoyed seeing it again, even the admittedly weaker, Mulder-less last season. So we’re pretty excited about this one. Still have to see Iron Man, too.

With other flicks coming out like The Dark Knight, The Strangers, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it’s shaping up to be a decent movie summer.

• Currently reading: "Reaching," by Paul G. Tremblay

Here’s my first LiveJournal survey. Hold onto your shorts.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A photo I took of autumn woods at Eels Lake.

Q. How many televisions do you have in your house?
Two.

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Ambidextrous.

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Not that I’m aware of. (Organ thieves, please don’t take that as an open invitation.)

Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted?
My neighbour’s recliner.

Q. Have you ever been knocked out?
Not yet, but my wife says it’s coming.

BULL*OLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
Probably not.

Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Ezra James Sharkington.

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
Blue.

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item?
Today?

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
Sure. I’m a struggling writer. I’d do a lot for $100.

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
No.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000
Probably not.

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
Sure, why not.

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
Yes.

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000?
My lawyer says I should refrain from answering this question.

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket?
Diddly.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
Still undecided.

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
Both.

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
Stand.

Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
None.

LASTOLOGY

Q: Last person who texted you?
No one. Don’t have any texting gadgetry.

Q: Last person who called you?
My dentist.

Q: Last person you hugged?
My wife.

FAVORITOLOGY

Q: Number?
7.

Q: Season?
Autumn.

Q: Color?
Blue.

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Missing someone?
Nope, she’s here.

Q: Mood?
Tired, somewhat anxious.

Q: Listening to?
“Nylon Smile,” by Portishead.

Q: Watching?
“Arrested Development.”

Q: Worrying about?
Money, my first novel.

Q: Wearing?
Jersey shirt, flannel comfy pants.

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning?
My office, to check e-mail, read blogs, etc.

Q: What can you not wait to do?
Finish my novel. Then sell it.

Q: Do you smile often?
Yes.

Q: Are you a friendly person?
I like to think so.

• Currently reading: Mr. Paradise, by Elmore Leonard