The thing about Vegas is that it’s not just one night; an eternity can pass between sunset and sunrise. I cannot tell say certainty that what I’m about to tell you is fact. I can only affirm it happened and let it serve as a warning to others who are foolish enough to venture into the night.
Seductive shimmering stars of neon light, up and down the boulevard drawing people into the boisterous opened mouthed casinos. Play Here, Win Big. Bewitching girls hint at untold hedonism to all who enter. The song of the slots a siren’s call, the scintillating color attracts the eye, a paradise or hell dependent on the roll of a single dice. Once inside, one of the menagerie of sensory stimulation a path twists through the vastness, never does it pass an exit.
Stale cigarette smoke permeates the low coin tables while the sweet cherry aroma of pipe tobacco separates the high limit tables. Angels in heels without wings rush by with plastic smiles, bringing nectars from the Gods to the brave seated at the tables. Large enforcers in suits watch over the room handpicking the visitors that will elevate to heaven or plunge down into the rings of hell.
Time does not pass here once you enter. No clocks to tick, no digital display, no windows to let you know the sun has risen to burn away your sins. Time passes differently in these walls than in the real world.
The masses that come here begging to have their everyday lives suspended for a few meager hours, will risk everything for the smallest of wins. Where else do people come and pay for the privilege of experiencing death, night after night, in all its stages. After the first big loss there is denial, the feeling of being alone and taken advantage of. Another roll of the dice brings on the anger at one’s self and the casino for tricking them into playing and losing. Another inferior hand and its time to make a deal with the Powers That Be. Another bad beat leads to depression and misery. Another pathetic hand and acceptance sinks in, with the idea to acquire more capital. But, in Vegas the final stage of death does not come, only the sun returns to save you from yourself.
In the night anything can happen, rising to the status of a God or sinking down to hell or falling further down where even the gut snakes and degenerates can no longer find you. If you’re lucky enough for the sun to rise and you are given a second chance, flee. Pack your bags and run because if night falls again you will never escape.
Category Archives: writing
Near Death in the Neon City
Filed under Art, Entertainment, writing
UNM’s Writer’s Conference
Despite protest in downtown and Nob Hill, and a helicopter falling on UNMH causing the shut down the entire campus Saturday morning, the 2014 UNM Writer’s conference kicked off right on time. Due to power issues the conference, that was scheduled to be at the sub on campus, was moved to the continuing education buildings. The conference open with Anne Hillerman, daughter of Tony Hillerman, as the keynote speaker. She spoke fondly of her father and his passion for writing and of her own. She shared some of her strategies for writing and share excerpts from her new book Spider Woman’s Daughter.
A panel discussion followed with agents and editors from New York answer crowd questions about the business of writing and publishing. Information flew from start to finish about how to write. Jason’s Deli followed the panel discussion with a catered lunch. The dining hall was lively with chatting and people browsing the shopping, book so f course on writing books.
After lunch the classes began. The set up allowed you to choose from three option for the first hour-long workshop and then two choices for the second and third hours of the workshop. It was also time for the editors and the agents to field pitches from the participant. There is nothing as nerve-racking as trying to sell a total stranger on your idea in 10 minutes. It went surprisingly well without anyone passing out or hyperventilating.
The annual event is something that anyone interested in possibly publishing a piece of writing should attend the knowledge to be gained in the first half of the day alone is mind blowing. The classes are icing on the cake of how to start your new career.
Filed under Albuquerque, Entertainment, writing
Poor Peoples Flowers Irene Blea
By Winter Flack
Irene Blea, New Mexico native who earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado Boulder, has released her second novel in the Suzanna series set in 1920’s New Mexico, “Poor Peoples’ Flowers”. The novel picks up with Suzanna, now an adult, husband returning after a two year absent. Suzanna runs away from her life and leaves her children behind in hope of finding a better life. Violence and loneliness permeates life for women in Northern New Mexico, with few options and even fewer ways to escape. The church was the only place to turn for help in those days, for anyone.
The language is authentic and beautifully crafted to fit the times. The description breathes life into the New Mexican countryside. The characters are richly emotional with diverse issues of their own. A Humanities scholar, Blea takes an in-depth look at what drives to make the sometimes-horrible decisions they have to make, and the guilt that comes with life choices. This novel is more then just a look into the past, it’s a message of why society needs the changes that were brought and we need to fight to keep improving the conditions people live in.
An emotionally raw look at abuse that until so recently was considered normal this profound novel will make you re-evaluate your life and that of those around you.
Read more at New Mexico Entertainment Magazine
Filed under Albuquerque, Art, Entertainment, writing
Critique Groups
So I decided to take the next step in being a better writer. Well, ok, not exactly. My husband has been writing a screenplay since before we met, a short. I started dragging him with me to my writer’s group and introduced him to some other screenplay writers. He decided to join their critique group. You are probably wondering why this should make any difference to my writing, but I’m getting to that.
He is being critique tonight so I’m tagging along. I’ve have never been to a critique group before. I rely mostly on my friends who read the genre that I write in. You may think I’m being a wuss but when pushed my friends can be just has biting and critical as anybody else. Sometimes more so, or that might just be my take on it.
First thing I can tell you about critique groups is that they look a lot like any meeting where people are going to talk about their addiction. There is plenty of caffeine and sugar available everywhere you turn. You can tell who is on the chopping block for the evening because of the pale deer in headlights look on their faces.
At the sound of the bell everyone gathers around the table. Critics are given 2-5 minutes, timed, to state what they like and what they didn’t like. They make it around the circle quickly with no response from the person whose screenplay it is. After everyone states what he or she have to say there is a 10 minutes discussion period before they move on to the next victim.
I have to say it wasn’t has painful as I was expecting. There were a lot of great ideas kicked around the table. It’s truly amazing to see a group of people sharing the knowledge of something they love. A critique group has it’s upsides by my little group of friends might kill me if I didn’t let them read it first.
Filed under Albuquerque, writing
George R R Martin
By Winter Flack & Teresa Ewers
Many have witnessed the thrill of the HBO series Game of Thrones. But there are those who have been fans for years because of the writer, the 5’6″ bearded legend we know as Martin – George R.R. Martin. Going as far back as 1971, George has been writing science fiction for the mass. He began with publishing more then fifty short stories by 1977. His first novel was published in 1977, hitting a total of four by the early eighties. The fourth novel called The Armageddon Rag was a contemporary novel set in the 1980’s. It got great reviews, but it was a commercial disaster. With a black mark on his record, he couldn’t find a publisher who would touch him.
“Luckily for me when that door was closing, another door was opening in Hollywood,” shared Martin.
The book that almost ended his career was optioned for a film adaptation. Although the movie was never made, it introduced George to movie making. CBS at the time was looking to bring back The Twilight Zone. The shows producer turned to science fiction writers to create scripts for the shows, even writers with no screenwriting experience. Martin did a script for the show, followed by another, and then, before he knew it, he was on staff out in Los Angeles. He never left Santa Fe, needing a calm place to call home. Working in Los Angeles was an amazing time and he worked with some marvelous people, but he wanted to come back and live in New Mexico.
After his time in Hollywood, he decided it was time to put his own shows in development. It was a time of learning in his life. In Hollywood, you can pour a year of your life into developing characters and a story, and, through no fault of your own, they will kill your show idea. Martin decided, at that point, he needed an audience that he could entertain. He wanted to create things that people could enjoy, no matter what four guys in suits had to say. With this in mind, he went back to his first love – writing. He put his effort into writing Ice and Fire, which became Game of Thrones, currently playing on HBO. After five years of trying to write something that would turn into a TV show, his most long and complicated work becomes a hit. Martin loves the way the show has turned out, being that the books are his babies. Each one is about 1500 words. These take him years to write, so he found a great team – David Benioff and D.B. Wiess – to handle the majority of the show’s writing. They write about seven, out of the ten, episodes a season. He does write one script a season for the show. He wishes they could run for twelve episodes so that they could get more of the books into the show itself.
Martin continues to be an acclaimed writer and is now a theater owner. George R.R. Martin re-opened the Jean Cocteau Theater in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2013. The theater had originally opened in the 1970’s and George had watched many movies there in his time. Citing his main reasons – one of them being they had the best popcorn in all of Santa Fe – the darkened theater sitting empty made him sad. After months of wondering why someone wasn’t reopening the theater, he realized he should be the one to take on the challenge. Now, they show movies, music, and magicians in the theater. If your lucky, you can catch the showings of Game of Thrones. “A little piece of Santa Fe history and the Santa Fe community bought back to life,” says Martin, who is involved in picking out what comes through the theater, but most of the decision runs through Jon who manages the theater. Jon has ties with the film community in Santa Fe and sets up great finds for everyone, of every taste, to come and enjoy at the theater. “I occasionally chime in from the owner’s box and say I want to see Red Planet.” jokes Martin. “We opened with my favorite science fiction movie and we had Robbie the Robot here.” In case there are a few of you out there who aren’t into theater, they also have book signing and author events from time to time at the theater. There is no excuse if you live in Santa Fe to miss out on this little theater.
When Martin has some down time, he spends it with his wife, Parris, who both offer support to The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in New Mexico. He also does a lot of reading these days and science fiction & fantasy has been his go-to for literature. It started at a very young age with comic books and has just continued to grow. Nickel paperbacks to full novels, he has never been able to kick his habit. He likes to throw in a good mystery, or historical fiction, every once in a while.
When asked what he would like his legacy to be, he turned to one of his most inspired writers, J. R. R. Tolkien. “I think every writers dreams that his books will last. That’s what I hope of.” says Martin. “I was very flattered a number of years ago when People magazine called me the “American Tolkien” because I’m a huge fan. I read him in high school. He was the man who redefined modern fantasy. Just being mentioned in the same reference as him is a great compliment. And if my books are read 100 years after I wrote them and I can become a candidate of fantasy like Tolkien’s books have, that would be enough legacy for me.” He has a goal for the theater as well. “I hope that the Jean Cocteau here will last. I hope the revived Cocteau last another 22 years where people can watch movies, listen to music and eat our popcorn, which is still the best popcorn in New Mexico, with real butter!”
George R.R. Martin is a multi-talented individual who puts his heart and soul into everything he does, hoping to entertain people along the way. Make sure you check out the Jean Cocteau Theater in Santa Fe and enjoy the hit series Game of Thrones on the big screen or pick up the book. Either way, you will step into a world beyond your wildest imagination.
check out more NM Entertains
Filed under Art, Entertainment, Television, writing
Prepping for camp
So it’s time to prep for CampNanoWriMo already. I’ve got my story in mind and have begun fleshing out my characters in my head. But, this year I’m going for a completely different approach to my writing. I usually have a skyrocketing word count in the first week maybe even into the second week and then life as a way of messing with me so I miss my mark.
This year I’m going for writing the book in the first weekend of the challenge. I’ve cleared my schedule told everybody I know that I will be busily writing for the weekend. In fact I’ve shouted it from the rooftop. I will not let anything distract me the first weekend. I have other writing task and life that task that will kick in hard in the 2nd week of April, so everything depends on that first weekend.
I’m confident that if I prep characters and location before hand I will be able to finish the book in a long weekend. I’ve even got a head set so I can just to the computer. I will let you know how that works, but it’s definitely worth a try.
I wish all of you CampNanoWriMo preppers Good Luck and happy writing.
Filed under Albuquerque, writing
Meet the author Irene I. Blea
Irene I. Blea was born and raised here in Northern New Mexico. She has long studied her homeland and it’s customs, as form chairperson of the Department of Mexican American studies at California University-Los Angeles she brings a unique prospective to her novels. The first in her trilogy chronicling the life of Suzanna, a young girl born to a poor family in northern New Mexico and the role gender inequality and religion play in shaping a young girl’s life.
The book is rich in description and details transport you in to the beauty and intensity of northern New Mexico of the past. Suzanne is a lovely little girl growing up in devastating circumstances common to so many poor uneducated women. The heart wrenching coming of age story of one young girl’s struggle to keep her family together miles from her nearest neighbors.
Speaking with the author she said the subject was not hard for her to write. She had many years in women’s studied and her own personal and painful experience to draw from. The trouble came in trying to create Don Felipe has a full character. “I just could not give him a full character sketch, make him real, until I had a 15 page Word conversation with him. This material never got into the novel, but I drew on it to finally get him written on the page. He was the most difficult character because I did not like him and he did not, via the dialog exercise, like me.”
The author’s descriptive writing style brings the characters and the scenery to life. The second book in the trilogy Poor People’s Flower will be released in mid February 2014.
Check out more at NMEntertains.com
Filed under Albuquerque, Art, writing
No excuses (even good ones)
How could I get so far behind when I started off so far ahead? Yes I’m back to talk about the NaNoWriMo. I’m at 30,000 words for the novel I’m writing for this month. It’s not great but still doable to make it this time around. You may wonder how I got so distracted this time after making such lofty promises? Well, My excuse is still an excuse but it’s different then any others before it. I’ve been too busy writing to write.
Yep, you read that right. I’ve been knocking out anywhere from 3,000-5,000 words a day, just not in my NaNoWriMo novel. I’ve been working for a magazine and putting out articles like a madman, I’m running this blog (which I’m still getting up to speed), and I am working on another novel so that it can go off to editing and be ready for print in early 2014.
With all that writing going on I can confidently say I totally made my word goal for the month already. So I will be joining many of you in making the last desperate push to finish up this novel by the deadline. I believe I can still do it. All my articles for the month are done so don’t call me until Dec1st.
Filed under Entertainment, writing
A kinky way to break writer’s block
Ever had writer’s block or for that fact of the matter any kind of block in your way of getting the job done. That immense wall that, that stops you in your tracks, keeps you pacing for hours, racking your brain trying to get the inspiration needed to get started. Well my only solution for that kind of block is to step out of your comfort zone and learn something new. So the other night I did just that.
Step one I went to Self Serve’s website to see what was on their calendar this month for workshops, and one just happened to catch my eye, Writing Erotica with Rachel Kramer Bussel. Writing, check one that’s what I do. Erotica, check two everybody as experienced it once in their life. Something new, check three I have never done check one and check two together before. So I called the store and signed up for class. Then I sat around waiting and pacing for the new activity to blow my mind. Luckily it was a short wait. I got to class early and was greeted by the wonderful friendly staff at Self Serve before making myself comfortable in the circle of chairs that were set up for the workshop.
Rachel opened the workshop with introduction and sample readings to put the apprehensive audience at ease. Once the ice was broken we moved in to writing lesson to further loosen everyone up and teach people to see everyday things in a new light. The workshop closed with a discussion and the highs and lows of getting published. Overall the night was eye opening, comfortable, and informative. I loved the class the experience was amazing and I will be trying another of the many interesting workshops offered at Self Serve. Please check out their calendar and pick your next great experience.
Filed under Entertainment, Uncategorized, writing
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