I interrupt this broadcast of the daily Adrian Belew Power Trio Tour report for some...gasp...writing news!

Ha ha - yeah, that's me again at the Zappanale Festival in Bad Doberan, East Germany (with some strange guys looking on)...where...sob...everyone in my family will be this week except me. However, it has recently come to my attention that Dubya will be there, too! Oh my god. Most people have never heard of Bad Doberan...now you're going to be reading/hearing about it ad nauseam on Thursday when Bush arrives for a worldwide summit. 15,000 FBI and military are also attending. I told Julie and Eric's father to make sure he wears nice underwear for his strip search at the airport. And there goes the hash tent!

Just kidding, just kidding.

But if I see a picture of Dubya with that bust of Zappa that's it...I'm gonna have to kill myself.

And wait...I do have music news, but just two quick things:

(1) Eric's Adrian Belew Tour blog for the Philadelphia Inquirer can now be accessed daily at www.phillynews.com and it looks so cool on their front page...have a click and see (though he hasn't updated since yesterday but will do so by the end of today)

(2) I was watching a You Tube of Eric on tour playing drums with Project Object back in May and it's so damn good I'm posting the link again here. For some unknown reason, the guy who put it up removed the imbedded version so you'll have to click on the link but trust me, it'll be worth your time.

Soo...I have way cool stuff to report -- if you are me, that is -- as concerns the writing world.

First of all, I have to publish this as I received it -- it's got to be one of the most enjoyable acceptance letters I've ever received as concerns one of my short stories:

Robin Slick,

Good News! I am pleased greatly by your fictional "Interception" and shall publish it upon our Poor Mojo's Almanac(k). It shall be displayed within the next few weeks (bearing to mind that new material is posted every Thursday at 4:00am EST.) Thus, it may behoove you to keep an eye out for it on the site. If you are ever in San Francisco, CA or Ann Arbor, MI, contact us poste haste; we owe you a beer (or comparable soft beverage of your choosing)-- a social engagement which I will likely relegate to one of my several sub-editors (I have few stray moments for beverage imbibing-- a squid's work is never done.).

Additionally, neglect not the enhanced remuneration plan: If you have five pieces published with us and have not retrieved a beer (or soft beverage), than you can exchange those promised beers for one t-shirt. This t-shirts are most appropriate to two-torso-limbed writers of the medium, large or extra-large variety, in either male or female flavor.

But wait! There is more! At year's end (or, to speak with precision, after the publication of issue #250) I shall randomly select a piece displayed upon he site within the last 50 issues, and award its author . The first annual Poor Mojo's Bonanza of one-hundred American dollars was awarded to r.wade for her "Your Librarian Hates You!" (PMjA Issue #146, http://www.poormojo.org/cgi-bin/gennie.pl?Rant+146+bi) and the second to Jonathan Hayes for his "Chicken Poem" (PMjA #164, http://www.poormojo.org/cgi-bin/gennie.pl?Poetry+164+bi). Hearty congratulations ring the globe, and their destination is r.wade and Mr. Hayes! Since I shall randomly select among pieces published, the more pieces of yours we display, the greater your chances of acquiring those U.S. dollars, which may be exchange for goods and services throughout the Colonies. Let us call this "the PMjA Bonanza."

So, to enshorten an already lengthy tale, you might want to consider submitting more scribblings.

Of course, any physical remuneration is in addition to all-encompassing, world-wide fame and Glory stretching infinitely both backward and forward in time-- you shall still doubtless receive such as that.

All for the Best in the Best of All Possible Worlds,
The Giant Squid
Editor-in-Chief
PMjA

Ha! Is that great or what? I may just take him up on that offer of a beer if the Adrian Belew Power Trio does in fact tour the west coast in November and I manage to make a show or two.

Next, my two novels, Three Days in New York City and Another Bite of the Apple are reviewed here and here.

I'm way too excited so I can't help it, I've got to post a portion of each. The first is from the review of Three Days:

"...When I read a story about a woman that has as much weakness as strength (a little bit like me), I am immediately delighted. To see that the heroine can show that she is as white as black, and all grey in between means that I will enjoy my reading experience. Which I did, with Three days in New York City.

Ms. Slick is a serious and enthralling storyteller that cooked us, just like her character Rob, a perfect story with enough love, passion, sex, friendship and. life! Writing about real life can sometime be a challenge. Finding the right words or right expressions to tell a living truth takes a lot of talent. For those of us who are realistic but like to read a remarkable good story, Three days in New York City is the book!"

And this next one is from the review of Another Bite of the Apple:

"...How can I not applaud Ms. Slick's work? I find again one of my favorite heroines and she is still less than perfect, which is perfect for me! The dialogues were more than well written, so well in fact that I had to read twice (made that three times!) Elizabeth's conversations with her ex, Glen and then with her son, James! Ms. Slick knows her way around words. She uses them in a way that I love to see! Thumbs up for you, Ms.Slick!

Now, about my reading experience, ask me if I laughed? Yes, I did (in the public bus! Imagine that!). If my attention was solely absorbed by my reading? Oh yes! If I want more? Oh yes!"

Okay, yep, I'm really stoked because I don't know this reviewer personally (nor did I pay her anything to write these, I swear!) -- her name is Anne Chaput -- nor was I familiar with the wonderful website, Sensual Ecata Romance, until she sent me a heads up email yesterday. Anne, seriously, thank you so much time for the time and effort you put into these reviews. I had goose bumps reading them.

So that's it for today (I think, anyway)...my family is off to Europe and I'm wondering how I'm going to spend the next week here all by myself. Har har. I don't know what to do or what not to do first.

(But of course since preparing this blog post I just received three more stellar reviews of the Adrian Belew Power Trio on tour so who knows, I may come back with a new blurb later this afternoon or save it for tomorrow.)

Later,
xo