Kiri Callaghan's Blog, page 16

So as you know the lovely Blake Northcott has asked me to join her in writing the upcoming werewolf series, Luna. But you may be wary–other werewolves have burned you in the past. You're jaded–you're cautious. You don't know what to expect.  Well, let me put your minds at ease.

 

There will be none of this in LUNA:

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or this:

And there will be absolutely be NONE of this:

 

 

Hopefully now you can sleep at night.

So if you've never had Funeral Potatoes before, here's how I used to make it (before I gained that pesky lactose intolerance). Worry not, fellow lactards, I'm working on making a lactard-friendly recipe.

Ingredients:

32 oz bag of frozen shredded hash browns
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup OR cream of mushroom soup
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (This may vary)
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 c. chopped onion (I use yellow or white onions)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Grease 9×13 baking dish – Some Pam will do but in true Mormon fashion, more butter works too!

In large bowl combine soup, sour cream, onions, and the 1/2 cup of melted butter.

Add in hash-browns gradually to mixture. It's a weird process dealing with frozen hash-browns and goop but it'll be worth it in the end!

Put mixture in pan.

Sprinkle cheese over mixture until it creates a nice layer. You can also add cheese into the mixture itself if you'd like. (Some people also put cornflakes on the top of this dish but frankly I think that's kinda gross)

Bake for 30 minutes.

 

CONSUME AS YOU ARE NOW A FUNERAL POTATO ZOMBIE

For you lovely non-kindle users: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/108054

If there is any trouble with the formatting, be sure to let me know!

 

So last night/today has been pretty exciting. Funeral Potatoes is officially published and available for kindle on Amazon.com. It should be available on smashwords.com within a few days–hopefully now that I have the formatting figured out, it won't be such an arduous process!

You can purchase it for a mere $0.99.

I'm always a little nervous sharing writing with new people–and usually they're friends so… sharing it with the world? Eep!

But the response thus far has been relatively warm–and friends have been kind enough to post their thoughts and help promote it!

 

My dear friend Liz over at StepOne Photo–the miracle worker behind my cover art–gave me a glowing promo on her blog.

And my wonderful friend Ren Cummins, who is an extremely talented writer (you should check him out on Amazon as well) wrote a review on the page that got me all teary.

 

Thank you so much for your support, guys. I know it's just a one-act play but it's my first step and I feel like I'm finally on my way.

Well some pretty exciting things if I say so myself!

First is that I'm done with editing and my one-act play "Funeral Potatoes" will be hitting Amazon Kindle by the end of the month–a big thanks to Ren Cummins for helping me figure out the logistics of Amazon publishing.

Here's a peek at the cover done by the ever lovely Elizabeth Embleton:

 

So what's my next project?

If you catch my Extra-Lifestyle post on Geek-Vs-Life (I haven't written in a while, I know but I'll be back on Monday!) then you know a while back I was able to interview the ever fabulous Blake Northcott.  Not only was I psyched to talk to someone who had truly rocked the self-publishing circuit (and honestly was one of my big inspirations for going the route of self-publishing) but she gave me the exclusive scoop of her next big project: Luna.

"Afew weeks back I was contacted by John Ceallach, who is a writer, producer and actor. He has been working with Randy J. Goodwin from 'The Vampire Diaries' on a TV series that is in development called 'Luna'. It's a werewolf/action series that will appeal to the fans of the The Vampire Diaries, but it has a harder edge – almost like the show '24'.

He read Vs. Reality and saw the positive reviews I received, so he recruited me to work on a book series for Luna. A few Emails and phone calls was all it took, and I was on board. Everything else pretty much fell into place after that.

Of course I'm in the middle of Relapse, so it was a tough choice, but I couldn't turn down this opportunity. I'll be working on Luna, and Relapse will be slightly delayed. I don't have an ETA for it yet, because it's going to be a bit of a struggle to get Luna out for January as it is, but I'll keep everyone posted." – Blake Northcott, Interview w/ Geek-Vs-Life

 

Now if you follow me on twitter, you know I'm a big Buffy fan. Grew up wanting to be a slayer with friends who were witches, werewolves, vampires and demons. …I'm a dork, I know.

Point being, I've always loved werewolves especially. Not sure why, I just think there's a lot of good lore lurking about there that hasn't really had anyone sink their teeth into–no pun intended. So knowing Blake's work thus far and the kind of drive that goes into her stories as well as being familiar with some of Randy Goodwin and John Ceallach's work, I thought, "Sweet, werewolves are finally going to get their due!"

That's right, no more of this playing second fiddle to vamps! ..Don't argue, it happens a lot. Though I must say I think part of this is that you kinda need a decent budget to make a werewolf look badass. I mean, I loved Oz but let's face it… his costume as a lycan was pretty weak… and adorably 90′s. Ahem. Tangent, sorry.

Aside from interviewing her for GVL, I asked if she would mind if I picked her brain as I was really interested in self-publishing and shortly after she asked for a sample of my writing (the non-article kind).

Then things got epic.

Blake started to talk to me about having a lot on her plate and that she'd really like a partner on one of her projects and asked if I'd be interested. She pitched me as a co-writer for Luna.

Oh. Hell. Yes!

She and I have been brainstorming back and forth and have come up with some pretty shiny ideas and long story short, she and I both signed a partnership contract. So she and I will be working together on Luna.

So keep an eye out, we'll be doing some pretty fun things to ramp up for that release.

Have twitter? You can find both Blake ( @ComicBookGrrl) and myself ( @kiricallaghan ) there with all the craziness boiled down to just a mere 140 characters.

The following is a scene from 'Funeral Potatoes', my one-act play that will be hitting Amazon Kindle later this month.

…

Christmas music leads us in as the lights come up and we see KISMET and VERA, standing in a square of light.  It is small, just big enough to fit them both comfortably.   They are sharing a small dressing room, piles of clothing on the floor and draped over a small bench.  Their backs are to each other while they change.  The sound of shoppers and the Christmas music slowly fades out as the two start talking.

KISMET

High School.  That's one.  I could have done without high school.

 

VERA

Totally.

 

KISMET

And that myth about gym?

 

VERA

If you don't take gym, you're never going to have self-esteem and if you don't have self-esteem, you're never going to get anywhere.

 

KISMET

I feel pretty damn cheated.

 

VERA

I wouldn't say gym helped my self-esteem.

KISMET

Arthur Coley hit me in the face with a dodge ball once.

 

VERA

I'm pretty sure Coach Roland even called me a fat-ass…

 

KISMET

What if that did some serious damage?

 

VERA

I still can't try on a pair of pants without wincing.

 

KISMET

Oh please, look at mine.

 

They both turn their backs to the audience and examine their rear-ends as if criticizing their figures in a mirror.

 

VERA

I'd call it even.

 

KISMET

Oh c'mon, my ass is totally bigger.

They resume trying on clothing.

 

VERA

Y'wanna hit the gym later tonight?

 

KISMET

I always feel like I have to be in perfect shape to go to the gym.

 

VERA

That's absurd.

 

KISMET

I don't want to spend the precious moments of my life on a hamster wheel.  Let's get cake.

 

VERA

Aw man, I feel bloaty enough.

 

KISMET

You're not bloaty.

 

VERA

Well I feel it.

 

KISMET

What about pie?

 

VERA

That's no better than cake.

 

KISMET

It's got fruit in it.

 

VERA

VERA has put on a pair of very slimming pants and just seen herself in the mirror.

Oh my God!

 

KISMET

Great idea, right?

 

VERA

My ass!

 

KISMET

Let it go, woman.

 

VERA

No, it's gone.  My ass is gone.  These pants totally ate my ass!

 

KISMET

Lemmie see.

 

VERA turns for KISMET to see.

 

Holy cow…  It's like it's not even there.

 

VERA

It's practically concave!

 

KISMET

Let me try!

 

VERA removes and surrenders the pants to KISMET.

 

(In reverent awe) Woooow…

 

VERA

See, see?

 

KISMET

She turns like a dog trying to catch its tail. 

Where'd it go?

 

VERA

They're Houdini pants!

 

KISMET

Aw man, I wanna die in these pants.  I want everyone wondering where my ass is when

they look in the coffin!

 

VERA

How would they even be able to tell?

 

KISMET

They can put me in on my stomach.

 

VERA

Won't they just be confused why they can't see your face?

 

KISMET

Well yeah, at first, but then they'll see I have no ass.

 

VERA

'Cause that's appropriate.

 

KISMET

Fuck appropriate!  It's my funeral, I don't want people getting all gross and weepy.

 

VERA

You'd rather have them thinking about your ass?

 

They begin to laugh.

 

KISMET

It'd be hilarious!  Just picture it.  Everyone's listening to the priest, trying to be all

somber and respectful but all they can think about is where my ass went!

 

Their  laughter grows.

 

And maybe one person won't be able to fight it anymore and they'll just crack up!

 

VERA

And you know if one person starts, it's going to set everyone else off.

 

KISMET

Exactly!  It'd be amazing!

 

VERA

Put the 'fun' back in funeral.

 

KISMET

There should be balloons.

 

VERA

Party favors.

 

KISMET

A cake walk!

 

VERA

A door prize!

 

KISMET

For whoever has the best costume!

 

The laughter slowly dies down and a silence hangs in the air as the situation sinks in.

 

VERA

…God… I'm really going to miss you.

 

BLACKOUT

Holy crap, is it GeekGirlCon weekend already?!

Friday: GeekGirlConcert!

I'll be chilling at the Great Hall at Greenlake tonight with my fellow geeks listening to the dulcet tones of Marian Call, Molly Lewis and the Double Clicks! There may also be dorky skits involved… that I may be helping with… *innocent whistle*.

 

Saturday: GeekGirlCon!

I'll be rushing about, mostly tending to PR duties but my aim is to see 'Star Trek and Beyond with Chase Masterson', 'Very Special Dudes' panel and 'The Designing Women of BioWare' and of course the masquerade!

 

Sunday: GeekGirlCon!

Due to some last minute changes, I'll actually be moderating the 'Killing Cattiness and Creating Community' panel. I'm really escited to hear what these amazing women have to say

Desc: Girls have a reputation for negative competition and constant cattiness. Geek Girl culture is not immune to this. Panelists discuss how Geek Girls can put aside being negatively competitive, divisive, and catty to our sister Geek Girls.

Panelists: Kiri Callaghan (moderator), Hope Larson, Gail Simone, Marian Call, Jennifer K. Stuller, Bonnie Burton, Kristina Horner, Molly McIssac

Monday: Recovery!

Reading some of Ren Cummins' Reaper's Return.

Rest. Rest. Rest.

Tuesday: Start Writing!

With GeekGirlCon over I can finally focus on Alys. Hope to organize a photo shoot with StepOne Photography to get the general mood. Determined to be finished with it and have it available for amazon Kindle by this time next year. Starting my New Years Resoloution early. =P

Check out the Jet City Comic Show for games, panels, Star Wars Photo Ops, and of course comics!

While you're there swing by the GeekGirlCon booth to check out our swag or donate to the cause. I'll be working the booth from noon to close with my fellow GGC staffers.

Date: 9/24/2011

Place: Seattle Exhibition Hall

Website: http://www.jetcitycomicshow.com/

See ya there!

So the site is still wibbly. I'm working on it. Fine tuning, adding info, etc etc…