Sci Fi Jungle

Avatar Script Free eBook

AVATAR SCRIPT
The Orignal Avatar script has been made available for download in PDF format by the FoxScreenings website.
  Said to include deleted scenes, here's the direct link to the PDF which is unreadable in vertical or Portrait orientation but quite readable in the rotated-to-Landscape mode.

  For those who'd prefer to (also) have a Kindle-formatted copy

via kindleworld.blogspot.com

This is pretty cool - you can download the eBook (lots of formats available including Kindle!) of the script for Avatar. Includes deleted scenes.

'Heroes' actor searching for parents after earthquake - CNN.com

Haitian native and "Heroes" cast member Jimmy Jean-Louis was searching for his elderly parents in Haiti on Wednesday afternoon after a powerful earthquake struck the nation. Jean-Louis learned that a house he had grown up in collapsed, killing several of his relatives.

via www.cnn.com

The situation in Haiti after the earthquake yesterday sounds absolutely terrible. I just texted Haiti to 90999 whiches allows you to donate $10 to Red Cross. It will go on your cell phone bill. 100% goes to @RedCross for #Haiti relief.

They do send you a reply that you have to confirm by replying YES.

Free eBook all formats: The Dueling Machine by Ben Bova

The Dueling Machine

by Ben Bova

via www.feedbooks.com

Here's a newly available public domain Sci Fi story by Ben Bova. Looks like a new goodie for my Kindle for sure.

Gadgets Gadgets Gadgets

I got paid on Friday night, and my 6 year old had a reward coming to him so we braved the icy Atlanta roads and headed out to Best Buy.  The place was packed.  I think that for those who do have a job now the recession is on the wane.  Of course employment is a lagging indicator so there are quite a few people who are still feeling it, believe me.  (We are a one person working house - hubster is still in school.)

Anyhow, the kids got their new DS games and they have been happily playing with their favorite electronics.  Thank God for the Nintendo DS; it rocks at keeping kids happy and occupied when they can't really play outside.  I mean its pretty cold out there - dude. 

Yeah I know its probably not the greatest parenting, but I need a break too.  After yesterday's "snow day" we all just want to chill out and do out own thing. 

What are the kids playing on DS today?  Drawn to Life 2: the second chapter, and Mario Party DS.

What is Clunky?

Author Mark C. Newton is a genius at writing blog posts that spark debate about Sci Fi.  This week he asks what is meant when a critic says a writers dialogue is "clunky."

Here's my take on the question, which I left in a comment on Mark's blog here -

http://blog.markcnewton.com/2010/01/05/clunky/comment-page-1/#comment-2267

+++++

Writing great dialogue is an art form in and of itself.  I am not sure I can define clunky, but I know it when I read it.

Great dialogue has to do with capturing an individual characters speech patterns and making the character seem like a real person.  When the dialogue is stilted or not quite perfect for that character, the reader has more trouble suspending their disbelief and can be sort of yanked out of the pleasure of reading the story.

I  think that suspension of disbelief is really what people mean when they talk about the "flow" of the dialog.  You sort of forget you are reading and a little play is going on in your mind.  You can imagine the characters and imagine them talking to each other.

Then all of a sudden you are like - wow - bad script writing, bad acting, bad dialogue.  Clunky.

The flow is interupped by your mind's critical center seeing something that doesn't sound quite right about the way the characters are speaking to each other.  Like a leaky Grohe faucets, the flow is interuppted.  See, I did it just there.

Happy Birthday Sir Issac Newton

Happy birthday Sir Issac Newton.  As many people head back to work after the long winter holidays one thought is going through everyone's head - holy crizap, I don't want to wake up early and go to work!  That is for sure what is going through my mind. 

I have a head cold and it's freezing outside too!  Brr.  But I have the best job in the world so I will brave the elements and my tiredness to go out there and give them my best.  Bring on the safety products! Such as coffee. And 5 hour energy.

Here is a message from my 6 year old son:

"btiad6uuuuuuuu0 ljukypyohpg"

He likes to type, but as you can see, he lacks the effervescent writing style found in the musings of his dear parent.

Those Were The Droids You Were Looking For.

Here is a little "Sunday Funny" for you.

see more deMotivational Posters

Fantastic Hubble Space Telescope Pics

via www.boston.com

Wow - some truly outstanding pics from the Hubble Space telescope. I will be so sad when it goes out of commission.

Thanks, Boston.com for compiling these!

Sci Fi Experience 2010!

Last year I took part in Stainless Steel Droppings Sci Fi Experience.  It is kind of a blog party where people review Sci Fi books and link their posts together.  Fun.  I will do it again this year for sure.  I just finished Kitty and the Silver Bullet (Kitty Norville, Book 4).  I can write about that.

Free Download of Batman Begins Movie

Here's another freebie for you - DivX download of Batman Begins, starring Christan Bale.