Raffle It Off

Apex Digest is having a raffle with lots of cool sci-fi/horror stuff -- like autographed books and original manuscripts from some big names. A few of the editors/authors are even raffling off in-depth short story critiques, which are invaluable.

Check it out: http://www.apexdigest.com/apexraffle.shtml

Manatee Adventure

While kayaking a few weeks ago, we ran upon a friendly group of manatee. This one came right up to the boat! I think it may have been a distraction so that his buddy could turn us over, but it apparently didn't go as planned.

Cutting Film

The short film, "The Door of Apex", is hot and heavy into the editing stages. Video is being pieced together. Sound editing will soon follow. I might even try for an original score, so watch out John Williams! But I'm betting his job is safe :)

If you haven't seen the trailer yet, here's your chance.

And special thanks to a miniature schnauzer named "Gauss" for inspiring this "Video-in-Text" (please visit his blog at http://gausspontificates.blogspot.com/).

Without him, you -- the viewer -- would have to settle for a link to YouTube (which I provided below in a previous blog anyway). Which leaves us with this question:

How many mouse clicks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?

Fastest Man in Clay County?

I don't know about that, but I did win this year's annual "Clay County Days 5K Race", held back in my hometown of Manchester, KY. I also finished with the best 5K time I've ever run -- 16:58. I hadn't participated in this race since 1998, but always wanted to try it again.

I'm a "Hall of Famer"!!!

The results are in for the first Answers.com Creative Writing Challenge, and I won an Honorable Mention!!! Yes, a link to this very blog is now located on the Answers.com Creative Writing Hall of Fame page! They even gave me a cool "Badge of Honor" that you will notice over in the right hand column.

Here is a link to the blog entry that is my story, entitled...
"A DARKER SHADE OF GREEN"

In case you missed it, the details for the Creative Writing Challenge was to write a creative & original submission that is less than 750 words and includes each of the following ten words or phrases with hyperlinks to the Answers.com entry for each one. The words for this particular challenge were:

• quixotic
• for all intents and purposes
• melissophobia
• yo-yo
• perfunctory
• brown recluse spider
• abrogate
• Belize
• ubiquitous
• quid pro quo

Got "INDIGESTION"??? --Sci-Fi Short Story

Last year, my short story, "Indigestion", was published in Issue #6 of Apex Digest (a horror/sci-fi magazine). Not only did the story have the honor of sharing pages with sci-fi great Ben Bova, but it was also chosen as one of eight tales included in the Best of Apex: 2006 Special Issue!

"Indigestion" details the efforts of Hardin, a man trapped on a futuristic colony of Earth, as he attempts to escape from his mundane life of servitude using a unique plan. Here is one of the many great reviews the story received:

"For an author’s first published piece of fiction, Robby Sparks has made ‘Indigestion’ the absolute stand out of this collection. Funny, serious – and with surprising plot-twists and pre-planned overtures, I found myself wanting more even though its length exceeds the rest. Here, earth is ruled by callous alien superiors and one fragile human named Hardin has had enough. With alien delegates having names like ‘Girobian’ (one gets the feeling of delicious caricatures resembling Star-Trek aliens of the sixties), and toilet happenings that take on a scientific edge – Indigestion will leave you frazzled but pumped. It’s an electrifying tale and I hope to see more of Robby’s work soon."
-- From Horrorscope: Austrailan Dark Fiction Web Log

Unlike the magazine itself, which is available online and at most major bookstores, this special edition is only be available from the Apex website: (http://apexdigest.myshopify.com/products/best-of-apex-digest-2006).

If you do decide to order a copy, please be sure to tell the editor that you're interested in the Robby Sparks fiction, and that, for once, you really look forward to having INDIGESTION!!!! :)

Teaser for "The Door of Apex"

Here's a teaser for one of my video projects that's currently in production. It's a short film for "Apex Digest", a great horror and sci-fi magazine you should subscribe to ;)

Check out the teaser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6yr5uF2C1E