tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930724798406985362024-03-07T05:09:25.123+00:00-- Purveyor of Imagination --...scribbles from emerging Australian author, Brian G Ross...Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-70137229017652830192012-04-22T16:46:00.002+00:002012-04-22T16:46:55.925+00:00Goodnight...The time has come to close the doors here in the blogosphere and move on to pastures new. It's been good, it's been sweet, but I have to dip my toe in deeper waters. You understand, right?<br />
<br />
I have started a site over at www.briangrantross.com (very original, I know). Come one, come all. It is probably the kick in the bits that I need.<br />
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So maybe I will see you in the morning, on the other side.<br />
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Goodnight. <br />
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<br />
<b>briangrantross.blogspot.com</b><br />
<b>Nov 2006 - Apr 2012</b>Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-51365489775184002062012-04-07T15:58:00.002+00:002012-04-07T16:15:13.815+00:00Three More Wheels...My blackly comic piece, <span style="font-style: italic;">Tricycle</span>, makes yet another appearance, this time at the relatively new - and deceptively named - <a href="http://laurancekitts.com/2012/04/07/tricycle-by-brian-grant-ross/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Slit Your Wrists!</span></a> website.<br /><br />It comes complete with a rather snazzy author photo, in case I wanted to deny it was me who wrote it...Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-39034190102772699942012-03-02T09:02:00.003+00:002012-03-02T09:22:30.824+00:00Guilty (Or Not)...?Paperback collection, <strong>The One That Got Away</strong>, is available now from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Prints-Press/162390353801760" hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=162390353801760">Dark Prints Press</a>, featuring my brutal four thousand word courtroom story, <em>A Rhyme For the Crime</em>. My contributor's copies should be arriving any day now, and I can't wait. There is a special feeling you get with an anthology that you just don't get from a magazine or online publication. I think it makes me feel like a proper writer.<br /><br />If you don't check it out for me, then do so for the appearance of the crime writing maestro that is Lawrence Block - he's really rather good. Hopefully his name will raise the profile of this book, and maybe <em>one day</em>, I will be able to do the same.<br /><br />Actually, no. Forget Block. Do it for me!Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-6246330892515441812012-02-25T11:12:00.002+00:002012-02-25T11:24:13.100+00:00Winning! (Well, Not Quite...)I discovered last week (via a rather narcissistic Google search, which we all do sometimes, right?) that I came third in the April 2011 contest over at <a href="http://www.flashstories.net/story.php">FlashStories.net</a>, with my dark tale,<em> The House on Memory Lane.</em> It's still up there now if you fancy a look.<br /><em></em><br />The fact that the email notification of this never found my inbox, and the £100 cheque only arrived through my letterbox this morning, took a <em>little</em> of the shine away from my biggest contest win thus far, but hey, sometimes these things happen.<br /><br />...so, I wonder what other things Google may turn up.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-28820023113234543442012-02-14T14:30:00.003+00:002012-02-14T14:55:51.516+00:00On The Geordie Shore...I drove to Newcastle on the weekend, which probably doesn't mean too much if you don't know that I live in Aberdeen.<br /><br />Admittedly, the 231 miles (according to Google Maps) to the one Upon Tyne, in England, is not <em>quite</em> as impressive as the 10,366 miles to the one in New South Wales would have been, but it would have been unlikely that I would have made it in to work on Monday had I driven <em>there</em>.<br /><br />It was good to get away for the day, and almost get lost in a city I had never been, in amongst people I could barely understand.<br /><br />Sometimes it is good to be an insignificant part of the picture rather than the one holding the paintbrush.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-10289473851359372912012-01-19T22:03:00.002+00:002012-01-19T22:07:10.698+00:00Decisions...I made one today.<br /><br />This one may keep me awake for a while.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-57473630243650061042012-01-05T09:12:00.001+00:002012-01-05T09:12:36.851+00:002011......you will not be missed.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-28849641532241517322011-11-25T09:46:00.003+00:002011-11-25T09:58:09.829+00:00Flushed...Tomorrow, I'm playing in the <a href="http://www.redtoothpoker.com/">Regional Redtooth Poker Finals</a> at G Casino, for the top three players at every competing pub in the league. I won the league for Charlotte Bar and will be collecting my lovely glass trophy before the event in the afternoon.<br /><br />There should be about 70 runners tomorrow, and the first three go ahead to the National Finals in March, down in Nottingham. And if you do <em>really</em> well in that game... it's off to Las Vegas!<br /><br />Of course, one step at a time.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-69908884087816444442011-10-29T23:28:00.003+00:002011-10-29T23:38:24.369+00:00Life... Is Good...There is a review of last year's paperback anthology <span style="font-weight: bold;">An Eclectic Slice of Life</span> from <a href="http://www.darkprintspress.com.au/">Dark Prints Press</a> over at <a href="http://www.scaryminds.com/reviews/2011/book114.php">Scaryminds</a>, in which my two short pieces <span style="font-style: italic;">Wet Secrets </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Disconnected</span> make an appearance. There are no specific story breakdowns, but there's a very positive feel to the whole thing.<br /><br />8 out of 10. I'm happy with that. Let's hope the vibes continue for the next anthology - <span style="font-weight: bold;">The One That Got Away</span> - in a few months...Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-59139754113786466412011-10-13T09:07:00.003+00:002011-10-13T09:10:38.044+00:00Charity Starts Here...All right, it has been a (being blunt) shit year thus far, so I figured I would do something <span style="font-style: italic;">worthwhile </span>to make me feel better.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.justgiving.com/pinkbros">Goin' pink, for some green!</a><br /><br />Please give, if you can; and if you can't, good vibes are always handy.<br /><br />Thanks.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-78712515571090413182011-10-04T11:40:00.000+00:002011-10-04T11:41:26.719+00:00Two Buck Question...Is letting someone die the same as killing them?Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-1087380261737576552011-09-29T09:38:00.001+00:002011-09-29T09:41:56.210+00:00Laugh, Or You'll Cry...Today, this song raises a smile:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78XrI_2bPVA" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow">Loneliness is an empty glass.<br /></a>Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-68229944622916779862011-09-23T11:19:00.002+00:002011-09-23T11:20:01.226+00:00Freefallin'...Nobody told me that when you hit rock bottom, there isn't actually a rock there to stop you.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-54350574782613363342011-09-22T09:09:00.002+00:002011-09-22T09:10:23.922+00:00Opposites Do Attract...If a breakdown is bad, a break up must be good.<br /><br />Right?Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-82943249029955860842011-09-18T14:51:00.002+00:002011-09-18T14:59:11.849+00:00Nervous, Emotional, or Otherwise...I'm a smart guy.<br /><br />I think I'm having a breakdown.<br /><br />It's good to see it coming though, eh?Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-26299917054268163612011-08-27T11:41:00.003+00:002011-08-27T12:04:47.999+00:00Whodunit? Oh, I did...I usually don't talk on this blog about <span style="font-style: italic;">pending </span>publications, but I'm very pleased with this one so I'm going to mention it now.
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<br />My crime story, <span style="font-style: italic;">A Rhyme For the Crime</span>, has been accepted for the latest paperback anthology from <a href="http://www.darkprintspress.com.au/">Dark Prints Press</a>, which is on course for a February 2012 publication date. Crime writing luminary Lawrence Block is a part of this too - a major coup for the collection. Of course, it would be nice to think he is sitting at home saying: "Oh my God, that Brian G. Ross guy is in this thing!" but I'd not stake money on that.
<br />
<br />I can't throw enough positivity the way of Craig Bezant. His tireless efforts in helping to bring short fiction to the masses will certainly not be going unnoticed by those in the trade. It's a thankless job, but he is playing the long game, and he has started off impeccably.
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<br />At 4000 words, <span style="font-style: italic;">A Rhyme For the Crime</span> is the longest story I have had published to date, so at this rate I should have the novel out there on the shelves by the time I start to collect my pension.
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<br />Pre-orders open next week, if you're interested. And I know you are...
<br />Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-21934750876189229182011-08-10T08:09:00.002+00:002011-08-10T08:12:25.376+00:00Taking The Bitter...Sometimes life gives you lemons.
<br />
<br />You can either make lemonade.
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<br />Or you can write a story.
<br />Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-76591633650087358332011-07-29T14:13:00.003+00:002011-07-29T14:25:09.763+00:00Knowin' When To Fold 'Em...So, The Wife has been away all week, spending time in Aviemore with her family.<br /><br />On Monday night I was bored and decided to go to the casino, where I entered a £20 buy-in poker tournament. I didn't really expect too much, but a few hours later I walked away with third place and £160...<br /><br />...then on Tuesday, I entered a £30 buy-in tournament, and about seven hours later there were just two of us left. It was getting really late (or early, depending on which way you look at it) so we decided to split the pot. We both took home £590 for our efforts.<br /><br />So, £700 profit for the two nights ain't too bad at all.<br /><br />Now all I need to do, is convince The Wife that the £100 tournament on Sunday afternoon is a worthy exercise, and not actually costing me anything.<br /><br />She's an accountant; she can see the logic there.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-62697672647569676502011-07-20T12:44:00.002+00:002011-07-20T13:54:27.082+00:00At the Movies...Let's do this one backwards:<br /><br /><em>Predators</em><br />This is what Hollywood calls a 'reboot' - not a remake or a sequel, but a reimagining of the franchise. I have <em>other</em> words for what this is, but none of them are particularly complimentary, so let's just move on...<br /><br />Adrien Brody is not my idea of a leading man in an action movie. Granted, there is very little action on show here, but that is beside the point. He just doesn't <em>look</em> the part. Maybe that is my narrow-minded view, but he just didn't seem to have anything to offer.<br /><br />That is to say nothing of the ropey special effects, the forgettable supporting players, or the postage stamp sized plot.<br /><br /><em>Paranormal Activity</em><br />It is easy to make the viewer feel uneasy with a handheld camera, lots of black and white footage, and the absence of sound, but somehow, for the most part, this fails to really be all that frightening.<br /><br />It's a fairly straightforward idea, executed in a fairly straightforward manner. It is watchable enough, but it just lacks a little... <em>oomph</em>.<br /><br />Sure, I watched it when the sun was out, ran up the stairs to bed that night, left all the lights on, and made sure my baseball bat was within easy reach, but that is just normal... right?<br /><em></em><br /><em>The Ring</em><br />I know, for a guy who writes horror, I certainly came to this one a little late, but try to keep in mind that The Wife won't watch anything more frightening than the Hallowe'en episode of <em>Saved By the Bell,</em> so I have to find time without her, in which to watch these dark gems.<br /><br />As it turned out, I was quite impressed - especially with the build up during the first half, which was excellent. Sure, there was a slight degeneration into typical horror cliche territory towards the final act, but overall it was a good effort. It's always refreshing to watch a horror that does not rely on blood 'n' guts for shocks.<br /><br />I should really check out the Japanese original now. Or perhaps I should have done that first...<br /><em></em><br /><em>Horrible Bosses</em><br />All right, first things first: it really is a terrible title. Sure, it is exactly what it says on the tin - it is a film about horrible bosses... but come on guys, put some more effort into it.<br /><br />Anyway, it is a cracking comedy. Slightly mysogynistic, and a little racist, but nobody would ever claim this was a paragon of political correctness. It's another one of that sub-genre of off-the-wall buddy movies that has popped up in recent years, ala <em>The Hangover,</em> but with more originality and funnier set-pieces.<br /><br />And if that doesn't do it for you, perhaps Jennifer Aniston bra-less and talking dirty will.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-36076442880192263862011-07-13T12:36:00.004+00:002011-07-19T22:40:53.492+00:00A Four-Fingered Fist of Reviews...<a href="http://www.scaryminds.com/">Scaryminds</a> is an Australian site, dedicated to reviewing all things horror, including a lot of Antipodean stuff currently out there.<br /><br />I had a piece in each of the first four issues of <a href="http://www.eclecticzine.com/">Eclecticism</a>, and Scaryminds have had positive words to say about each of them.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.scaryminds.com/reviews/2011/magazine13.php">Issue One</a> has my short horror story, <em>Blind Man's Bluff.</em><br /><em></em><br />My coming-of-age tale, <em>Wet Secrets</em>, makes an appearance in <a href="http://www.scaryminds.com/reviews/2011/magazine14.php">Issue Two</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.scaryminds.com/reviews/2011/magazine15.php">Issue Three</a> sees me in a decidedly more sombre mood with my flash piece, <em>After the Flood</em>.<br /><br />And finally, my (probably only) foray into sci-fi flash, with <em>Footprints</em> in <a href="http://www.scaryminds.com/reviews/2011/magazine17.php">Issue Four</a>.<br /><br />As I have said before, I have a lot of time for Eclecticism editor, Craig Bezant. He has done a great job with this magazine from the start, and his publishing clout has now extended to <a href="http://www.darkprintspress.com.au/">Dark Prints Press</a> as well.<br /><br />And no, I'm not on commission.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-52896713160645072182011-07-10T10:02:00.004+00:002011-07-10T10:27:18.808+00:00Never Bet on an Inside Straight...It's been a while.<br /><br />I wish I could say that it was because I've been busy, or my world has changed somewhat, but the truth of the matter is I haven't had all that much to say, and <span style="font-style: italic;">nothing</span> has changed...<br /><br />Well, not much.<br /><br />I joined <a href="http://www.redtoothpoker.com/">Redtooth Poker</a> a few weeks ago, and now play in the league at a couple of my (not really) local pubs. I have been playing online for several years, and thought it was about time I turned my talents to a few live games, if only to save me from shouting abuse at a monitor.<br /><br />It's a £5 buy-in each night, and the league runs for thirteen weeks, with each pub having their own leaderboard. After those thirteen weeks, the best few players from each location hit 'regionals' - which is kind of like <span style="font-style: italic;">Glee</span>, but without the show-tunes.<br /><br />Anyways, the second night I played, I won. £64. Not too bad for a few hours of cards. Maybe if this writing lark doesn't pan out, I'll try my hand in Vegas.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-73575067667828687952011-05-13T19:42:00.003+00:002011-05-13T20:09:03.654+00:00London, Baby...!I spent my birthday weekend - you can determine the number yourselves - in our capital. That's London, for those of you who either a) don't know which country I'm talking about, or b) are just really, really stupid.<br /><br />It's odd: I have been all around the world<em></em>, to many far-flung places, but never spent any real time in London - only an airport on the way to Somewhere Else. But one departure lounge is much like the next one, isn't it? Except Schipol in Amsterdam - that really is a great airport...<br /><br />...But I digress.<br /><br />The Wife and I did the usual touristy stuff - rode the Eye<em>, </em>marvelled at the somewhat anachronistic MadameTussauds, tubed it to Tower Bridge<em></em>, heard Big Ben strike ten, shook our heads at the surreality of the zebra at Abbey Road, hoped to see (but didn't) old Lizzie at Buck House, <em></em>tried to bypass the armed police and scale the fence on Downing Street<em></em>, saw The Mousetrap and didn't figure out who did it (although The Wife will tell you she knew all along), chilled in the IceBar<em></em> for forty minutes, paid handsomely for steak at a Gordon Ramsay eaterie, and stood in awe at the sheer majesty of Westminster Abbey.<em></em><br /><br />And yeah, before I forget, it's a helluva dirty city.<em></em> There is dust everywhere, and if you spend any more than two minutes there with your eyes open you will end up rubbing them. At the end of each day my fingernails thought they had been down a mine shaft.<br /><br />And on the hour long flight there and back I managed to write a kiddie's story as well, so it's all good!Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-11422441225105831732011-04-01T09:28:00.003+00:002011-04-01T09:38:15.343+00:00Thank Heavens...My short story, <span style="font-style: italic;">Saint Percival</span>, grabbed second prize in the Spring 2011 <a href="http://cheerreader.co.uk/Results.aspx">CheerReader</a> humour contest this week, which came as a pleasant surprise as it was a competition I had all but forgotten about. It is also the first time I have placed in any (worthy) writing contest, which does feel like a baby-step up for me.<br /><br />...Maybe next time I can bag the win.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-61425805574183657622011-03-23T21:46:00.002+00:002011-03-23T21:51:06.982+00:00Double Trouble...A couple of my older two-hundred word flashes - <span style="font-style: italic;">After the Flood</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Smoked </span>- appear in the current issue of <a href="http://www.downdirtyword.com/">The Legendary</a>. They're a little more thoughtful than the stuff I usually come up with, so check them out if you fancy a sixty-second read during an advert break.<br /><br />Oh yeah, and they come with an author photo too - still something I am a little unnerved by.<br /><br />Enjoy.Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193072479840698536.post-63640810496779813032011-03-01T17:06:00.001+00:002011-03-01T17:07:51.566+00:00Ten Thousand Spoons...A lot has happened in my little world the last few months, but still…<br /><br />I had this story idea which I thought would be better served if I did some De Niro style research beforehand, so – like the character – I posted my suicide note, on my profile page of a… rather well known social networking site.<br /><br />And I waited for my friends to respond.<br /><br />Except they didn’t.<br /><br />It would appear nobody took it seriously at all, which is both unfortunate and somewhat disturbing.<br /><br />Suffice to say, this sent me spiralling down into the kind of funk I had envisioned had taken <em>my character</em> to that dark cave that led him to write the damn note in the first place…<br /><br />Life is full of little ironies, eh?Brian G Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591722550816512906noreply@blogger.com2