Eric James Stone

My friend Alethea Kontis has written a children’s picture book, AlphaOops! The Day Z Went First. It’s a hilarious story about what happens when the letter Z objects to the fact that he always has to go last in the typical alphabet book. The illustrations by Bob Kolar are delightful. I think this is a picture book that parents will enjoy reading with their children.

I wouldn’t normall cite what an author’s parents said about the author, but here’s what Alethea’s mom and dad had to say about the book (as quoted on the AlphaOops website):

�Thousands of dollars for chemistry degree and what has Dad got to show for it? An alphabet book that doesn�t even go from A to Z!�
�Alethea�s Dad

�From my crazy, mixed up child comes a crazy, mixed up alphabet.�
�Alethea�s Mom

If you are the parents of any of my nieces and nephews, I will be sending you a copy of this book. For everyone else who’s interested, you can purchase it through Amazon.com.

OK, not really. But my story “Upgrade” will be appearing in the December 2006 issue of Analog. Because the magazine is actually published before its cover date, the issue could be out by late September.

Yesterday I went to the book launch for Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson. I was lucky enough to get numbered copy #50/50 of the book. (From what I understand, Brandon numbers the first 50 books he signs. Because the bookstore had promised numbered copies to everyone who came, he continued numbering after 50 this time, but left off the “/50″ after the number. Which is why I say I was lucky to get #50/50.)

Anyway, having now finished reading the book, I can heartily recommend it to fantasy fans. It’s a fast-paced adventure with some fun characters, combining political intrigue with magical battles.

The magic system is, perhaps, the element (pun intended) that stands out most in the novel. Magic use in novels tends to either follow some rather stereotypical rules (casting verbal [often rhyming or using an ancient language] spells, potions, etc.) or to lack much in the way of discernable rules at all. In the world of Mistborn, the magic system is based on swallowing certain metals that are then “burned” to provide the particular power granted by that metal. It means that in the strictest sense, the number of things that can be done with magic is limited by the less than a dozen known allomantic metals. (For example, pushing metal away is one power, and pulling metal toward you is another.) But by ingenious use of the various metals, Mistborn allomancers can do a lot of different things.

This is the first book of a trilogy, but fortunately it works well as a standalone novel as well. I’ve come to dislike being left hanging off a cliff at the end of a book.

It’s been ten and a half months since I sold a story. Today, when I arrived home from work, I found a 9″x12″ envelope from Penny Publications in the mailbox. I nervously opened it, hoping that it wasn’t just a fancy pitch for me to renew my Analog subscription.

Well, if they wanted me to renew, they sure found the right incentive. The envelope contained a contract for my short story “Upgrade” (originally titled “The Nuclear Option“).

It’s been ten and a half months since my last sale, so it feels really good to get one.

In Europe, they have a brand of eco-friendly cars called Smart. Starting in 2008, Smart cars will be available in the U.S.

I was browsing the Smart car website when I came across the following:

Up at the top right, you’ll notice the slogan “open your mind” under the logo.

What do they mean by that? Take a look at what it says in the last paragraph: “As part of the Mercedes Car Group, the smart vehicle will be equipped with unique technology, including the ‘hard shell’ tridion safety cell, ESP and various airbag systems.”

ESP? I’m not sure I’m ready for a car that can read my mind.

I have a new nephew.

Spencer Andrew Stone was born today.

Welcome to the world, Spencer. I look forward to meeting you.

There have been ten FIFA World Cup Finals since I was born.

1. When I was three years old, Brazil defeated Italy. At that age I had no idea I would later be called on a mission to Italy, and I was too young to really root for either side — and I don’t recall watching the game.
2. When I was seven, West Germany defeated the Netherlands. I don’t recall watching the game, and had no incentive to root for either side.
3. But when I was eleven, I knew who to root for: Argentina. Argentina is where my first memories of watching professional soccer come from. My dad even took me to a River Plate game. And with Argentina hosting the World Cup that year and making it to the final against the Netherlands, there can be no doubt about which team I would have rooted for while watching the game . . . if I had been able to watch the game. But I was at a Boy Scout camp, with no access to a TV, so I merely heard about Argentina’s win after the fact. (That Scout camp was the same one responsible for my not finding out my brother Jonathan had been born until a couple of days after his birth.)
4. When I was fifteen, Italy defeated West Germany. I don’t recall watching the match, and I had no reason to root for Italy because my mission call was still four years off.
5. When I was nineteen, I again had a team in the final to root for: Argentina was back, and they defeated West Germany. But I was unable to watch the game because my mission call had come and I was in the Missionary Training Center, with no access to a TV.
6. When I was twenty-three, I was able to watch Argentina and West Germany in a rematch of the previous final. But this time Argentina lost.
7. When I was twenty-seven, I got my first chance to root for Italy while watching the final. But they lost to Brazil on penalty kicks — which probably explains my dislike of penalty kicks as a way to settle World Cup games.
8. When I was thirty-one, I didn’t bother to watch the French beat the Brazilians in the final.
9. When I was thirty-five, I didn’t bother to watch the Brazilians beat the Germans in the final.

So today, at age thirty-nine, for the first time in my life, I was able to watch a team I was rooting for win the World Cup.

Italy won the game on penalty kicks, and there was much rejoicing.

(It’s still a lousy way to decide a game, though.)

Lately, it’s been like pulling teeth to get any writing done. (Which reminds me, I have a dentist appointment tomorrow (well, today, actually, since it’s after midnight.) I’ve been working on this short story, “The Ashes of His Fathers,” for about two months now, dribbling it out in bits and pieces to my writing groups.

I finally finished it tonight, although I had to throw out a couple of scenes that were taking the story in the wrong direction.

There’s still some revising to do, but it feels good to get to the end.

In honor of the birthday of the united States of America, here are some verses from two patriotic songs. But rather than the more familiar first verses, here are the final verses:

Oh beautiful, for patriot’s dream
That sees, beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!

“America the Beautiful”

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: �In God is our trust.�
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

“The Star-Spangled Banner”

I spent some of my childhood in Argentina, and later spent two years as a missionary in Italy. So on July 3, 1990, when Argentina faced Italy in a World Cup semifinal, I had to decide where my soccer loyalties lay. It wasn’t until the penalty kick phase that I was able to finally realize that I favored Argentina. (Argentina won that game, but went on to lose to West Germany in the final.)

This year, I bought two flags to display in my office: Argentina and Italy. If they had faced each other, I would have rooted for Argentina, but Germany eliminated them in the quarterfinals.

Today I had the tremendous satisfaction of watching Italy avenge my pain by beating Germany with two brilliant goals scored in the final couple of minutes of overtime.