Unrealistic goals

So it's half way through the year, and it seems like a blog post would easily be filled by reflecting on how woefully I have performed in the unrealistic goals I set myself at the beginning of the year.

Let's take a deep breath and see what progress has been made then:

• Daily devotional time: I started out well actually, and kept pretty much up to date with the Daily Audio Bible until my mp3 player broke. I didn't really get into the flow again before we went away last week, so I'm starting this one again today.
• Cell group: I actually managed this one, with a lot of nudging from Mrs UKSteve.
• Professional development: haven't started yet, but put my name down to study for an NVQ as soon as my employer finds the money.
• Writing: er, well, er... ok, I started well here too, but the wheels fell off Project Seven as I was writing it, and I haven't really got back into it in any meaningful way for a while. I think I will have to reinvent it, possibly dust off that Christian version of Lost and use some of the good bits from that too.... I suppose it must be technically possible to get a 90k draft done in three months - it's only 1,000 words a day...

Gotta go - I should be writing!

CSFF Blog tour: Vanish by Tom Pawlik

There was a lawyer, a mechanic and an ex-model, stranded on a deserted planet. The mechanic says to the lawyer, 'What is this, some kind of a joke?'

Actually, on the face of it that might not be such an unusual first reaction to Vanish... three people wake up one morning to find the world inexplicably depopulated, and suffer nightmarish flashbacks to certain 'end-times thrillers' which are in no need of further publicity.

As they struggle to survive in this strange new world, they find themselves taunted by unseen observers, grappling with the least pleasant aspects of their pasts, and... hang on, this is that Christian version of Lost that's been lurking in my desk drawer for years, isn't it? I really should get my unfinished projects edited and unleashed more quickly shouldn't I...

So, Vanish: is it as derivative as it has the potential to be, or does it take a new and original twist to the stranded strangers struggling against the elements premise? Well, as I mentioned I'm still in last week, which is my excuse for not having finished the book yet... you'll have to ask these people:

Brandon Barr Jim Black Keanan Brand Rachel Briard Grace Bridges Valerie Comer Amy Cruson CSFF Blog Tour Stacey Dale D. G. D. Davidson Jeff Draper April Erwin Karina Fabian Alex Field Beth Goddard Todd Michael Greene Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Christopher Hopper Joleen Howell Becky Jesse Cris Jesse Jason Joyner Kait Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Dawn King Terri Main Margaret Melissa Meeks Rebecca LuElla Miller Caleb Newell Eve Nielsen Nissa John W. Otte John Ottinger Epic Rat Steve Rice Crista Richey Hanna Sandvig Chawna Schroeder James Somers Robert Treskillard Rachel Starr Thomson Steve Trower Speculative Faith Fred Warren Phyllis Wheeler Jill Williamson

CSFF Blog Tour vs Tuesday Tunes

This month the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Vanish, a supernatural thriller by Tom Pawlik. By a curious coincidence, 12 months ago we featured Vanished by Kathryn Mackel, during which tour I used up the good Vanish songs.

Thankfully, Mr Pawlik and the nice people at Tyndale must have foreseen this dilemma, and released the sequel to Vanish, Valley of the Shadow, last month. So sit back now and enjoy the Top Ten Valley Songs....

10. Bob James: Valley of the Shadows
Part Bond soundtrack, part acid jazz, it's about 10 minutes long and completely bonkers, but gets in by virtue of the title.
9. Cage the Elephant: Drones in the Valley
An American indie rock band in London...
8. Low: Lost Valley
Loving the slowcore anti-grunge sound.
7. Manic Street Preachers: Valley Boy
Exactly what you expect from the Manics, really.
6. DragonForce: Valley Of The Damned
Proper old skool rock music! Turn it up to 11!
5. The Orb: Valley
Because every top ten needs at least 7 1/2 minutes of quality electronica.
4. 4Lyn: Shadow Valley
And, wherever possible, some German nu metal.
3. Queen: Lily of the Valley
Time for a change of pace....
2. Fountains of Wayne: Valley Winter Song
Just because Fountains of Wayne are fantastic.
1. Skids: Into the Valley
And you can't beat a classic piece of pop punk awesomeness to finish.

All that remains now is to wait for Matthew to drop by and tell us what Norwegian death metal version of Valley of the Shadow I missed. Oh, and to visit the rest of the CSFF blog tour - the links are on the previous post.

CSFF Blog Tour: Vanish by Tom Pawlik

You know things have gotten a bit desperate in the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy world when the tour gets down to this don't you. I mean, I've heard a rumour that there's going to be some actual bona fide science fiction in the next couple of months, but let's not get carried away yet, eh?

First we have to get through 200 pages about the Laundry Fairy going bad. 'Trust Pink, forget everyone you ever knew! Aaaaahahahahaaaa!'

There's obviously a good theological message behind it - something about the cleansing of our lives from the blemishes of sin, probably - but honestly, apart from a good bit where Crystal White and the Power Foam team up against a particularly nasty stain, it would have made a lot more sense if Tom Pawlik had written Vanish as a supernatural thriller, something in the vein of Kathryn Mackel, perhaps. Well, there's always the audiobook narrated by Tony Robinson to look forward to.

Incidentally, I am participating in this month's blog tour via time warp from some time last week. I'm telling you that so you know why I won't be responding immediately to the flood of comments from readers outside the UK who probably don't have a clue what Vanish is or what it has to do with Tony Robinson.

That's also why the following participant's list may not be 100% accurate:
Brandon Barr Jim Black Keanan Brand Rachel Briard Grace Bridges Valerie Comer Amy Cruson CSFF Blog Tour Stacey Dale D. G. D. Davidson Jeff Draper April Erwin Karina Fabian Alex Field Beth Goddard Todd Michael Greene Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Christopher Hopper Joleen Howell Becky Jesse Cris Jesse Jason Joyner Kait Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Dawn King Terri Main Margaret Melissa Meeks Rebecca LuElla Miller Caleb Newell Eve Nielsen Nissa John W. Otte John Ottinger Epic Rat Steve Rice Crista Richey Hanna Sandvig Chawna Schroeder James Somers Robert Treskillard Rachel Starr Thomson Steve Trower Speculative Faith Fred Warren Phyllis Wheeler Jill Williamson

Phursday Photos: Cosford Airshow

I'll say this up front, because it's blinkin obvious now: I make a rubbish aviation photographer.

Hopefully on some of these snaps the fact that I only had one eye in the viewfinder, and that my camera - as decent spec as it was when new - isn't really up to the task of fast jets at a distance, won't matter as the subjects speak for themselves.

Like these guys:
Isn't this perfect airshow weather:
Photos don't do the Red Arrows justice. And Her Babyship was more excited by the fact that she was sat on the roof of the car than what she was up there to watch...
The trouble is, I don't want to be concentrating so hard on getting the perfect picture that I miss watching the excitement. Excitement like:
and, if you'll excuse the graininess:

If anyone's interested in my poor attempts to keep up with the Eurofighter Typhoon (which sounds even more awesome than it looks) or some third rate shots of Spitfires or a Lancaster, say the word. But frankly, as good as they (and indeed the Red Arrows) were, they paled into near insignificance when this happened:

And that really will speak for itself to anyone with a passing interest in aircraft. She was due to close the show, but was brought on second to last... I kinda feel for the guys who had to follow her.

Phursday Photos: split-screen camper vans

I thought I'd go for a small themed set from the car show last week; there would have been more if we'd gone on the Sunday, but foolishly we decided to go to church instead. By Monday the weather had turned and the turnout wasn't so good. Still, here's a handful of ageing VW campers, or, as Her Babyship would have it, 'Scooby-Doo Vans'.