ublisher web addresses, scam warnings and advice on everything from submission no-no's to how to get an agent are all readily available at Preditors and Editors, a Web page that bills itself as "a guide to publishers and publishing services for serious writers."
Packed with stellar content, this is one of those pages that doles out large helpings of useful information and then sends visitors on to find even more. It's crammed with basic tips for writers, composers and artists, and the true backbone of this outstanding site is its exhaustive library of publishing-related links. Convention listings, writers' organizations, promotional services and much more are spotlighted here, along with comments about the status of the link, the usefulness of the service, and any writer complaints that may have been made about a company, market or organization.
Another endlessly helpful aspect of this site is its list of definitions, which include publishing contract terms and esoterica like the meanings of various industry acronyms. The page also runs an annual readers' poll which rates works published in the previous year, and an under-used listing of author signings.
Finally, Preditors and Editors makes an effort to recognize other Web pages that further the goals of aspiring authors, screenwriters and artists, including the Truly Useful Site Award and "sites of excellence" for artists and composers. By maintaining links to the selections, these awards highlight the best of the best, creating a top-notch selection of author-friendly information and places of interest.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—January 14, 2002
even-time Hugo Award winner Bob Eggleton maintains an official home page that serves as an SF museum online, a place where visitors can see sketches, paintings and otherworldly vistas... not to mention sea monsters, dragons and even Jar Jar Binks.
Known largely in SF and fantasy circles as a book illustrator, Eggleton's imagination has taken him across a range of projects, right up to conceptual work for film and even thrill rides. The page reports on his recent work for the Jimmy Neutron movie, as well as offering a sneak
peek at the art for the book Dragonhenge by Eggleton and John Grant, which is scheduled for release this fall. The page also provides purchase information for the artist's various book projects, making it easy for interested fans to get their hands on larger versions of his work.
The gallery section of the page is, needless to say, replete with Eggleton's art, containing thumbnail images from a large array of projects, including book covers for authors such as Spider Robinson and Lawrence Watt-Evans. There are magazine covers for a variety of publications, too, and self-commissioned works. The "Monster Vision" section of the gallery shows photographs of Eggleton working on a Godzilla-themed painting, complete with brief notes on his artistic process.
Eggleton's site also provides recommendations of favorite books and toys, as well as links to his favorite artists, organizations, writers and musicians. The list, like the Web page, provides insight into the artist's passions—from monster movies to ABBA. With fabulous images and a great sense of fun, the Bob Eggleton Web page is more than just a window into the world of SF illustration—it is an entire tour.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—January 7, 2002
or a simple down-home boy who started out in the early '80s with a straightforward act of reviewing B-movies in a rudely funny manner, Joe Bob Briggs has shown surprising longevity. The many faces of Briggs are on display at his official home page, which is also part of the B-Film Webring.
Here is a plethora of Briggsian writing of all stripes, each article bearing the traditional hallmarks of irreverence, street-smart perceptiveness and a fondness for what the highbrows deem trash. One could easily spend days reading all the pieces so generously archived on this site. JBB's reviews of the worst the cinema has to offer (much of it science fiction, fantasy or horror), can be found in the Drive-In Archive. The Column Archive features recent, more "sophisticated" writings which chronicle JBB's travels around "Wild America," with a focus on casinos and other lowlife habitats. Joe Bob also offers a kind of weekly "News of the Weird" feature, culling the grossest and most outrageous news events from the mediastream. And then, just when it seems that JBB is all sass and no substance, he shocks with his Book Club, which contains surprisingly serious reviews of meaningful volumes on, for instance, the Taliban.
There's a fair amount of interactivity here, too, mainly in a feature whereby visitors may plumb their knowledge of bad films to identify the mystery film submitted by yet another fan. And of course JBB artifacts galore are available at the online store.
Interested in becoming a "drive-in mutant?" Expose yourself immediately to the radioactive toxicity of Joe Bob Briggs.
— Paul Di Filippo
Back to the top.
