Available on iTunes, Amazon and other fine MP3 retailers. Video is also at iTunes.

Second challenge, round one, of NYCMidnight's Creative Writing Championship. This time my group was given "Genre: Fantasy, Location: Travel Agency, Object: Lobster." Well, that seemed pretty obvious…

"TransmogriVacations, Inc."

by C. A. Bridges (1,000 words)

“A lobster? An actual crawling around, dunk it in butter lobster?”

“It’s what we have available right now in your price range, sir. Lobster, beetle, or vulture. Live your dream, sir.”

“What kind of beetle?”

“Dung.”

Parkleman sighed and slumped in the chair. “I’m in accounting,” he muttered, looking around the travel agency. “Dealing with balls of crap ten times my size is precisely what I’m trying to get away from.”

The sign over the door read “TRANSMOGRIVACATIONS, INC.” and in smaller script underneath: “BE ALL SOMETHING ELSE CAN BE.” There was an enchanted logo next to it depicting a cartoon man changing into a lion, a dolphin, an eagle, and then a man again, over and over. Parkleman stared at it for a long moment.

“You can really change me into anything I want to be?” he asked again.

The mage behind the desk raised an eyebrow.

“Anything I can afford, I mean?” Read the rest of this entry »

ThinkGeek is celebrating their 10th year by sending you piles of stuff. I mean, a lot of stuff.

3 winners will be drawn and will get the following prize packs:

* Grand Prize: $1200 ThinkGeek.com Shopping Spree
* A 'Taun Taun' Sleeping Bag Prototype
* ThinkGeek Homepage features you for a day
* A batch of cookies made by ThinkGeek Staff
* A small box of random doodads recently found in a closet

* Second Place Prize: $500 ThinkGeek Shopping Spree
* We'll incorporate your 'likeness' into a future ThinkGeek T-shirt
* Three Random ThinkGeek Office Decoration Pieces – Including a 10" vinyl sleestack collectible with bonus Mardi Gras necklace
* "Signed" Print by Cisco (using his paw), ThinkGeek's original office dog

* Third Place Prize: $250 ThinkGeek Shopping Spree
* We'll incorporate you into a future ThinkGeek Youtube video
* Pre-ripped wearable action hero cotton vest tee
* 22 random Atari 2600 cartridges

All you do is enter. Can't get much easier than that, people.

ThinkGeek has gotten in some new Star Trek items, and they're getting a little weird…

First up, a replica hand phaser kit.Not a snap-together, mind you, but all the same sort of parts used to create the original:

…the Star Trek Hero Prop Type-I Phaser Kit was created by Star Trek prop expert and special effects artist John Long (he's so knowledgeable about these props, auction houses rely on him to authenticate the real things). This ultra high quality, full-scale kit enables you to build a completely accurate re-creation of the original Hero version of this iconic prop (Hero props were the ones used in close-ups). You'll build a museum-quality replica of the actual studio filming prop – all the same materials, all the same electronics and functioning (it was molded off an original prop for perfect accuracy).

Which is seriously cool, and as close as you'll get to the real thing without a second mortgage. The next item is also seriously cool, if a little odd: the Star Trek Enterprise Bottle Opener.Officially licensed, this heavy and stylish opener is ready for anything, including the obligatory Romulan Ale jokes.

Handy and stunning, these chromed-out beauties do quick-work on bottles while still screaming Federation. They feel heavy in your hands, like a good phaser, so if diplomatic relations fail you, you can always chuck 'em at your hosts' heads as a weapon.

Again, cool. But the next one I have to wonder about: Red Shirt Star Trek Cologne.This strikes me as the exact opposite of Axe Body Spray, frankly.

Red Shirt Star Trek Cologne is both silly and not all at once. Sure it's mocking all the poor extras who filled the role of cannon fodder for Kirk and his crew, but it also smells really dang nice too. Because sometimes you just need to smell your best, and Red Shirt Star Trek Cologne is a way to do it in style. And who knows, you might not just be an extra destined to die – you could very well be this week's guest star.

Which makes me wonder if I could weaponize Axe. If you dumped a bucket of it on someone, would that person then be smothered by frantic, helpless aroused women? It would be a kind killing, or a really interesting method of suicide.

The massive props store 20th Century Props is going out of business and holding an auction for its final pieces, and there's quite a bit of familiar stuff in there. Wooden chairs, furniture and assorted background props from Firefly (such as the neon Chinese character sign to the right), what looks like the pool table from The Bronze, and much more. This is  a rare chance for Browncoats; props from Serenity pop up regularly, but three aren't many Firefly props available.

The two pieces pictured above, though, I don't recognize offhand. They're listed as being from Firefly; the first is "STATION, SPACE/BATTLE, KEYBOARD, FIREFLY" and the second is "CONTROL STATION, MILITARY/SPACE, MULTIPLE KNOBS & GAUGES, GR, FIREFLY". Anyone recognize these?

The auction runs from July 28 to August 1, and you can bid online. Happy hunting!

The West Port Book Festival is hosting their first Literary Twestival in Edinburgh on August 14th. But you don't have to be within a thousand miles of the place to participate…

Just post your short-short-short story to your Twitter account and include the hashtag #wpss (for West Port Short Story). The best will be presented ay the Festival, as people on site are invited to create their own on the spot. Or submit a Collective Noun for their approval (such as "A wunch of bankers," " ______ of mime artists,"A whorde of prostitutes," etc).

No prizes (that I know of), just the fun of stretching your mind in a little tiny space. And check out the ones already submitted here.

If you were at Comic-Con in San Diego this week, you've already seen him (and you might have even seen Adam Baldwin's reaction). But now you can order your very own Jayne!

Third in QMx's hit series of Serenity Little Damn Heroes limited-edition animated maquettes, "Thrilling Heroics" stars none other than the man they call Jayne (Cobb) himself. Standing 4.5 inches tall, the Jayne maquette is cast in resin, hand-painted and comes holding Jayne's very favorite gun, Vera. He's sculpted wearing the cunning hat knit by his ma and wearing his Blue Sun t-shirt. The one what got River so riled.

Based on Adam Levermore's "Little Damn Heroes" series of cartoons, "Thrilling Heroics" is limited to 1,000 numbered pieces. $49.95, shipping September 15. Order now!

New World War Hulks series, major Hulk character to die, yadda yadda. New Dethlok series, new Spider-Man webcomics, new Lizard series, maybe a new Alpha Flight series, yadda yadda.

Marvel bought the rights to "Miracleman."

Yadd.. wait, what?

Fans of the original "Marvelman" series by Alan Moore and its continuation by Neil Gaiman (known as "Miracleman" on this side of the pond) were stonkered by the announcement made at the San Diego Comic-Con's "Cup o' Joe" panel. This series,  a seminal work that takes the existence of superheroes to its extremes long before it became vogue (and frankly still stands head and shoulders above most subsequent attempts; it still has the most chilling images yet of what happens when someone with Superman-level powers goes on a rampage) has been in legal dispute for decades and fans assumed it would stay there. Apparently not:

(Marvel publisher Dan) Buckley stated that Marvel was talking with several creators who did Marvelman stories in the ’80s and ’90s. Both Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman are among those creators, but nothing has been announced beyond the acquisition.

So, no idea if the existing comics will be reprinted or remastered, or if previous characters will show up again, or if this means a movie deal is coming that Alan Moore will have to quickly distance himself from. But I'm excited to see what happens.

Titan Books has released a bit of info and the cover of their 3rd Firefly Companion book, "Firefly: Still Flying." They're keeping some stuff a secret for now, but we know it'll be the same format as the previous two.

In Still Flying, we’ll be uncovering even more secrets from the series, stuffing the book full of unseen material, including new photos, props, behind-the-scenes secrets and much more besides.

The first two were excellent resources (reviews here and here), as all Titan tie-in books tend to be, with plenty of new interviews, insider tidbits, and full-color photos even hard-core fans haven't seen. I'm hopeful this will be a worthy addition.

Titan's on a roll this year. In addition to this they're also working on the official movie novelization and official Visual Companion for Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard's upcoming movie "Cabin in the Woods." And the collection of Kevin Smith SModcasts, "Shootin' the Sh*t With Kevin Smith." And the movie book for Mark Millar's "Kick-Ass."

Just started a new Facebook group.

No reason.

No reason at all.

Just had a lot of free time, you know, since I haven't gone anywhere recently, or anything…