Friday is here! That means it’s time for the Friday Link Pack. Some of these links I’ve mentioned on Twitter this week, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Do you have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Click here to email me and let me know! (Include a website so I can link to you as well.) Let’s get to it…

RED LITTEN WORLD:

We’re in the final days before the arrival of Red Litten World. (Less than five days now.) Remember the book arrives everywhere next Tuesday in eBook and as a trade paperback! Pre-order the eBook today →

Less Than A Day Left In The Red Litten World Giveaway
We’re in the final stretches. Winners will be picked tonight. Books go out next week. Enter today for your chance to win one of five signed copies!

Red Litten Tracks
With each book release, I like to share a playlist of the songs that inspired me through the writing. Red Litten World is no different, and the collect of songs that inspired it is as eclectic as Lovat.

The Red Litten World Swag Packs Are Now Available
Over the weekend I posted a detailed look at the swag that comes with each signed copy of Red Litten World purchased through my store. (You can also get it for free or pick it up at conventions—details in the post.) New bookmarks, new stickers, and a new button, I think this the best collection yet.

WRITING:

10 Things I’ve Learned As A Debut Novelist
Author Victoria Namkung gets transparent and shares the ten lessons she took away after the launch of her first book, The Things We Tell Ourselves.

Wordcount For Lovecraft’s Favorite Words
From elder gods and old ones like Nyarlathotep and Cthulhu, to locations like Arkham and Innsmouth, to adjectives like amorphous and daemoniac, the Cthulhu Chick breaks it down for us.

Finally! An Easy Way To Know When (And How) To Use A Semicolon!
Ah, the semicolon, the creative writer’s eternal bane. Thankfully, the good people at the Writer’s Circle have put together a handy guide. [Big thanks to Will for sharing this.]

The 50 Best First Sentences In Fiction
In fiction, there’s a lot of pressure on that first sentence. (It’s all a bit ridiculous if you ask me, but that’s an opinion for a separate lengthy post.) However, to continue to raise that banner high, Gawker Review of Books as assembled what they believe is the 50 best openers of all time. I mean, we all know The Gunslinger won… oh, it didn’t? Wait… it wasn’t even mentioned!? This list is garbage.

Game Novels
YouTube gaming channel, Super Bunnyhop, takes a break from discussing games and game design to explore the idea of the game novel. As a former gamer, a writer of speculative fiction, a wannabe game designer, and a guy who has sat down with a game novelization in the past, I thought this was an interesting crossover video.

RANDOM:

Hilarious Hero Defends Edward Scissorhands During Snowden Segment
Jon Hendren is a national hero and should be the President of the United States. Don’t believe me? Check out his site devopsleague.com and follow him on Twitter and find out how very wrong you are.

Chicago’s First 100 Years In 10 Maps
This amazing collection of vintage maps documents the rise of the capitol of the midwest, from a tiny lakeside town into the enormous sprawling metropolis it is today.

Tom Waits On Everything And Nothing
Blank on Blank is a production via PBS Digital Studio (a fine example of why you need to be supporting PBS and your local PBS station) takes old interviews and animates them. So far the series has been incredible, but as a fan of Tom Waits, this has become an instant favorite.

What Happens If All The World’s Ice Melts?
The ice is melting. But, there’s are great misconceptions about an iceless Earth, some of these propagated by bad science and terrible (good) movies. Discovery Channel’s DNews has put together a great video explaining exactly what would happen when all the ice melts (spoiler: a 7.3-61 meter rise—if the latter happens… goodbye Florida.) [!] Bonus Fact: In the world of The Bell Forging Cycle, everything has melted so sea levels have risen a good 200 feet. (Basically the worst case scenario in this report.) This is why Lovat now sits on an archipelago and the lowest level of the city, the Sunk, is beneath the waves.

WEIRD WIKIPEDIA:

Profanity In Science Fiction
Profanity in science fiction shares all of the issues of profanity in fiction in general, but has several unique aspects of its own, including the use of alien profanities (such as the alien expletive “shazbot!” from Mork & Mindy, a word that briefly enjoyed popular usage outside of that television show).

H.P. LOVECRAFT STORY OF THE WEEK:

The Battle That Ended The Century (MS. Found In A Time Machine)
Um, the weirdest boxing match ever. Also, a very odd vision of the future (the story takes place in 2001). The whole thing is weird. Short, but weird. H.P. Lovecraft, you and R.H. Barlow are weirdos.

GIF OF THE WEEK:
ghost ridin' the whip