Lawrence’s Cyclotron

I’ll be posting some cool nerdy stuff tech from the past on this blog during the research phase for the new novel SITE Z. The story takes place during World War II and revolves around super-weapon development, including the uranium bomb. One of the early problems to overcome was efficiently separating U235 from U238. Ernest O. Lawrence patented (although Leo Slizard invented) a cyclotron in 1934. Lawrence was a physicist at the Berkley Radiation Laboratory at the University of California.

A cyclotron accelerates charged particles from the center outward in a spiral trajectory, held within the cyclotron by a magnetic field. The particles are accelerated by a pulsed electric field. Check out the figure below from Lawrence’s 1934 patent to see how it works.

Looking at Fig. 1, components 1 and 2 are electrodes and are ‘semicylindrical hollow plates’ closed on the outer diameter but open facing each other. Component 4 is a high frequency oscillator that produces a pulsating electric field to accelerate the ions. Ions or electrically charged particles are inserted into the space between the two electrodes 1 and 2. this is where the pulsating electric field is concentrated. The ions accelerate and spiral outward and are held in check by the magnetic field provided by magnets (Fig 2, component 3), unless they are allowed to eject from the cyclotron. Look at the bottom left of Fig. 1 where there’s an arrow pointing out of electrode 2 and labeled High Speed Ions.

One of the cool things about cyclotrons are relativistic considerations. As ions approach the speed of light their mass increases. In the early cyclotron shown here the frequency of the  pulsating electric field is held constant.

This is a clever machine and Lawrence was convinced that a device based on its principles could separate U235 from U238 and provide fissionable material for a bomb.

eBooks: Five Bucks Max

How much is an eBook worth, and why do some of them cost so much? Regarding cost, I went to the top ten paid list on Amazon and the average cost was $8.83, which I believe is high. The most expensive was $18.99 (but that was a trilogy) and the lowest $2.99.

First off, what do writers want to do? It’s simple. Connect with readers. With fiction the goal is to create a powerful emotional and entertaining experience. With non-fiction, writers provide useful information that readers can apply to their lives and careers. The flow is from author to reader. The connection is intimate, if executed correctly. There are no “middle men” getting in the way of this relationship.

The traditional publishing model is all about middle men. First, an agent facilitates a deal with a publisher, contracts are signed and the traditional machine fires up. An editor is assigned to the project, the book is placed in the development queue, cover art is produced, printers are lined up along with wholesalers, distributors and retail outlets.

Around two years later two the book finally appears on bookseller’s shelves. All of the middle men need to be paid. The agent takes a cut and the publisher takes a bigger cut, along with the 40% – 60% discounts to the wholesalers and/or distributors. The advertising budget is dealt with. The bookstore gets their cut. But wait a minute, aren’t these brick and mortar establishments going out of business (aka Borders)?

So what does a publisher also expect an author to do other than merely writing the book. They expect the author to develop a Web page and take the initiative marketing and promoting the book. This more often than not is an expense borne exclusively by the author. So why not just do it all yourself?

I’ve heard (but can’t cite the source) that a traditional publisher cannot sell an eBook on line for less than ten dollars. Why? There are no printers to pay.  Wholesalers and distributors don’t apply. Unless the author is getting more than the typical 7.5% royalty, someone is making  a lot of money for not doing much of anything.

Everything is different now.

Authors are buying their backlists and pulling out of publishing houses like they’re on fire and taking their work online to the virtual streets. Good authors. Writers are taking their destiny in their own hands and are no longer constrained by an antique business model.

I currently have two novels available on Amazon.com priced at 99 cents, The System – A Detroit Story – and Reckoning in Escobara. Both have made the Amazon top 100 list in their respective genres (thriller and action/adventure) at one time or another. People seem to like them. Could I have priced the books higher? Sure, and they’re both probably worth more than 99 cents. I priced them low for one simple reason: I want them exposed to a wide readership and am willing to forego making a profit while becoming established. My destiny as a writer is in my own hands, since I make all the decisions.

So how much is an eBook worth? Discounting the blood, sweat and tears an author experiences writing it (plus the massive time commitment), I believe an eBook should not cost over five dollars. Good work finds an audience. Good writers will stay in for the long haul. The tools are available to write and make a book available for next to nothing.  I will never, ever, charge more than five dollars for an eBook, and you can take that to the bank.

The Secrets of Action Screenwriting Review

I’m a big fan of Bill Martell’s Blue Books and recently bought The Secrets of Action Screenwriting. The Blue Books typically sell for $2.99 on Amazon, but Secrets cost $9.99 and I was reluctant at first to pay that much for it. I’m glad I did, and this is the best of his Blue Books so far in my opinion. I’ll buy the new ones at $9.99 when they’re available without blinking.

Bill Martell is a working screenwriter with a ton or produced work under his belt, so he’s no wannabe telling you how to write. I really respect working writers that share their knowledge with others, and Bill is one of those. Secrets is useful and above all practical.  It isn’t filled with useless motivational platitudes and pontificating, ineffective elucidations on writing (aka, no big words or fancy advice). He uses plain language (example: “bullshit” is sprinkled throughout) and offers realistic guidance and tips you can use, right now.

I’m a novelist, not a screenwriter, but I always write a screenplay before I write a novel.  I spend a couple months on an outline, write a beat sheet, then write a screenplay before I set a word of the novel to paper. Know what I discovered after reading Secrets? My beat sheets could be a lot better- by 100 percent. I now follow Bill’s method he so clearly portrays in the book.

If you buy The Secrets of Action Screenwriting, I recommend going right to the Finishing Touches section near the end of the book. Bill presents thirty questions and items to consider before unleashing your work, and this applies to novels as well as screenplays. If there’s a concept or item that you’re unfamiliar with, such as a payback line, plot seed, rug pulls or villain’s plan, you can easily refer to the section that describes the concept in detail.

As a working writer on a continuous learning path, I put Bill Martell’s Blue Books at the top of my list.

Movie Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

We just got back from seeing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  It’s a long movie at 158 minutes but it’s time well spent.

One Line Synopsis

A reporter gets revenge on a corrupt corporate magnate with the help of a motorcycle riding punkette with deep issues and whose head looks like a pin cushion.

Director

David Fincher

Standout Actors

Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer

Best Bit Part

The perturbed female archive coordinator (can’t find her in the credits)

The opening credits are some of the most unique I’ve seen in the past few years and sets the tone of the movie, bolstered by the Led Zepplin cover track. The acting is great (especially Rooney Mara), the action is good and for such a long movie it never drags. The basement gas chamber at first seemed out of place but is logical based on the Vanger family’s Nazi background. Great ending, also. This is the best film I’ve seen over the holidays.

Grade

A

Movie Review: Shame

We went and saw Shame at our local art house theater early this evening to kick off New Year’s Eve. Glad we did- we practically had the place to ourselves.

One Line Synopsis

A sex addict cannot have intimate, personal relationships with women.

Director

Steve McQueen

Standout Actors

Michael Fassbender, Lucy Walters

Best Bit Part

Robert Montano as the annoying waiter.

Michael Fassbender is a controlled and courageous actor. The guy’s just spectacular in this movie. I can’t think of anyone else who could make this character more true to life. The only negatives are the movie dragged a little, and if I had to sit through one more verse and chorus of his sister singing New York New York I would have probably left the theatre.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Grade:  A-

Movie Review: Midnight in Paris

Despite the off-putting trailer and my better judgement, we decided to watch Midnight in Paris last night. I’m glad we did.

One Line Synopsis

Gil, a frustrated Hollywood screenwriter, engaged to the materialistic shrew Inez, wanders the streets of Paris and after midnight travels back in time to encounter artists and literary figures from the 1920’s Paris Cafe Society.

Standout Actors

Michael Sheen as Paul, Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein, Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway.

Best Bit Part

Adrian Brody as Salvador Dali.

Why is the trailer so lame and deceptive? There’s no indication that Gil goes back in time to meet these well acted personas- Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot, Pablo Picasso, Degas, Gauguin, et. al. The trailer implies the movie is a self-indulgent Woody Allen romantic comedy. But it isn’t! The sets are great, the dialog isn’t as stilted as in most recent Allen movies, and the characters are lively and original. This movie is well worth watching.

Grade

A-