The Imaginary Bomb

What the --?!

2006-11-18T21:58:00.000-05:00

Looking for Uncle Warren's Attic? Try this.

The Imaginary Bomb #12: Chapter 27

2006-07-13T07:13:00.000-04:00

Chapter 27. Parting shots and new beginnings. The guys wrap things up, hint at sequel possibilities and head off to buy a drink.

Hang around after the story concludes for some random announcements and a lovely parting gift. It's been a fun ride and we sure hope you enjoyed it. Check back here for future announcements about The Imaginary Bomb and B.W. Richardson's Imaginary Age. And, if you're subscribed, stay subscribed; your podcatcher just may surprise you someday soon.

Keep up with your author:
Montag by B.W. Richardson
Send e-mail to bwrmontag@yahoo.com

... and your narrator and podcast producer:
Green Bay Free Radical by Warren Bluhm
Send e-mail to wpbluhm@netnet.net

The Imaginary Bomb #11: Chapter 26

2006-07-12T01:29:00.000-04:00

Chapter 26: The power of the imaginary bomb. In which we get a detailed look at what happens if you set off one of these puppies.

Author's note: When I started writing The Imaginary Bomb, I had two little scraps of words. First, I had an opening sentence, "The ship was rushing through space at twice the speed of imagination." I started fleshing out in my mind what that first sentence could mean, and I thought about moving spaceships through the use of "imaginary physics," that is, vessels operating by imagination as a power source. When I thought about how through history, new technology has usually been converted into weaponry, I realized I had my title and a hazard for my heroes: The Imaginary Bomb. Finally, I started thinking about what an imaginary bomb could do, and what came to mind eventually became the last paragraph of Chapter 26. Writing the story, then, became an exercise in linking the first sentence to that paragraph. Out of that exercise sprang Bob Whelan, Pete Wong, Linda Franco and Walter, Lt. Joshua True and, last but certainly not least, Baxter Hetznecker. I hope you've had as much fun hearing about their adventure as I did when they first jumped out of my keyboard. -- B.W. Richardson

Here are links to the two Web sites mentioned in the closing remarks:
Out of Step - Wally Conger (and his review of The I-Bomb)
Sunni Maravillosa and the Conspirators

And be here again Wednesday night for the final chapter, a few random announcements and a lovely parting gift.

Imaginary Bomb #10: Chapter 25

2006-07-10T16:39:00.000-04:00

The chapters tonight and tomorrow night take us to where our little adventure has been moving all along!

Chapter 25: Surprise within a surprise. The final showdown leads to the final countdown.

Stay tuned after Wednesday night's last chapter for news and thoughts about where your author and your humble podcast producer go from here.

To vote for The Imaginary Bomb at Podcast Alley, visit here and click on "Vote Now!" You're allowed one vote per month. Thanks!!

Imaginary Bomb #9: Chapter 24

2006-07-09T19:52:00.000-04:00

Chapter 24. Meanwhile, back at the Quonset ... It's a standoff! Bryzynski's mercenaries are holed up with Linda and an ImagCorp employee named Dave in the military room at the company's Lunar Research Center, surrounded by a Special Forces team led by Lt. Joshua True. They've armed the imaginary bomb to detonate in 100 seconds when Bryzynski gives the command or is killed. All this has happened while Bob Whelan and PeteWong were tied up (loosely) with one armed guard at the mercenaries' Quonset hut headquarters.

Imaginary Bomb #8: Chapter 23

2006-07-08T20:26:00.000-04:00

The opening of today's show features special guest Pumpkin the Speedbump, who readers of my blog will recognize as Speedbump from last weekend. This is his world podcast debut.

Chapter 23. The bomb. Linda, Walter and Todd reach the room where the imaginary bomb software is stored, and Manuel Bryzynski's mercenary band interrupts with dire results.

Surprise change of plans - Imaginary Bomb Chapter 22

2006-07-08T00:32:00.000-04:00

Surprise announcement: Instead of six chapters in one day, we're going to give you one chapter a day for six days! Details in the show.

Chapter 22. Martyrs. Linda, Walter and Todd reach the room where the imaginary bomb is stored. People start dying.

Thanks for your patience

2006-07-04T18:40:00.000-04:00

OK, I hedged my bet - remember I said the Imaginary Bomb finale would be available "on or about" July 4. It looks like it's going to be "about," not "on." Sorry, just had too much fun celebrating Independence Day with friends and family - but come back in a day or two and we'll have The Big Finish for you. Thanks!

Warren

The Imaginary Bomb #6: Chapters 19-21

2006-06-29T07:47:00.000-04:00

In which we start rushing toward a conclusion to this little story.

Chapter 19: You can't tell the bad guys without a scorecard. An explanation for the surprise that concluded Chapter 18.

Chapter 20: The usual suspects. We meet the mastermind behind the surprise, and Major Strasser is shot.

Chapter 21: Desperate invasion. Linda, Walter, Todd and Matt enter the ImagCorp Research Center on the moon.

On or about July 4, the final six chapters will arrive in one big finale. You'll be amazed at how fireworks can be delivered so quietly and without fanfare. And after that - ?

Imaginary Bomb #5: Chapters 16-18

2006-06-25T15:14:00.000-04:00

Chapter 16: Assessing the options. Bob tries to enlist Baxter's help, and Linda offers an apology.

Chapter 17: Matt, Todd and Walter. Bob chats with the other two remaining members of Linda's gang, and has a conversation with Walter as the Betsy Ross approaches Earth.

Chapter 18: 12 seconds from home. Our stalwart crew drops Linda and company off on the moon, head for Seattle, and get one more surprise.

Watch for Chapters 19-21 in just a few days, followed by our grand finale - we'll be packaging the climactic six chapters in one big concluding episode.

On behalf of B.W. Richardson and myself, I want to thank you for hanging with us so far in our little adventure. If you're so inclined, please remember to vote for The Imaginary Bomb at Podcast Alley - you need to re-vote after the 1st of every month. Thanks!

The Imaginary Bomb #4: Chapters 10-15

2006-06-18T16:12:00.000-04:00

We're back! And thanks for your patience during the hiatus caused by the unexpected death of Warren's mom. To show our appreciation for your hanging in there with us, I-Bomb #4 is packed with six (count 'em) chapters of adventure.

Chapter 10. An imaginary firefight. Baxter Hetznecker surprises Bob and Pete, who are tied up as a squad from Sirius faces off against Linda Franco's little team.

Chapter 11. Rushing through space. Part of Baxter's secret is revealed, and Bob has an intimate conversation with Linda. (Don't get yer hopes up; this isn't that kind of novel!)

Chapter 12. Quarreling over dinner etiquette. Linda discovers that the cargo ship Betsy Ross is not equipped to be vegetarian-friendly.

Chapter 13. Role-playing games. Bob and Pete are greeted, but not exactly welcomed, to Sirius 4.

Chapter 14. True confessions. Bob and Pete are interrogated by Lt. Joshua True, Special Forces. The plot thickens a bit.

Chapter 15. Linda can't get Sirius. It appears the roles of Bob Whelan and Pete Wong in this little adventure are finally coming to an end, but as you may recall, there are 27 chapters, so something must happen to get them back on the hook.

As the Imaginary Bomb podcast resumes, the rest of these recordings are dedicated to the memory of Hilda Bluhm, a sweet lady who was born Dec. 14, 1923, and died June 6, 2006. And thanks to everybody for understanding.

The Imaginary Bomb #3 - Chapters 7-9

2006-05-29T14:12:00.000-04:00

Chapter 7. Off to Barnard's Star. In which our heroes set their sights on the planet BS-2, reminisce on Bob's past with Linda and speculate as to why Linda has abandoned a good job working for ImagCorp and taken to a life of thieving and killing.
Chapter 8. Linda. Docking at the Holo-LuYa Resort on BS-2, Bob and Pete drop Baxter off at the ImagCoaster, the hotel's imaginary roller coaster, and go to the cabin where they suspect Linda and her crew are quartered.
Chapter 9. Sirius Business. Their suspicions having proven correct, Bob and Pete finally find out what all the fuss is about, and then the conversation is rudely interrupted.

How can 20 minutes go by so quickly? When is Bluhm going to retrieve his once-smooth radio delivery? Will we really be back with Chapters 10-12 before next Monday? Only one way to find out, but first you have to download and catch up to Chapters 7-9! Have fun!

Good news and bad news

2006-05-28T09:21:00.000-04:00

First, Chapters 7-9 might be a little delayed this week, and it's my fault. When I first wrote The Imaginary Bomb back in 1989, my views on certain subjects were a little different, and the story you're hearing now has been revised in a few ways - especially to clarify who's ultimately responsible for the mayhem that occurs here and there.

When he started working on this week's chapters, Warren found a few places where I should have made some of those revisions, so he placed them back in my hands to make those clarifications. Well, now he has a family thing out of town Sunday, and he might not be able to get Episode 3/Chapters 7-9 done by the end of the day Monday. But it'll get done!

Which leads us to the good news - it seems to us that waiting a whole week between episodes is a tad long, so we're going to step up production. Chapters 7-9 may not be ready by the end of the Memorial Day weekend, but Chapters 10-12 very likely will be ready before Monday, June 5, and Chapters 13-15 will definitely be out before Monday, June 12, etc. Our nine-week adventure is going to be quicker than the original plan, and we hope that meets with your approval!

The Imaginary Bomb Chapters 4-6

2006-05-21T21:14:00.000-04:00

Chapter 4. Oh, by the way. While we have a moment, here is a brief primer on the history and essential elements of imaginary physics. You'll finally understand the oldtime movie serial rocketship pictures!

Chapter 5. A small misunderstanding. Bob and Pete arrive on Proximi Centauri 3 and stop at Snooky's Tavern for a brew. Instead they have an encounter that will change their lives.

Chapter 6. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Does Baxter Hetznecker come along for the ride? That is the question. Say yes, OK? Please?

The Making of The Imaginary Bomb

2006-05-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

Even by podcast standards, The Imaginary Bomb is not intended to be a slick, perfect production. It's a homemade project and, as such, I leave my share of stutters and clicks in there, although I'm trying to make them fewer and farther between. When episode 2 is posted later today, for example, you'll notice I don't own a filter that screens out popping P's. I'll try to be more careful starting with episode 3.

Part of the reason why the show sounds the way it does is that I don't own a fancy Garage Band system or even a computer that's less than five years old. And I use the type of equipment that I used for 22 years before I left the radio business 10 years ago: Analog stuff!

The main workhorses are a Pioneer RT-707 reel-to-reel tape deck that I bought new in 1977; a Radio Shack SSM-60 stereo sound mixer; and, for the voice processing, a Marantz PMD 740 mixing board and Yamaha EMP100 multi-effect processor that I got off eBay a couple of years ago. Now, folks who know what all those numbers mean know they're pretty cool toys, but this being my first podcast I'm just taking baby steps with this stuff so far.

Once it's all recorded, it's a simple matter to dub the whole shebang onto a CD and convert it to .mp3 on the Dell. In fact, there's probably a simpler way to do all of this, but I'm comfortable doing it this way, so what the hey.

The McGuffin

2006-05-17T10:52:00.000-04:00

The plot revolves around this thing. When I wrote the novel, it looked like a floppy, 5-inch-square piece of plastic. No doubt when they make the movie the technology will have evolved to something else. And when the events of the novel come true, it'll be a whole 'nother thing. But this is approximately what it looks like today.

-- B.W.

The Imaginary Bomb Chapters 1-3

2006-05-14T20:56:00.000-04:00

The Imaginary Bomb begins NOW!

I can't really explain the feeling when I heard Warren Bluhm's voice pronounce those words. This story has been sitting in a file in my basement for 18 years, enjoyed by the small handful who read it but not marketed especially well by me. Through the miracles of the Internet and podcasting and a little bit of encouragement from friends, it's finally out in the sunlight. I'm overwhelmed. But enough maudlin stuff. This first edition of the podcast features:

Chapter 1. An unfortunate incident. Cargo spaceship owner Bob Whelan and his co-pilot, Pete Wong, are doing their civic duty after their ship is commandeered for purposes of planetary security to transport an envelope containing ... something ... to Proximi Centauri 3. After an unfortunate, deadly incident, the envelope finds itself in the hands of ... someone else.
Chapter 2. Additional unexpected visitors. As Bob and Pete await a rescue from - oddly enough - a squad from Special Forces, they speculate as to the identity of the "someone else" who intercepted their ship. But nah, it can't be her.
Chapter 3. Intensely awkward moments. The commander of the Special Forces unit and Bob Whelan don't exactly become fast friends. And, of course, it's all because of her.

Tell us what you think, do the voting thing at Podcast Pickle and Podcast Alley, and help us get the word out about imaginary physics. Oh, and if you don't understand the reference to Scott Sigler in Warren's introduction, check this out. Chapters 4-6 should be up by Monday morning, May 22, at the latest. Thanks for checking us out!!!

-- B.W. Richardson

Life is what happens ...

2006-05-12T22:06:00.000-04:00

... while you're busy making other plans.

Oh, the cute little teasers we had planned for this week.

* We were going to post a picture of a flash drive with a label marked "ig 5.0.1" and let you try to figure out what the heck that is.

* We were going to write little introductory essays explaining who B.W. Richardson and Warren Bluhm are.

* We were going to construct a third "trailer" to get you really psyched for Monday's debut episode of the podcast.

* In short, we were going to have daily updates designed to get you thinking and talking to your friends about this new podcast novel that everybody in their right mind oughtta be downloading.

Then the next thing we knew, it was Friday night. Where'd all that time go!?!?!?!

Keep checking back, though, just in case - especially Monday. If nothing else, we will definitely drop Chapters 1-3 of the iBomb into your hands on schedule. That's a Lord-willing-and-the-crick-don't-rise promise!

Imaginary Bomb Trailer #2

2006-05-07T10:39:00.000-04:00

Another little teaser for the big show coming up May 15. Watch this space over the coming week for more info about "The Imaginary Bomb," B.W. Richardson, Warren Bluhm, imaginary physics in general, and maybe even Baxter Hetznecker.

Imaginary Bomb "trailer"

2006-04-30T21:07:00.000-04:00

Testing .. Testing ... Is this on? Oh! Hello - Here is a little four-minute preview of what lies ahead in B.W. Richardson's "The Imaginary Bomb." Watch this space for more teasers and, starting May 15, our first podcast novel together!

- Warren Bluhm

Technical stuff getting worked out

2006-04-26T20:50:00.000-04:00

Here's how it is: We've launched an account with Liberated Syndication to house the episodes, which will be also available at this site, http://imaginarybomb.libsyn.com/. Now that we've delayed the opening episode, we're of course getting geeked out instead of stressed out, so who knows? Maybe we'll be launching sooner than May 15. More likely we'll get a few episodes in the can so we're in a comfort zone by the time the Ides of May arrive.

Watch both sites for preview information and maybe an audio "trailer" or two. The latest preview info:

TENETS OF IMAGINARY PHYSICS

1. The power of the imagination is unlimited.

2. Matter still can't be created or destroyed.

3. What's done is done.

Hello, my name is B.W., and I'm a procrastinator ("Hi, B.W.")

2006-04-25T09:04:00.000-04:00

Well, you try getting into the heads of characters who've been sitting in your basement for 18 years. For one thing they're pretty irritated about all that sitting around doing nothing.

We've pushed back the target launch date to May 15 to buy me a little more revision time. Don't worry, it'll be worth the wait. Remember, Serenity and V for Vendetta weren't released on their original schedules, either.

I can promise you this: The Imaginary Bomb won't be as good as those two movies. But it's fun!

Podcast producer's note

2006-04-20T09:35:00.000-04:00

Brian Richardson claims he was conceived to the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, which means he was born no earlier than 1967, but every so often he comes out with a comment about the late 1960s and early '70s that could only be made by someone who was there, so I think he just likes the image that the first thing he heard as a zygote was the strains of "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times."

As a writer he's a little more brash than I am, but not excessively so, and we seem to see the universe through similar eyes, so it probably is natural that we'd collaborate on a project like this. As an incurable editor, I've suggested a tweak or two in the dialogue and some of the themes, but this is primarily the novel that Samantha heard on B.W.'s couch lo, these 18 years ago. It's hard to believe this nifty little story has been sitting in a box in B.W.'s basement all this time, but then again, I'm a born procrastinator, too, so I can imagine how it may have happened.

It's been nine years since last I played with recording equipment and reading out loud, so please forgive any awkward pauses or inexact edits. This is strictly a homemade production but hopefully won't sound too much like one.

The theme music is a recording I made back in 1982 of an instrumental I named "Shadazar" after Robert E. Howard's immortal city of decadence. I am a frustrated rock star who has all the tools needed for stardom except a voice, musical ability and a desire to sing in front of a crowd, but at least that hasn't stopped me from laying my little ditties down on tape, and now on CD. Someday maybe I'll put them out there for download and see if I can't make a few pennies. The opening and closing strains of The Imaginary Bomb podcast will be w.p. bluhm the musician's international debut.

As a frustrated writer myself - you should see the novels and short stories I hide under my own bushel baskets - I'm proud to help B.W. get his effort out to an audience. Maybe if this is a success, we'll follow up with some of my own work. But one step at a time. First let's get this spaceship fired up and ready to be hijacked by government agents who are transporting - oops, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Author's note

2006-04-12T09:56:00.000-04:00

"The ship was rushing through space at twice the speed of imagination."

It's funny how the creative process works. Those dozen words formed themselves into a sentence, a surge of adrenaline raced through my veins, and a few weeks later I had a 24,000-page novel - well, maybe that's a novella - or maybe even a long short story - called The Imaginary Bomb.

I'm a terrible procrastinator. Once I had the idea, I needed a way to keep the juices flowing, so that I wouldn't set the thing down for 18 years and never come back to it.

So I made a pact to myself that every time I got together with my girlfriend, let's call her Samantha, I would have another chapter finished and would read it to her. Sam started looking forward to snuggling on the couch with the next stage in the adventures of Bob Whelan, Pete Wong and the mighty Baxter Hetznecker. She was a kid at heart and really enjoyed having a bedtime story, as it were - that's one of the things I loved about her (and the fact that I didn't tell her the many things I loved about her is among the reasons why she's a figment of my past - but in memory of those times, I frequently tell Sweetie what I love about her, so I guess I've learned that lesson - but I digress).

I sent the finished product out to two or three publishers, and each time it came back with a "thanks anyway" note. I meant to send it out again, but instead I set the thing down for 18 years and never came back to it.

Enter Warren Bluhm. We got to talking to each other late in 2005; we're both free-radical libertarian near-anarchists who like to write essays about liberty and freedom and were born in New Jersey, so it was perhaps inevitable that we'd get to know each other. Sometimes we think so much alike we may as well be the same person. Like me, he is an ex-radio guy, but in his case he still likes the sound of his own voice. Me, I'd rather hide away in my hermitage and write. He's been itching to get into podcasting but couldn't settle on an idea for one, and I've been itching to haul The Imaginary Bomb back out and get it to the world. I also remember how entertained Sam seemed to be as she heard the story told out loud. The various interests seemed to fit together like peas in a podcast.

We conceived this idea. I would revise the novel to clean up the clunky spots, and we'd put out a podcast with Warren reading the story. Maybe we'll take donations to fund the self-publication of the book, or maybe some publisher who's into podcast novels will say, "Whoa baby! This is the project my company has been waiting for!" or even better, some movie producer will buy up the rights and I can retire and give up this life of crime (a little Serenity reference there for you).

So I've been revising away, and Warren's been clearing his throat and reading Podcasting for Dummies, and we're just about ready to launch - aiming for around May 1. The 27 chapters of The Imaginary Bomb are kind of short, so we're thinking we'll split the story into nine three-chapter sections, but we won't know for sure until we see how long it takes him to read a chapter. We're thinking 20-minute segments, so however many chapters (up to three) he can spit out in about 20 minutes, that's what we'll do.

We're at least a couple of weeks away from having our ducks in a row. So why are we telling you this now? That's easy - if we don't, we'll just end up setting the idea aside for 18 years, and then what?!?

Cross-posted to Montag and the Green Bay Free Radical

Please stand by

2006-04-02T19:16:00.000-04:00

Congratulations. You've found the biggest clue we've posted to date.

Update, 4/12/2006: How disappointing, nobody found the clue. Doesn't anybody read Blogger profiles anymore? bwr