It’s always interesting when the Internet ceases to exist. Well, in ones own home. I really don’t want to see the whole modern world come to a screeching halt with commerce in a tangle. rather amazing how quickly it has become possible to order something from half way around the World while sitting at your... Continue Reading →
Oops!
What? Is this my day?Uh, uh, think fast! Need subject!All right. I have a first draft, the story is done. Now what?For me, it’s time to bring in the beta readers. Now, what works for me would probably horrify a sensibly paranoid writer—I put it up as a Google Doc and post the URL on... Continue Reading →
Wanted
Obedience training for Muses (Or is that Musi). Doesn’t really matter, I only have one. So far as I know. Mine is sneaky, hyperactive (except under the influence of antihistamines, decongestants, diet sodas, or extreme stress (when it disappears altogether)) not housebroken, and sure as heck won’t walk on a leash. Which explains (excuses?) my... Continue Reading →
A Tale of Two Stories
Pam Uphoff I’ve recently read two stories and while I generally don’t do book reviews, I’m going to take a look at these two. My sister convinced me to read “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. Yes, the #1 New York Times Bestseller. “The Catch 22 of early feminism” accord to themselves. https://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Chemistry-Novel-Bonnie-Garmus-ebook/dp/B098PW8NP8/ OMG! Drenched... Continue Reading →
The Blurb from the Abyss
[--Pam Uphoff--] Blurbs. The bane of many an author’s existence. They aren’t a brief synopsis, they’re a teaser. A hook. Something to get the potential reader to at least “look inside” if not just hit the buy now button. I'm pretty bad at them. So I just put up a book, with my usual last... Continue Reading →
Books in My Head
My subconscious, or Muse, or *$^#$@!!!!! in my head seems to have a problem. Or maybe it’s them, and I don’t mean that in the Woke sense. it’s much more like popcorn kittens then an single subconscious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDABjGGeZzM It’s like, the hero’s leading the heavily armed convoy into the burned ruins of the city .... Continue Reading →
Acclimation
Ah! Fall has fallen, with a marvelous cold front (you Northerners can laugh). I’m breaking out the long sleeved shirts for day time highs in the sixties and the multiple warm blankets for lows in the forties. It won’t last. But it will return, again and again, more frequently until Winter is here, and I... Continue Reading →
Time Travelers Contact Department U . . .
Call it a writing prompt--nothing to do with being clueless about what to write--honest! Time Travel Now, how many nations do you think have a special department all fixed up and waiting for the arrival of someone from the future? And what would this (hopefully, really, really boring) department do? Let's see. Surely the US... Continue Reading →
Old Friends and New
Andre Norton was mentioned in a comment somewhere . . . and in trying to trace down which book that was in . . . I wound up binge reading the Time Traders series, remembered that someone had written an extension and checking . . . whoa! Lots of more adventures with old friends. Some... Continue Reading →
The Care and Feeding of a Hyperactive Muse
I am a very disorganized writer, and basically lazy. At least my conscious mind is. The Muse, AKA my subconscious, not so much. In fact, hyperactive is probably not the right term, but . . . Well let’s just say that one day, about . . . oh dear . . . Twenty-five years ago?... Continue Reading →