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Posts Tagged ‘Writers’

Cream of the Crop

Posted in Funny, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »

While chatting with my father about a sci-fi book he’s reading, I remembered this short bit of free fiction from John Scalzi. Now I share it with you, too.

When the Yogurt Took Over: A Short Story | Whatever

When the yogurt took over, we all made the same jokes – “Finally, our rulers will have culture,” “Our society has curdled,” “Our government is now the cream of the crop,” and so on. But when we weren’t laughing about the absurdity of it all, we looked into each others’ eyes with the same unasked question – how did we ever get to the point where we were, in fact, ruled by a dairy product?

Enjoy!

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Photo by Mae Mu on Unsplash

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Out to Lunch

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »

It’s a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon and (full transparency here) I find myself sorely lacking in motivation. Since we’ve had a mini “aliens on Earth” theme this week, let’s round it out with a short story from Fireside. 

The Tourist by Em Liu

He goes to Earth alone.

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Photo by Chris Ried on Unsplash

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Who Knew?

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »

What do you know, some people actually did read Playboy for the articles!

Read 10 of the Best Stories Ever Published in Playboy ‹ Literary Hub

…while Hefner was indeed a man who collected and commodified women and called it “feminism,” it doesn’t change the fact that the joke about reading Playboy for the articles isn’t really a joke. The magazine has published some fantastic interviews, essays, and—most importantly for our purposes here—fiction over the years, the latter thanks in part to expert fiction editor Alice K. Turner…

Since its inception, Playboy has published work by Vladimir Nabokov, James Baldwin, Shirley Jackson, Nadine Gordimer, Doris Lessing, John Updike, John Cheever, P. G. Wodehouse, Arthur C. Clarke, John Irving, Roald Dahl, Frank Herbert, Stephen King, Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Annie Proulx, and many other greats.

Almost all of the stories on this list are available to read online (via sites that will not get you in trouble at work, bonus). So enjoy the classic fiction, folks, while appreciating the venues we now have for sci-fi and other fiction.

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Photo by Bernd Klutsch on Unsplash

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Tipping Point

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on July 20, 2022| 2 Comments »

A drabble inspired by my love for science fiction. Also, the news.

Tipping Point, or, Oil Lobbyists Celebrate Over Drinks (London, UK, Earth)

Four oil lobbyists drank martinis around a mahogany table in a richly-appointed bar, celebrating. Their efforts had finally succeeded.

The lobbyist at the South end of the table grinned. 

“Did you see the news? 40C! God, we’re good.”

West puffed on a Cuban cigar. “They say it’s the new normal. I’d say we’re ready.” 

North shivered in the frigid air. “Agreed. Make the call.”

East opened a communicator that looked like a prop from Star Trek.

“Base? Terraforming is complete. Send the first wave of settlers.”

South looked at his fleshy fingers. 

“Can’t wait to get out of these clothes.”

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Photo by Jarosław Kwoczała on Unsplash

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A Gem of a Book

Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on July 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I am very happy to announce the publication of Parsec Ink’s latest anthology, Triangulation: Energy. 

The theme is sustainable energy: can we find a way to keep up with—or exceed—our present and future energy consumption levels while keeping our space livable? 

Is it science fiction? Yes. Does it showcase positive takes on our energy challenges? Yes. Was I fortunate enough to have a story in it, alongside a roster of terrific authors? Yes!

The anthology is available in Kindle and paperback formats. Curious about what’s inside? Check out the Kindle preview for a sample of the first three entries, including my own story, The Jewel of New Stoltz. I know I wrote it and all, but I’m happy to be able to share a story I love.

Hope you like it too.

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Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash

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After All

Posted in Other, Writing, tagged , , , , on July 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Tonight, if you have a moment and remember that we are, after all, just passengers on a ship hurtling through space with only one true companion, look up. The Buck Moon will be waiting.

Supermoon / Super Moon – Why and When?

“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”

― Paul Brandt

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Photo by Mateusz Klein on Unsplash

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Five-Letter Poetry

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I may have committed a little Wordle poetry with lunch.

Photo by Chris Briggs on Unsplash

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A Walk in the Woods

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , on July 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »

We had waffles, watched a race, went for a walk and generally enjoyed a beautiful, lazy summer’s day. Now somehow it’s time for dinner so I’ll leave you with a brief excerpt from a stroll in the woods, once upon a time in Thailand.

Chang Mai—Jungle Trek

A rutted dirt road led from the parking lot through a stand of tall trees. The road quickly narrowed to a track that led past a small facilities building, scattered picnic areas, and into denser woods. A huge centipede scurried past my sandals and exposed toes, making it clear that Thais eat such creatures for their size, not their beauty. After this apparition I had no trouble keeping my eyes open. An unexpected benefit of being alert was that I found an amulet someone had lost on the trail. The guidebook had mentioned that Thais always carry at least one amulet with them wherever they go, and I’d made a note to look for one in the market as a token of the visit. Presto, there it was. I hope it wasn’t the owner’s only protection.

Good luck charm in hand, we wound our way along the stream bed as the sound of crashing water grew louder. The little valley opened up, the sun broke through the tree tops, and a waterfall appeared. The impressive thing about it wasn’t so much its height, which was hard to gauge through the trees, but its power.

A pool carved out at the fall’s base and the mist all over my clothes and the trees attested to the water’s strength and the abundant runoff in this waterlogged part of the country. The trail around the pool had gone muddy from the mist and visitors’ feet, giving me what was to be the first of many intimate moments with Thai muck. I had no idea how familiar I was to become with that red earth over the next day and a half.

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Photo by Norbert Braun on Unsplash

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Happy Canada Day, Canada!

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , on July 1, 2022| Leave a Comment »

It is Canada Day today and I am wearing a red and white beaver shirt and my Tilley hat and we’ve just come back from a long walk through the wild and glorious suburbs of Ottawa. Now I’m going to use the strawberry syrup I made from local berries for a strawberry lime freeze because it is hot and muggy.

I’ll leave you with the start of a poem about this great country; click through the link to read more.

Canada by Billy Collins | Poetry Foundation

I am writing this on a strip of white birch bark

that I cut from a tree with a penknife.

There is no other way to express adequately

the immensity of the clouds that are passing over the farms   

and wooded lakes of Ontario and the endless visibility   

that hands you the horizon on a platter…

While we’re on the subject of poetry, I discovered the Poetry Atlas, which does exactly what it says on the tin. Navigate to your favorite locale to find an associated poem, like these about Canada:

Poems about: canada – Poetry Atlas

O Canada!

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Photos by Joshua Balsamo and Joel Henry on Unsplash

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Blankety Blank Blank

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on June 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

If you’ve ever had writers’ block you’ll know that it is, hmm, not fun. In my experience, getting past it requires taking a step back and reassessing your project, your goals, and your self. It can also help to understand what kind of block you’re dealing with. For that, Charlie Jane Anders has some advice:

The 10 Types of Writers’ Block (and How to Overcome Them)

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the terrifying mystique of Writer’s Block, it’s better to take it apart and understand it — and then conquer it. Here are 10 types of Writer’s Block and how to overcome each type.

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Photo by Eva Elijas on Pexels.com

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