Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘writing’

A random guide that may or may not be related to the last scene I wrote: A Naturalist’s Guide to the World’s Most Lethal Plants

Not every threat in nature has fangs. Some sit quietly, rooted in soil, dressed in flowers, laced with poison.

And since we’re on the topic, what about the (mostly but not entirely historical) trend of poison gardens, and how are they related to the history of medicine?

Welcome To The Poison Garden: Medicine’s Medieval Roots

Visitors to the Poison Garden are allowed to look but not touch, says head gardener Trevor Jones. “They’re not allowed to stand too close to the plants. They’re not allowed to smell them or touch them or taste any of them, because they do all have the ability to kill you.”

In this as in so many other cases, knowledge is power!

* * *

Read Full Post »

“Instead of looking at things, look between things.”

— John Baldessari

* * *

Read Full Post »

I had the interesting experience of trying to explain my latest writing project to someone at a party last night. In French.

Do I speak French? I do not!

It was a hilarious experience (what exactly is “ethical thief” in French?) and I learned a lot. The best part was just diving in and figuring it out.

Did I get everything right? 100% no.

Did I get enough right to make it work? Yes.

And that’s what mattered. It also helped me think through what was important about the story and what could fall by the wayside.

So if anyone out there is aiming for perfection ? (And I include myself in this.) Maybe just don’t. Instead, focus on the important bits.

And having a good time is right at the top of that list.

* * *

Read Full Post »

There is no perfect moment to begin.

— Seth Godin

* * *

Read Full Post »

Why Tolkien thought “sub-creation” was the secret to great fantasy and science fiction

There is something about great fantasy that emboldens the spirit and gives fire to the fight. It is found not only in the words and plot but in its atemporality. It tells us that there is something universal to the human condition that ought to be celebrated. It is something as true for Anglo-Saxons in their snowy mead halls as it is for office drones changing their login passwords.

It says that no matter what monsters we face, we shall overcome and live on. We shall not be defeated.

That’s a pretty good secret.

* * *

Read Full Post »

“Dare to be strong and courageous. That is the road. Venture anything.”

— Sherwood Anderson

* * *

Read Full Post »

“For only after, can one nail down, examine, explain. To try to know beforehand is to freeze and kill. Self-consciousness is the enemy of all art, be it acting, writing, painting, or living itself, which is the greatest art of all.”

― Ray Bradbury

* * *

Read Full Post »

“Excellence does not require perfection.”

— Henry James

* * *

Read Full Post »

I talk about science and fiction here, but I also like fantasy, science and otherwise. What’s up in the world of speculative fiction, fantasy edition? The World Fantasy Awards shortlist, that’s what!

Here’s the full ballot, with links to the short fiction list where available:

Here Are the 2025 World Fantasy Award Finalists – Reactor

Short Fiction

Our Best Selves” by Hiron Ennes (Weird Horror Magazine #9)

Godskin” by CL Hellisen (Strange Horizons, March 4, 2024)

The V*mpire” by PH Lee (Reactor, October 2024)

“Raptor” by Maura McHugh (Heartwood: A Mythago Wood Anthology)

Everything in the Garden is Lovely” by Hannah Yang (Apex Magazine #143, March 2024)

Do some of these look dark and scary and filled with content warnings? They do, but perhaps that’s your thing? If not, check out the other novels, novellas and more. 

Winners will be chosen and awards presented at the World Fantasy Convention in the UK this November! 

* * *

Read Full Post »

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.

— Mary Lou Cook

* * *

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »