We all have our collections of books on writing or photography designed to inspire and educate us. For writing, for me, it's the three pillars: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, On Writing by Stephen King, and Zen and the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury. For photography, it's Hot Shoe Diaries by JoeMcNally. Now,… Continue reading Penmonkey Get Up, Get Coffee…
Wisdom in a Glass of Dandelion Wine
LiveJournal page, but no real thoughts about him. It still upsets me when I think he's gone. I discovered him via Little Falls Library. One of the reasons I find myself re-buying his books is I checked out the ones in the library so often, I thought they were mine. The Martian Chronicles got the… Continue reading Wisdom in a Glass of Dandelion Wine
Cake or Death
Charles Stross posted up a little item based on a Mind Meld on SFSignal and this particular quote stood out for me: In fact, those people who are doing the "big visionary ideas about the future" SF are mostly doing so in a vacuum of critical appreciation. Greg Egan's wonderful clockwork constructions out of the… Continue reading Cake or Death
Essays on Heresy and Cognitive Dissonance
"Creed sucks! I hate you, and I hate the band you like!" Red vs. Blue: Real Life vs. the Internet still maintains a punch. Despite being ancient by our standards, this one exchange depicts a core problem I've run into when reading blogs by authors, photographers, and other members of the creative community. When a… Continue reading Essays on Heresy and Cognitive Dissonance
Vanishing Bookstores
Crossroads books exists. If you Google it, you'll find the name. There's a lovely website with an address. It's simple and small and everything you would expect from a bookstore in Culpepper, VA. When you call the number, the husband and wife who own the store answer. Would you like a book? If they don't… Continue reading Vanishing Bookstores
New Skins
First, if you have an allergy or aversion to existential moments, where one looks into the face of ennui and questions one's position in the world, I'd skip most of this entry. In the last few weeks, my day job underwent several massive changes. Structures were taken, shaken and shattered. We are now operating under… Continue reading New Skins
Rethinking Shannon
I'm at a little spot in DC, on the corner of Fifth and K Street called Busboys and Poets. Having secured a two person table by the door, I ordered a bowl of shrimp and grits, and thought of Shannon. Shannon being one of the characters from Metaphysical Graffiti. I had her set a certain… Continue reading Rethinking Shannon
Adapt to the Mutation
I awoke this morning, late. My normal Saturday cycle was broken by a very late movie. I slept through two alarms and woke up to the sound of "Car Talk" on the radio. My normal writing window was gone. So, it will be an afternoon session. And who knows what tomorrow may become. I still… Continue reading Adapt to the Mutation
This is a Test
This is my first test of the WordPress iPad application. This weekend will also be a test. My normal writing cycle has been broken by an annual car inspection. Later on, pot luck dinner with friends. Tomorrow demands work in the garden, bills, taxes...and writing outside the Panera. I love my ritual, but I must… Continue reading This is a Test
Lost Visions & Dreams
It started as a good morning. I'd written another two or so pages, finished up a scene which introduced the antagonists in my fantasy novel. I was more distracted than usual. The wireless in Panera dropped in an and out every other moment. Pandora coughed and sputtered through songs. I could not pull up music… Continue reading Lost Visions & Dreams
Biomechanoid Blues 