When it comes to writing, I like to play with form. I’d point to “The Spindle of Necessity” as perhaps the pinnacle of my “playing with form” — the story is a four-part Socratic dialogue, complete with scholarly introduction (and, had I the room under the word cap, it would have had footnotes!) — butContinue reading “On Story Ideas Rattling Around”
On Friday Morning Randomness
This week, we’ve had pleasant weather. Until today. Today is going to be a scorcher. Temperatures at the triple-digit mark. And then! Maryland was struck by an earthquake! With all this bad in the world, with the Earth itself being greatly wroth, what’s a person to do? What can a person use to distract himselfContinue reading “On Friday Morning Randomness”
On Writing Styles I Emulate
Here we are, nearly a month past Bloomsday, and what do I discover? I write likeJames Joyce I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing! James Joyce! 😎 Except that it’s F. Scott Fitzgerald I really try and emulate… :-/ Thanks to David McIntee for the link…
On Baseball’s Sad Lexicon
Exactly one hundred years ago today — July 12, 1910 — one of the most famous poems about the Chicago Cubs :cubs: was published in the New York Evening Mail — Franklin P. Adams’ “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”: These are the saddest of possible words: “Tinker to Evers to Chance.” Trio of bear cubs, and fleeterContinue reading “On Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”
On Writing Fiction at Stupidly-Short Lengths
This morning at Shore Leave I will be on a panel, with Dayton Ward, titled “Writing Fiction at Stupidly Short Lengths.” I described this panel, a few days ago, thusly: Learn about Twitterfics, Drabbles, and Flash Fiction as writers talk about creating stories at super-short lengths that make conventional stories look like War and PeaceContinue reading “On Writing Fiction at Stupidly-Short Lengths”
On My 2010 Shore Leave Schedule (Reprise)
Shore Leave begins today. Shore Leave, the media science-fiction convention held in Hunt Valley, Maryland each and every mid-July. :spock: Last week, I posted my schedule, but for the convenience of my three fans, here’s a reprise. 😉 My schedule for panels looks like: Friday Meet the ProsHunt/Valley Hallway — 10pm-MidnightIt’s the traditional author meet-and-greet;Continue reading “On My 2010 Shore Leave Schedule (Reprise)”
On Carl Sagan’s Insight on the Universe
Following up on yesterday’s post on atheism, philosophy, and man’s place in the universe, Carl Sagan weighs in with his own views: Sagan was inspirational to me when I was young. He remains, nearly fifteen years after his death, an inspiration. His wisdom and insight are missed.
On Early Morning Atheist Philosophy
It’s another scorcher of a day, and I’ve started it out with coffee… And reading about atheism! :spock: Posted just a few days ago, Greta Christina writes about 6 (unlikely) developments that could convince her to abandon her atheism and believe in god. She has a good list, but really only the first — anContinue reading “On Early Morning Atheist Philosophy”
On Light Rail Congestion and Construction
Attention: If you’re attending Shore Leave this weekend and were planning upon using local transit in and around Baltimore, this blog post may be important to you. Baltimore’s Light Rail system is under construction this week. The Howard Street corridor through downtown is having work done — an old switch removed, overhead wiring replaced, aContinue reading “On Light Rail Congestion and Construction”
On a Tale of Two Baseball Teams
As I write this, the Chicago Cubs :cubs: have a record of 35 wins, 46 losses. The Washington Nationals have a similar record — 36 wins, 46 losses. The Nats are 12 1/2 games back in the National League East, the Cubs :cubs: are 10 1/2 back in the National League Central. And yet. AndContinue reading “On a Tale of Two Baseball Teams”