I was listening to a Scientific American podcast the other day while at the health club, and they ran a story about Alaskan dogs that were part of the Iditarod. Among the facts that the story gave was that these dogs burn an incredible number of calories while participating in this race, some ridiculous number […]
Read More ...Category Archives: Short Stories
Best Western
I’ve got another recommendation–this time it’s not SF at all. I stumbled upon PRI’s Selected Shorts podcast, which is a show that features various people reading short stories of some note to a live audience. Often I like the stories, sometimes I don’t. In this case, I quite enjoyed “Best Western“, a short story by […]
Read More ...Picasso’s Cat Available for Pre-Order
Hey, it’s finally Friday evening! Weekends are the bestest. And this weekend has been made just that much better now because I see that Picasso’s Cat & Other Stories is now available for pre-order at The Merry Blacksmith Press. You can order via Paypal, or contact the publisher at orders@merryblacksmith.com. Being new to this marketing […]
Read More ...Picasso’s Cat & Others Heads to the Publisher
The tentative title to the collection is Picasso’s Cat and Other Stories. It’s soon to be winging it’s way the the Merry Blacksmit Press for them to do their magic. I’m pleased to confirm that Mike Resnick graciously agreed to write an introduction. The TOC lines up like this right now: The Disappearance of Josie […]
Read More ...Short Story Collection
I’m terribly excited to note that I’ve agreed in principle with The Merry Blacksmith Press to publish a collection of my short stories. I’ll be working to create the lineup here in the next few days, and I expect a title will shortly follow. I will, of course, post more as progress is made.
Read More ...Easy Writing
Okay, here is a sentence I never thought I would ever type. I’m finding Frank Sinatra music is easy to write to. Yes, me. Frank Sinatra. Got a problem with that? I guess it’s all those 4-4 beats and jaunty melodies, but it just kind of keeps the fingers going–at least it did this morning. […]
Read More ...Lesson Learned
Okay, I’ve learned a bit of a lesson. The idea of splitting a short story out of a novel is great, and all. But let me tell you that the process can be a bit of a pain in the backside. The sub-plot story of my two pilots is rounding into shape, but the process […]
Read More ...Zombies, Grass, and Other Fancy Stuff
I admit I’m not an expert in the field of zombie stories, but I’ve got to think Maureen McHugh’s The Naturalist is a really outstanding example. For those of you who mow the lawn with self-propelled push mowers, here’s a little learning I had last night…when the self-propeller dies, those things are a pain in […]
Read More ...“Kagari” Hits the Post
I completed a short story titled “Kagari” this weekend. Both Brigid (my daughter, for those of you who might be newish to me) and Lisa (wife) have read it and liked it. I mentioned it before as a story I’ve spent probably a quarter-million words on, so I’m happy to see it finally rounded into […]
Read More ...Paying the Price
Okay, I took a diversion. After thinking through the plot structure of a new story, and after noting I was working through a novel, I happened across an draft of an old story that I had put away for some time because I was unhappy with its middle. And its end. But the beginning has […]
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