Oct 28
Scarecrow and Tin Man from a 1902 stage production of The Wizard of Oz. I don’t know what makes it more creepy, the old-timey photo or the Scarecrow’s stiff-fingered, Leatherface-like appearance. In its time, though, it was a great success and the first version of Oz to be adapted into a script.
Jul 04
All the books I’ve read for my 2019 Reading Challenge up to July, with ratings and links. 4. What you will read to your grandchildren: A children’s book (middle grade or younger). A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeleine L’engle. 5. East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Vietnam) …
May 10
My short story “Gold and Ivory” appears at the end of this marvelous collection! Alternative Truths III: Endgame is the final volume in the best-selling Alternative Truths series from B Cubed Press. Edited by Bob Brown and Jess Faraday, Endgame features 30 of today’s best writers and political thinkers taking a look forward …
Apr 16
I was lucky enough to visit Notre Dame cathedral as a child. It was August, the time when Parisians traditionally took their own vacations, and the city was quieter than it normally was. I went with my mom and dad. I remember it being shadowy and cool inside, the noises muffled. It seemed impossibly high. …
Mar 27
On March 29, 2019 I will be reading an excerpt from my short story “Gold and Ivory” at the UW Bookstore in Seattle. The story is from B-Cubed Press’s Alternative Truths III: Endgame anti-Trump anthology. The event starts at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!
Feb 05
(Artwork by sarasai-d) In Chinese culture, pigs represent wealth, rather than filth and laziness as is common in the Western world. People born in the year of the pig are generous, charity-minded, social, friendly, and have a zest for life. Not too bad for the last sign of the Chinese zodiac!
Jan 28
Here’s a different take on the classic Snow Queen story. What if she was ill, and needed Kay’s lifeblood to survive?
Jan 07
It’s the time to clean out my To-Read drawer and boxes for this year’s Challenge. Mostly the drawer and the first box I got my hands on. I’m hoping this year’s list will be easier than last year’s. One of the attributes I have to keep in mind for these 12 months is that a …
Dec 31
This year’s Challenge was full of challenging (read: Difficult) reads for me. Of the twelve here three were substitutions for books I had to drop for various reasons. I think I should have vetted the originals better. As a reader, most of my choices surprised and delighted me. As a writer, the good ones showed …
Nov 21
Knickerbockers, tam o’ shanters, farthingales, liripipes… who wears these things anymore? But even if we don’t, we remember them because of their odd and lyrical names. Here’s a list of more you probably haven’t heard of (because I randomgenned them up) but will remember once you hear them. So will readers and campaigners. Use at …
