Yesterday’s Ravens

Home in the Rookery

As we’re puttering along in rush hour traffic on our way out of DC we see a black bird, probably of the corvid family, drop down into the meridian between north and south bound traffic.  When it flies back up it’s got something, a loose bundle, clutched in its talons.  When it gains a little elevation

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Craft – Nonconformist

Crafting Pieces

The Hotel gleamed in pristine balconies and gold-gilt doors.  The cluster of valets hovered just outside the marble foyer.  As each car pulled up, they stepped forward with a broad smile.  The Lexus pulled away, then the Mercedes, the Infinity.  The rumble of an approaching car caught a valet’s ear.  He turned.  His jaw dropped.  Pulling

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The Longest Sentence in the English Language

Writing

You’ve heard of the itsy-bitsy spider that climbed the water spout.  You honor Thomas Edison, who reportedly tried 700+ times to get an invention working.  You’ve contemplated the hero Hercules, who was set twelve impossible tasks. But none of them have staying power like this sentence that just won’t quit.  If you’re not begging it to stop midway

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Adventures at the State Fair

Home in the Rookery

We took the kiddies to the fair on Saturday.  We ogled the animals, watched the pigs squeal around the track, and cheered for duck #88, who won by a bill and collected his prize of cheese puffs.  We ate foot-long corndogs, and steak on a stick, with fresh-squeezed lemonade to wash it all down.  With our stomachs chewing on this

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Stories on Tour at a Publisher Near You

Writing

I sent Star’s Seduction off to Apex last night, just before the midnight deadline.  That makes four stories out right now. Star’s Seduction at Apex (entry in the Halloween contest) Voice of the Sea at WOTF Ghost Spider at Shadowed Realms Warrior’s Flame at F&SF Soon I’ll be sending my Gladiator story out.  My goal is

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Craft – Disappointment

Crafting Pieces

Semorl swung from the back of his horse and strode through the inner courtyard of the keep.  He paused to let his eyes adjust to the darkness in the hall.  “Master Semorl!” His aged aunt fell at his feet.  “You’ve arrived too late.  The babe is long dead, and your lady soon to join him.  All is

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This Week in Words 10-15-06

Writing

These definitions were found on Dictionary.com.  Congeries >n. a collection of items or parts in one mass; assemblage; aggregation; heap: From the airplane the town resembled a congeries of tiny boxes. Grange >n. 1. a country house with farm buildings attached: Biddulph Grange.  Historical- an outlying farm with tithe barns, belonging to a monastery or feudal lord.

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Please Wipe Your Feet: Freshly Set Tile

Blogging

We got the long-awaited tile up, as you can see.  We used a seamless background tile by StarFields, which needed a bit of tweaking but worked well.  I wanted the ferns to have an engraven look, to keep the site from being overwhelmed by a riot of green.  ‘Course, now I’m thinking that the blue in the header

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Hugo, WFA and Nebula Stories

Writing

Here’s a cool place I just found out about.  It’s called Free Speculative Fiction Online, and they’ve sorted the stories by author, magazine, award, etc., in a user-friendly format.  I’m excited to read the Hugo, WFA and Nebula stories (and nominees) available.  I bask in their good vibes.