A Day on the Wild Side

1 CommentHome in the Rookery, Writing

We took the kids (on Saturday, I’m behind) to the Carnivore Preservation Trust, just outside of Pittsboro.  It’s a very cool and happening place with leopards (including the last Barbary), ocelots, tigers, servals and, of course, the darling but ferocious kinkajous.  Yes, that’s the same little critter that bit Paris Hilton . . . and then ordered out for a

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Jupiter World Press Closing

Writing

Mary, editor-in-chief, emailed this morning to say she is closing JWP.  Of course we’re all sad to see it go, because it was fun and had potential, but I find I’m feeling the most bummed because now I have nothing to put on my ‘publications’ page.  Rather a self-centered attitude, no doubt. On the positive side, that empty page

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This Week in Words (9-24-06)

Writing

I have just one word this week: Cold >n A nasty bug, often viral, which takes up residence in the warm recesses of the sinuses, throat, lungs, or other preferred part of the body.  General symptoms include, but are not limited to: sneezing, coughing (also known as ‘hacking up a lung’), shivering with aches and

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Titling: The Curse and the Bane

Writing

Okay, so it’s not all bad.  Occasionally I know the title of a story before I begin it, and may even ‘hear’ the title in my head and jump from it to the story.  But . . . The other hundredth-millionth percent of the time (can you tell I struggle in math?) the title is

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Craft – Show Someone Famous

2 CommentsCrafting Pieces

Ms. Locken felt a light touch on her shoulder.  The soft voice of the flight attendant penetrated her sleepy thoughts. “Hmm?”  She asked. “We’ll be landing soon.”  The attendant sounded slightly anxious.  “You asked that we wake you. . . can I get you anything?” Ms. Locken rolled to her side, then into a sitting position.  “No,

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Images from Space

Speculative Science

This NASA link with pictures and info about how water boils in space is a great help for obscure and weird facts a writer needs to know for credibility.  That’s what I love about NASA.  They may not make American taxpayers happy with their space progress, and they really need to keep their shuttles in better working order, but

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Narcissistic Celebrities

The Human Condition

Another great study in the science of ‘duh’ has found that Celebrities are more narcissitic than average folks.  They’re defining narcissism as self-love. Of course, when I saw this I thought, ‘Okay, tell me what else is new,’ but then I got to thinking about the whole issue.  Why is it so obvious?  Because they only talk

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Talk Like a Pirate Day

The Human Condition

Here’s more on the pirate love affair, in celebration of Talk Like a Pirate Day.  I mentioned the American (and perhaps more global) fascination with pirates in my blog on video piracy, but apparently I posted early.  Happy Pirate Day, or– Ha’ye a good ‘ole haul, me maties!

Keela gearing up for WOTF

Writing

I’ve been of two minds as to whether to send my Keela story (Mermaid chick) to this quarter’s Writers of the Future contest.  I really don’t think it’s their cup of tea.  But my other stories aren’t ready to go, and it’s really hard to say what they’ll find palatable, so… Keela gets the honor of facing

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