The last two books I read had something in common. A group of flawed people each making personal, hard choices to change their society - whether that's a whole galaxy or just where they live. Alone, none of them were successful. It required a community effort. In Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone, Viv is … Continue reading Two Books of Collective Heroism
Two Book Benders
There have been several attempts at the What-If notion about characters coming out of books or readers popping in. And while I have only read a few of them, The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep is now my gold standard. The trick is that Parry manages to excel on three levels simultaneously. Character, Plot, and … Continue reading Two Book Benders
Dreams & Nightmares: Issue 114
My prose poem, Sewing by the Stars, can be found in the latest print issue of Dreams & Nightmares! It's tucked between a funny, conversational piece about language and zombies and a melancholy long-form about Jewish brides told from a unique viewpoint. The whole issue is eclectic and entertaining, and the art is wonderful. A … Continue reading Dreams & Nightmares: Issue 114
There, There by Tommy Orange
A lot of books win awards, and not all of them are ones I necessarily enjoy. So, I might make a note to myself to pick such-and-such a book up if I come across it, but I don't go out of my way to get a copy. There, There by Tommy Orange is the opposite … Continue reading There, There by Tommy Orange
The First Free Women by Matty Weingast
This translated collection proves to me that poetry is the universal language. I fully expected these poems to feel distant, to be dry and esoteric, or perhaps quirky with their Buddhist lens and historical distance, but instead I found myself in tears. The truths in this work struck me hard. Weingast managed to preserve the … Continue reading The First Free Women by Matty Weingast
Nesting Doll Doorway Books
You ever read a book and think, huh. That is so much like this other book, but also entirely different. What a magnificent world we live in where I can read both and compare them! The Starless Sea and The Ten Thousand Doors of January! The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern promises a book … Continue reading Nesting Doll Doorway Books
The Third Angel Poured
My dark and weird western, The Third Angel Poured, is up in The Future Fire! It's my first publication of 2020, but not my last, and I'm super excited to share it with you! This whole issue is about resilience and tenacity against overwhelming force, and I hope you'll take the time to read through … Continue reading The Third Angel Poured
Housekeeping Post
I knew a chimney sweep when I was a kid. He fascinated me. Mostly because he was simultaneously handsome and awkward. He wanted to be a priest - or maybe he'd been a priest, but failed out? I can't recall, but it was something gothic romance-y like that. He also really enjoyed the shaking hands … Continue reading Housekeeping Post
January’s Story Prompts
A Medici baby made of lumpy pearls. This is a fairy gift if I've ever seen one. The listing claims there are 28 diamonds, but I can't figure out where. As the article that led me to this states at the end, the story of lumpy pearls is one of slavery and suffering. Honestly? These … Continue reading January’s Story Prompts
Famous Starts
Famous starts, but instead of a Humble Ending, let's do another Internal Comparison. I'm taking all the starter sentences today from Edna St. Vincent Millay. I found hers harder to do than the Merwin ones. Oddly, I think this is because she is so precise in her word choice and clear in her meaning. You'd … Continue reading Famous Starts
