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Welcome to my outpost on the Interweb! I write SF, fantasy, and horror for fun and profit. Other interests include music, nature, science, humor, food, bib overalls, and pie throwing (metaphorically AND literally). About Me Comments Policy Photo Gallery My Books: The Song of Forgotten Stars
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Tag Archives: From the Books
From the Books: THE COMING OF THE KING
So yesterday I saw a New York Times article linked on Twitter in which apparently some members of former European aristocracy are starting to raise the notion that maybe, just maybe, world problems might be helped somewhat by a return … Continue reading
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From the Books: THE RETURN OF THE KING
It’s JRR Tolkien’s birthday! Tolkien is, naturally, one of my favorite of all authors. He wasn’t my first foray into epic fantasy–that would be Lloyd Alexander–but Tolkien cemented my love of that genre for keeps. He is, for me, as … Continue reading
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From the Books: “I Never Met a Story I Didn’t Like”
I borrowed this book from the library a few weeks ago, and after plowing through it (and finding it quite hilarious), I reviewed in on Goodreads. But for this space I wanted to excerpt a particular chapter that I found … Continue reading
From the Books: “Come Along With Me”, Shirley Jackson
After last week’s entry, a more positive extract, this time, from the same book: Shirley Jackson’s anthology Come Along With Me. This is from an essay titled “Notes for a Young Writer”. I don’t read a whole lot of writing … Continue reading
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From the Books: “Come Along With Me”, by Shirley Jackson
This book is a collection of stories and essays by Shirley Jackson, the great writer of often dark fiction, if not outright horror, from the middle of the last century. Jackson’s life seems to have been generally free of drama, … Continue reading
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A Century since the Conflagration
One hundred years ago, it began. And in a lot of ways, it hasn’t ended…but then, can we even say that “it” really started one hundred years ago, as opposed to just one particular long and sickening phase of “it”? … Continue reading
From the Books: Danny the Champion of the World
I’ve mentioned Roald Dahl’s amazing Danny the Champion of the World in this space before, because it’s quite simply one of my favorite books of all time. To this day I read it every few years, and I still find myself … Continue reading
From the Books: Douglas R. Hofstadter on the Rubik’s Cube
My uncle Jerry once told me an awful joke: What goes, “Click–do I have it yet? Click–do I have it yet? Click–do I have it yet?” Answer: Stevie Wonder doing a Rubik’s Cube. I know. Awful. Anyway, many squeals of … Continue reading
A bit of parenting advice
A message from Roald Dahl. Be SPARKY, people! #Quote #RoaldDahl #DannyTheChampionOfTheWorld, originally uploaded by Jaquandor. Courtesy Roald Dahl, in his amazing book Danny the Champion of the World. If you haven’t read this beautiful, funny, moving, and exciting story, what’s … Continue reading
A nifty paragraph
Reading The Count of Monte Cristo. I really liked this paragraph. #reading #books, originally uploaded by Jaquandor. I’ve been reading The Count of Monte Cristo of late, and I just really liked this particular paragraph. I know I’m reading a … Continue reading