Monthly Archives: October 2010

Evolution as Fact

Posted on October 31, 2010 by

(Picture from here.) Mostly I think evolution speaks for itself. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk at least a little about people’s difficulty with it. Consequently, this is mostly an opinion piece rather than a discussion of science.


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Posted in Culture, Science | Tagged | 8 Comments

Heroes–and Miles

Posted on October 31, 2010 by

Everyone has different ideas on what makes a hero. For me, more than looks, a cool manner, great taste in clothes, castles, and cars, is the seduction of competence. I love a hero who gets things done that need doing. … Continue reading →


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Posted in Reviews, space opera | Tagged , , , | 23 Comments

What Happened Next?

Posted on October 30, 2010 by

This is a scene from Kenya’s Masai Mara captured by photographer Michel Denis-Huot last October. Three young Cheetah brothers are stalking a herd of impala. They separate a youngster from the herd and close in for the kill. Or do … Continue reading →


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Posted in Animals | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Ralphie From A Christmas Story Grew Up

Posted on October 29, 2010 by

You never know what you’ll find out while reading the endless online news items. “Ralphie” from A Christmas Story (1983) grew up to be a really handsome guy who is also friends with Vince Vaughn. Who would have thought that … Continue reading →


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Burnout—Part 1: Why We Burn Out

Posted on October 29, 2010 by

“Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” – Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) It had been a dry, dry year in the forests of Northern New Mexico, and we had many, many tens of thousands of acres … Continue reading →


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Posted in Animals, Blogs, Health, Writers on Writing, Writing life | Leave a comment

Spirits of Place: The Berkshire Mountains

Posted on October 29, 2010 by

Fall is my favorite season, and one of the things I’ve missed since moving to California is the Autumn of the northeast–the clarity, the crispness, the incredible color (and the incredible relief after soupy summer heat and humidity).  Autumn is … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | 2 Comments

The Absent Silence

Posted on October 28, 2010 by

A year or two ago I was asked to review a novel by José Saramago, and in looking up facts about him on Google I found over and over the same quotation from him — God is the silence of … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Live Music Capital of the World: Ruthie Foster

Posted on October 28, 2010 by

There’s no point in living in the Live Music Capital of the World — as Austin bills itself — if you don’t go out and listen to music every once in awhile. So a couple of weekends ago I went … Continue reading →


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Posted in Music | Tagged | 3 Comments

A Padawan’s Journal, Entry #25: Aliens Ate My Homework

Posted on October 27, 2010 by

At what point the first alien appeared in fiction is debatable. Possibly it was in H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds; possibly it was long before that. I mean, you could argue that the old Aztec gods were aliens. In … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, science fiction, Star Wars, Writers on Writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Queries, Synopses, Pitches and Other Uneasy Friends, Part 2

Posted on October 26, 2010 by

What is a query and why should I learn to write one? The short answer is that once upon a time, you didn’t need to. You could just send your completed novel manuscript to the agent or editor of your … Continue reading →


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Posted in Publishing, Writers on Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment