Monthly Archives: November 2010

Writing Without Electricity

Posted on November 30, 2010 by

Winter storms bring power failures on a regular basis to my neck of the woods. Despite the best efforts of the CalTrans tree trimmers, branches will fall, trees will topple, and mud will slide. The neighborhood of my first house, … Continue reading →


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Posted in Writing life | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Sangha, Community, Herd

Posted on November 29, 2010 by

Horses are about as communal as animals get. They are, after all, herd animals. A horse alone is a sad and dysfunctional thing. The nature of the beast is to be social–to be born and live in a group. This … Continue reading →


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Posted in Animals, Blogs, horses | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Natural Selection in Homo sapiens alchemis

Posted on November 28, 2010 by

(Picture from here.) This week we watched the new Harry Potter movie. Quite aside from the odd dreams it gave me (think Harry Potter vs. Stargate) the subculture of the wizards and witches, and their intrinsic abilities, suggested a subspecies … Continue reading →


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Posted in Animals | Tagged , | 11 Comments

Writing: The Character Dilemma

Posted on November 28, 2010 by

I was perusing some essays printed in 1771 the other day, and came across this definition: NOVEL, in matters of literature, a fictitious history of a series of entertaining events in common life, wherein the rules of probability are or … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, Writers on Writing | Tagged , , | 25 Comments

The True Meaning of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 27, 2010 by

For those of us who live and blog in the USA, traditionally, the post-Thanksgiving post is a musing on what blessings one has, and the importance of taking a moment to think on them. Now, don’t get me wrong.  I … Continue reading →


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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Motel and the Midget

Posted on November 27, 2010 by

If you’re in a motel room and the phone rings – beware. He may say he’s the manager, or a police officer, or an undercover operative working for the CIA. But, more likely, he’s the Motel 6 hoaxer. His latest … Continue reading →


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Simplifying Christmas: Good Works

Posted on November 26, 2010 by

By the time my sister and I were adults, everybody in our family had enough stuff, and it was becoming harder and harder to figure out what to get each other for Christmas. The parental units, in particular, were difficult … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | 12 Comments

Science Fact vs. Science Fiction?

Posted on November 25, 2010 by

I got an email the other day from my long distance company (Credo, which combines providing phone services with political action), inviting me to take a quiz it was sponsoring along with the Union of Concerned Scientists to educate people … Continue reading →


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Posted in Science, science fiction | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

A Padawan’s Journal, Entry #28: Star Wars & American Culture 101

Posted on November 24, 2010 by

You see them everywhere—small furry animals with lightsabers. You hear it in conversations between friends: “Well, she gave me this Deathstar look that just about took my head off.” Parents and kids: “Do or do not; there is no try.” … Continue reading →


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(You’ve Got To) Know When To Fold ‘Em…

Posted on November 23, 2010 by

Recently, I participated in a panel discussion on the topic of making a “pitch” to an editor or agent. A pitch is a very short presentation, usually a sentence or two, that conveys the spirit or premise of your book. … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | Tagged | 3 Comments