Looking forward in 2011

As I mentioned before my overall writing goal for 2010 didn’t work out so well: I actually finished fewer stories in 2010 than I did in 2009. I got distracted by my desire to let my writing loosen up and express a bit of humor. I love it when a story can get me to […]

Re: Men At Arms

Terry Pratchett are good for taking a break, and Men At Arms is just about right for a “hang up your brain and read” kind of book.

Re: Jack and the Hot Doughnut Stalk

In the course of checking out my story on Spaceports and Spidersilks, I had fun reading the other stories. I particularly enjoyed “Jack and the Hot Doughnut Stalk,” by Scottie Watkins.

Re: Recalculating

Unlike Stross’s “Palimpsest,” I can understand why “Recalculating,” by Tina Connolly uses second person. Like “Directions,” the story is told by a GPS system, giving such directions as: Show them your spinach and the guard will let you in.

Re: Sleepy Joe

One nice thing about my iTouch is that I can carry it outside and play in the garden while catching up on listening to fun stories like “Sleepy Joe,” by Marc Laidlaw. This amusing story got a fabulous reading on Escape Pod.

Re: They’re Made Out of Meat

The remaining Hugo stories have given me a lot to think about, but you know what? I’m tired of thinking. The meat between my ears is tired. So tonight I recommend taking a break and reading “They’re Made Out of Meat,” by Terry Bisson.

Re: Let Us Now Praise Awesome Dinosaurs

Is Readercon more fun than a barrel of dinosaurs? Don’t answer that. Read or listen to “Let Us Now Praise Awesome Dinosaurs,” by Leonard Richardson first and enjoy the episodic adventures of two dinosaurs from Mars.

Re: On A Clear Day You Can See All the Way to Conspiracy

Ever since I stumbled on “Wikihistory” I’ve had my eye open for more stories by Desmond Warzel. This time, I’m in the middle of reading the Hugo nominees, and I’m feeling the same sense of relief just getting a good laugh out of stumbling on “On a Clear Day You Can See All the Way […]

Re: Semi-Autonomous

I’m finding stories I like again, but not yet from the Hugo nominations. I’m having fun listening to old Escape Pods. “Semi-Autonomous,” by Jim Kling really cracks me up. Told by a semi-autonomous answering machine, it’s a short tale that escalates hilariously. Collected in Futures From Nature.

Re: The Blueberry Pie

Be vewy quiet. We’re hunting pie on the Drabblecast, and we found a pair of tasty pies by Mur Lafferty.