Prickly Pear Prescience Of a Sunday Serendipity
This is a serendipitous story that goes back more than ten years, but ends up where I have landed most recently, in the White Sands area of southwestern New Mexico. On this Sunday morning, I decided to tackle unpacking two boxes of small, framed pictures and photos, because I have a lot of them from […]
Anyone Else Dumfungled by Government Thugs?
I just read a headline that said, “DHS is a Menace,” and practically spit my coffee. My first thought was, Ya think? Also, isn’t that pretty much what I’ve been telling everyone since this dubious and ridiculous—and wholly unnecessary—new department of the federal government was formed in the wake of 9/11, back when its first […]
Medieval Scotland Time Travel: The Great Getaway
For months I’ve been traveling back to medieval times—as in a bit of time travel—in drafting the first scenes of my eighth Other Worldly novel featuring Rowan Layne, Alien Origins. Who knew that immersing myself in the world of highly misogynist medieval Scotland would be cathartic relief from current US atrocities? But here’s the ultimate […]
Be Fierce: NM Dem Campaign Slogan Resonates
Something marvelous happened to me in New Mexico yesterday. Not to mention uncanny. Back in April 2021 while living in Nevada, my blog post honored Earth Day, noting that the celebration marks the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970, and how I just might be more cautiously hopeful for the planet than I’d […]
Synopses, Superman, and a Surprising Novel on Witches
This weekend was primarily spent focused on a seasonal 24-hour short story contest I’ve participated in for several years—this one being summer-themed, of course. The story prompt led me to write about a steep mountain trail, perhaps because I am now somewhat in the mountains (at more than 4k feet of altitude), and definitely surrounded […]
The Lost Bookshop: Lost Hope Reignites With Novel Discovery
I’m still in transition these days after moving in late May from a battleground state to an (unfortunately) red county in a traditionally blue enclave that MAGA would dearly love to turn into a fascist cesspool. Hence, I could use all the glimmers of hope I can get to counter a lingering sense of angst, […]
Tyranny: When In the Course of Inhumane Events
I’ve lamented before about having already covered in my Other Worldly novels so much of the fiendish fascism happening in the USA during round one of this contemptible administration from 2016 to 2020, but this week in particular I was reminded of having written about it in my newspaper column when I lived in rural […]
An Extraterrestrial-Themed TV Episode…With Geography Gaff
While still trying to avoid reality as much as possible (because I have unfortunately kept informed of sordid and absurd happenings this week, especially involving the sickening SCOTUS six fascist fanatics), I stumbled upon yet another extraterrestrial-themed TV episode, this time in an old series (if old is more than 20 years ago). Unlike SCOTUS, […]
Dog Days Of Summer (and Famous Fiction Writers)
Happy Summer Solstice and here’s a picture of my precious pooch adjusting to his new adobe digs. To his credit, the current putrid humidity and plethora of mosquitoes don’t seem to bother him much. But the ear-piercing thunderstorm we had this week did rattle the sweet boy, which seemed unfair occurring the day after he […]
Altitude Adjusting While Eschewing Autocratic Assholes
I’m still having trouble adjusting to the altitude in my New Mexico location, hence working on my bedroom closet like I’d planned is a no-go. Not enough air circulation, and I’m better off sitting down. Last thing I need is to pass out onto my surely unforgiving classic Saltillo tile floors. My critters need me, […]