Category Archive: guest blogger
Brainman
When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong. – Arthur C Clarke What will the future hold for humanity? Bald heads. At least, that’s what Arthur C Clarke thought, and it’s a vision of tomorrow …
Written A Book Lately?
The further you journey into the world of literature, the more you become aware of just how ‘bitchy’ so-called armchair critics can be. To the average avid reader the aforementioned notion doesn’t even enter their minds as they are happily drawn into the story they are reading and the characters that inhabit it. But, when …
The Indie Route
You’ve probably all read those funny posters about Mothers being taxi drivers, doctors, referee’s, therapists etc etc. Well I’ve been thinking of making one of my own about Indie Authors. The assumption [and believe me I’m coming to learn it’s just an assumption] is that if you’re traditionally published then all you have to do …
People Watching
I’m not much for giving advice to other writers, however, as I develop my next book I’ve fallen into a comforting habit I find remarkably useful in bringing characters to life. And if your not a writer its simply fun if you have nothing to do. People watching. I consider it unofficial anthropology, a beloved …
Books and Literary Snobs
Since the emergence of the internet, online publishing and the plethora of books now available to us in the world of books, a second disturbing breed has emerged – the literary snob. While thanks to small press and self publishing, it is true that the vast majority of published authors these days far outweigh the …
Let Be Be Finale of Seem
Late on a Thursday afternoon I was scheduled to have a root canal. I’d never had one before and was hardly looking forward to the experience. Turns out it really wasn’t bad at all. Next day I was leaving campus when I encountered a colleague coming in and we got to talking and she said, …
The Confidence Man and Me
Years ago, I came across a copy of Herman Melville’s final novel, ‘The Confidence Man’. The description on the back told me about a strange character that had boarded a steamboat headed for New Orleans. This man changed shape, and his motives were unclear. The blurb said that this character could be the Devil; it …
Wrangling Writing Contests
For me, May signals a time to focus on the business side of writing. With my semester winding down here in America, I have the time to research markets, create spread sheets—in other words, abandon the fluidity and near haphazardness that so often characterizes my creative writing. Looking for opportunities, I checked out the May/June …
Steampunk
Like a rocket landing in the eye of a full moon, steampunk as a genre has become a recent force in the publishing world. Books such as The Windup Girl, Behemoth, and Corsets & Clockwork are available on Kindle and Nook. There is a large following, as well – Steampunk conventions are popping up in …
Auntie Ajumma
Many aspects of life in South Korea were difficult for me to understand. Among them, common restaurant behavior appeared rude to my Western sensibilities. “Ajumma!” A diner would shout. Ajumma means something like “older woman”, or to put an affectionate spin on it, “Auntie”. “Ajumma! Bring me two beers!” This is one of the first …
I’ll Have Mine In A Mug Thanks
Musings on Tea by Tony Healey – Today’s Guest Blogger If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you – Gladstone, 1865 Starting with the tea gardens and tea dances that …
One Last Love
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