Dispatches since 2005
The journal
Announcements, new editions, travel, diving, cooking and the working life of a novelist — 226 entries, all of them here in full.
November 10, 2012 · 1,368 words
Miss Sadie Thompson, and Others
Greetings from the southernmost town in the United States of America. Which is to say, Pago Pago in American Samoa. Which is in a whole other hemisphere from the rest of the USA, but there you go. I have had a day ashore, into which I flung myself like one of those starving mariners washed […]
Read entry →November 5, 2012 · 845 words
Smoldering
Behold! The smoldering crater at Halema’uma’u on Mauna Loa, which has been in continual eruption for something like thirty years. During the day it produces poison gasses; by night a scarlet glow. I was taken from Honolulu to the Big Island by the Celebrity cruise ship Millennium, which is now carrying me farther south
Read entry →November 2, 2012 · 653 words
Ponzu
Today was a day for displaying a complete lack of ambition. I went into the ocean twice, and found that the reef just offshore is more interesting than I’d expected. Most was fairly dead, as I’d anticipated, but there were some pretty soft corals, some hard corals, and anemones, parrot fish, angel fish, and sea [&helli
Read entry →November 1, 2012 · 49 words
First Impressions
Well, so far, so good. Here’s the first view of Waikiki from the hotel balcony. Gotta say it’s a lot prettier in person. Went walking afterwards, had some Korean street food, bought some wine, watched the sunset. After hours on a plane, there wasn’t much energy for anything else.
Read entry →October 31, 2012 · 77 words
Enter the Lab
I’m going to be spending most of Halloween on an airplane, and that means Halloween this year depends on you. You’re going to have to be scared for the both of us. Fortunately I can make that easy. By clicking the video below, you will instantly be transported to the laboratory of the most villainous, insidious [&helli
Read entry →October 29, 2012 · 469 words
Tropic Thunder
To all my friends out on the East Coast, all under the presumed path of Hurricane Sandy, I’d like to say that my thoughts are with you, your friends, and your family. I’m watching the Weather Channel, which is heavy on actual facts and light on news anchors playing daredevil stunts in 65-knot winds. Still, […]
Read entry →October 29, 2012 · 143 words
October Comforts
So I was annoyed at the way my investments have been declining over the past ten days or so, and it led to the following conversation. ME: “I’m annoyed at the way my investments have been declining over the past ten days or so.” INTERLOCUTOR: “Don’t worry about it. It happens every October.” ME: “But […]
Read entry →October 25, 2012 · 204 words
Earwigs
I’ve been bushwacked by a tune. It was a tune I hadn’t heard, or thought about, for years, most likely decades, and suddenly it’s there in my head, and I can’t make it go away. So I thought I’d pass the ear bug on to you. Maybe you’ll take it with you when you leave. […]
Read entry →October 24, 2012 · 1,367 words
Cat Island
I am pleased to report that Cat Island, my long out-of-print sea-adventure tale, is now available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Cat Island is the final volume in a sort of inadvertent trilogy. I had planned to write only one novel about Favian Markham— in the outline, my story was neat and tidy̵
Read entry →October 23, 2012 · 76 words
Toolbox 2012
Every so often I feel compelled to remind readers about Taos Toolbox, the master class for science fiction and fantasy, which will be held July 28-August 10, 2013. I will be teaching along with Nancy Kress, and with special lecturer Melinda Snodgrass. Applications will be accepted beginning December 1, 2012, which mean
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