I've been terrible for not finishing books the last while. Some of it is life, some of it is mood. basically, the only novel-length works I've finished in 2019 were ones I took on vacation with me.

In terms of long term failures to finish, though, the most egregious is Clive Barker's fantasy epic Imajica. Started reading it on a trip to Shanghai in 1995 while my wife was ill and we were holed up in the Peace Hotel. Still sits unfinished on my shelf today. Not bad or anything, but very long and complex and once I lost focus on it, I couldn't get it back.

Deepest condolences to you and your family, Anna. Peace be with you in this time of grief.

Yummy, gingerbread. Someone brought a pecan pie to work today and that's my dessert crack. Can't resist the stuff, though I did manage to keep myself to one sliver.

And a tea to go with the gingerbread.

I actually kind of liked the Silmarillion, though nowhere as much as LOTR and The Hobbit. If you approach it as a work of mythological history, it work much better than if you go in looking for a novel. It needed more work, but putting it out was far from the worst of Christopher Tolkien's sins. Some of the Lost Tales volumes were much worse.

It's good to remember the arrivals of celebrated writers on the scene. I'm posting a picture of Alcott and Lewis, each. Personally I've enjoyed Louisa May Alcott much more than Clive Staples Lewis, but it is just a matter of opinion.


Haven't read Alcott. Not a fan of Lewis' apologetics but do enjoy his fiction. He's not a favorite like his buddy J.R.R. Tolkien, but I have enjoyed what I have read of his novels.

It will be up to about 60F/16C degrees today for the high. Not too bad.

<img src="/images/emoticons/icon_flower.gif" alt="flower">

Beats 4C, which is our forecast high.

Elbow hurts like hell when I move it and I have no effing idea what i did to it. My fingers have been bad recently but that's my arthritis. Those joints have been x-rayed and confirmed presence of osteo in them. But this elbow hasn't been a problem before.

Kind of wish I lived out your way, Larry. There's a touring production of The Nutcracker doing one night here this year, but it's while I'm away on Christmas holidays. They work with the McMichael Canadian Collection, a famous art gallery near Toronto, so the setting is Ontario in the Edwardian period with Group of Seven paintings as the backdrops.

Time for more tea.

I always presume that writers do it because they like it. I know I do.



That's exactly why I do it. But right now, I just seem to have lost my taste for it.

Snow's gone but it's still chilly. Had a hard frost last night. Definitely going to be logging a colder than normal November here unless things dramatically warm up (and that's not what I'm seeing in the forecast).

I've kind of laid off writing until I'm more in the mood. Just can't keep a story going even when I have a solid idea. Got lots in my OneNote notebook for future use and I'm doing some other creative work on things like fleshing out the fantasy world I used in Night of the Wind, but actual stories seem to be difficult for me right now.

Anyhow, just relaxing with a morning tea (Duke of Earl, it's another variant blend of Earl Grey with vanilla)

Howdy, folks. How's life? Just popping by for a quick visit. Not much doing these days. Winter is here, though it's a bit warmer than it was at this time a week ago so we might lose a lot of the snow. No writing happening. Nothing's really clicking and time isn't on my side in any case. That will likely change at some point.

Currently sipping an orange pekoe leavened with lime juice (just squeeze in a wedge).

Evening, all. Winter is not coming. It's here. At least where I am. Had to shovel for the first time on Friday, lost a lot of the snow on the weekend due to warmer weather, now we're getting it all back again. Supposed to stay just below 0 for a few days, too.

Something hot and tea-like is going in my mug, but I need to get some exercise first. I've been very on and off with my exercise routine recently, due to both physical and psychological reasons.

I am slumped in a chair, staring at my newest painting. For over twenty-four hours I have been awake, painting in a near-trance for more than half that time. The painting portrays a scene not far from my studio, a shallow bay on Lake Madeline. A woman emerges naked from the water. An overturned canoe floats nearby. The woman’s name is Lily. Memories flood in. ***** Thunder rumbled in...

Added 30 Sep 2019 | Category Supernatural | Votes 10 | Avg Score 5 | Views 295 | 11 Comments

Spooky people come out to play. This is now your special day. Scare the other folks away. Spooky people play! Monster people come out to dance, Tonight will be your perfect chance. Caper, spin, stomp, and prance! Monster people dance! Witch-y people grab your broom, Soar up through the twilight gloom, Past the stars you're going to zoom, Witch-y people zoom! Halloween people this is...

Added 31 Oct 2018 | Category Poetry | Votes 7 | Avg Score 5 | Views 356 | 5 Comments

The rider came swiftly towards Eversham. Keeping his horse at a fast trot, he reached the cluster of buildings that stood beyond the town’s West gate. Those buildings stood mostly empty and boarded up now that winter had arrived. During the summer, though, they were home to hundreds when trade caravans passed through en route to the mountain passes. Dev Jackelbury, Warden of Eversham, stood...

Added 13 Oct 2018 | Category Fantasy | Votes 9 | Avg Score 5 | Views 476 | 9 Comments

I saw the light born and reborn this morning. From dark sea and dim horizon came a holy glow, A signal that night's rule was ending; A first, tentative announcement that light and life would indeed return from the underworld. That first dim glow grew brighter, and my heart quickened, Delighting in the light, celebrating the warmth and brightness that soon would be. Then it happened. In...

Added 15 Jan 2018 | Category Poetry | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 607 | 5 Comments

The wind gave a piercing howl, rattling the windows of Professor Jack Lange’s apartment. Jack lowered his book at the sound and stared out at the blowing snow. "Wow, what a storm!" announced the disc jockey on the radio as if he, too, had heard it, "If you don't gotta go out, don't go." Jack turned off the radio. The storm had given him a rare day to himself, so he wasn’t especially...

Added 29 Mar 2017 | Category Horror | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 845 | 9 Comments