George Orwell had blue spots or circles tattooed on each of his knuckles. Probably done while he lived in Burma before becoming a writer. Possibly the tattoos are the reason he became a writer. “Writing can hardly be more painful than getting my knucks tatted,” he thought. “Let’s have at it!” The poor fool. Here’s the thing: What makes tattoos difficult is that you get only one chance to do it right. What makes writing difficult is that you get as many chances as you like. Unless you’re under...
22 days ago • 1 min read
My two favourite things are music and books. But I recently watched mclusky on KEXP and was blown away that some people can play music and sing at the same time. I don’t have the concentration to listen to the music and the lyrics at the same time. When I listen to music, I’m only listening to the music. Of course, I like a lot of growly metal, where the vocals sound like the Cookie Monster trying to eat his way out of a quarry. Good luck with those lyrics, but still. I’ve never been...
29 days ago • 1 min read
You know those Bic four-colour pens? A blue and white pen with four clicky buttons to choose black, blue, green, or red ink? They’re still around, and Bic is still selling millions. Back in the day, they were a minor status symbol in school. Either you were one of the cool kids with a Bic 4 Colour, or you were a lug. Unable to attend parties and other social occasions because you were too busy hauling four separate pens around. I want one. I still want one. I hadn’t thought about them in...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Terry Pratchett taught me that names have power. In doing so, he put me right off a lot of fantasy. Specifically, high or epic fantasy. Because I can’t stand the names. You know, like K’rniluf the Doomswerver. If I’m reading a book with a name like that, I’ll look at it once and never read it again. I’ll just skim it, relying on the shape of the word to get me through. Part of it is laziness. How do you pronounce K’rniluf? And why do I have to work it out, when the author couldn’t be...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Have you ever thought about mind control? Because this week I realised I have none. As Georgia prepares to leave spring behind, we’ve had huge changes in the weather from day to day. Which means migraine headaches for Morgan. On Thursday, they were terrible. Because I got them at night, and my mind, it seems, couldn’t get enough of them. I spent most of the night in a doze, at the mercy of my own mind. Here’s a reconstruction of the crime scene: Let’s say I was dreaming a duck was hammering...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Raise your glasses to the masses! This week I smashed past a massive 100,000 words of the latest Alumière adventure, The Cat Wore Black! 100,000 words is about the length of To Kill a Mockingbird. And I’m only about 80-ish% through the book. Don’t worry, though. I’m a messy writer, and this is the first draft. Once I pull out the Red Pen and start deleting, that word count will come right back down again. I reckon the finished Cat will clock in at a respectable 75,000-80,000 like the others....
2 months ago • 1 min read
You think you’ve seen it all… I’m friends with the stray dogs in our local park. The people working in the park feed the dogs, and I supply the tickles (and additional treats). Then the bloody birds ruined it. What should have been a win-win situation has turned into a catastrophe. The dogs get food – and tickles. The blackbirds get whatever’s left. But the birds wanted more. So they started pecking at the oldest dog, who only has three legs, to hurry him on before he’s finished. They sneak...
2 months ago • 1 min read
We want to try every restaurant in Tbilisi before we leave this summer. I can’t recommend last night’s restaurant. The food tasted fine, but the decor included a film projector projecting some old Georgian film. I know it’s Georgian because 90% of the action was people eating and drinking. The walls were stuffed with pictures, paintings, and various vintage bits and bobs, so they projected the film across the top of one wall and part of the ceiling. To be specific, the actors – mostly sitting...
3 months ago • 1 min read
a good friend called me crazy this week. He meant it in a good way after seeing my “history” videos for the first time. But he’s wrong. Consider: This weekend we celebrate the crucifixion of a man-god (celebrate!?!) with bunnies and chocolate. I mean crucifixion? You can’t buy full-size crosses now, and you couldn’t buy them back then. Somebody had to make them to order each time. Why not stick the condemned in a big hole full of water (or olive oil, or whatever is available) with his hands...
3 months ago • 1 min read
