A speculative mind

  Dismantling the remnants of a life. Removing the material possessions of one who lived so long. “I’m sorry you will have to deal with all my stuff,” she had said. “It’s not so much,” I replied. “There’s more than you think.” She was right. More and less. Perhaps there should be more to show for a life so well-lived. But the stuff is just stuff. The important things are the memories. The lives she touched. That makes up a world.

  This is the list of the best books I have read in 2021. Not all of these books came out in 2021, but I read them this year. This is a completely subjective list that I myself might take issue with were I in a different mood. Take it with a grain of salt. Given my tendencies, you might assume these would all be science fiction. There are a number of science fiction or fantasy outings on the list but not all. I present them in no particular order because, trying to order them is just wrong.   The Murder of Mary Russell by Laurie King I have very much enjoyed the Mary Russell books by Laurie King. Mary Russel is the young wife of the retired Sherlock Holmes, and is very much his intellectual equal. Watching the two of them putting themselves in peril and figuring out how to get out again is a delight. But this particular book focuses on the backstory of Mrs. Hudson. I am kind of a sucker for taking a minor character and making them major.   The Network Effect b...

  NANOWRIMO (the National Novel Writing Month) is in full swing and about to come to an end. Those of us involved have until Tuesday evening (November 30 th ) to attain our 50,000 word goal. Most of us know by this point whether we are going to make it or not. Some are already past 50,000 word. Some are plugging away, and some have given up.   I have not attained 50,000 words yet but I am well on my way and expect to make it by Monday or so. I did have an issue though. My story went through its arc, reached its climax, and came to a conclusion before reaching 50,000 words. A novella then, rather than a novel. So, what to do? I am writing a short story to make up the difference. I could include the short story into the novel if I can make it fit. I could have one of the characters tell the story. Sort of a sitting around the campfire thing (not an actual campfire because they are on a planet with a methane atmosphere, and inside their base, well fire would probably not be a ...

  It struck me the other day about how we as humans aren’t very nice. An alien species looking at the way we treat each other would wonder how we got where we are (or perhaps they would be worse, and if that is the case, we definitely do not want to meet them). We judge people, or dislike them, or even hate then for reasons they have no control over.  In school, kids are bullied for being different. If you have a disability, either physical or mental, the best you can hope for is that you will be ignored. At worst you will be made fun of or bullied. Why is this? It’s not you fault if you have a disability. You did nothing wrong to earn this scorn. Or, if your skin color is different, you are a woman, you belong to another religion, you have a facial deformity, or you are gay, you can expect to be shunned, verbally abused or even physically attacked. What did you do to earn this? Nothing. Yes, a person can change their religion but that can be a tough pill to swallow cultural...

  As I mentioned last week I am doing the National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO) this year here is an except from my current story "The Methane Sea" This is just a first draft, pretty raw and unedited yet, so don't be too harsh: Marco Lin and Kim Fenista moved down what passed for a trail between the rock formations. The methane ice was treacherous, and Lin had already fallen three times. Fenista had only fallen twice. Their suits were strong enough to fall into an industrial meat grinder without damage (well, without damage to the suits . The bones and soft tissue of the occupants might be another matter). The descent to the lake was tricky. Lin had walked this trail every day for the last week and it never got any easier. He still had a bruise on his backside from the day before yesterday. Fenista held up her hand and Lin eased to a stop. They were at the “frozen waterfall” the most treacherous spot on the trail. Fenista grabbed the rope that had been pitoned into the...

  So this year my wife talked me into doing NANOWRIMO again. That is the National Novel Writing Month. It is an activity people sign up for where they try to write a novel in the 30 days of November. Their definition of a novel is 50,000 words. No matter what you have written, if you made it to 50,000 words you are a “winner,” although you don’t actually win anything except for a sense of accomplishment and a certificate. I have done it a number of times in the past and have managed to always complete the 50.000 words. In fact, my novel Star Liner started out as a Nano novel. Some of my Nano novels have been pretty good, others, not worth looking at again. But I didn’t really have any ideas going into this year, so I was not enthused about doing it. But she wanted to do it, so I said okay. On the last couple of days of October I would occasionally ponder what I was going to write. I have a short story that some have said seems like the first chapter of a novel. So, I thought. I c...

  (This is a continuation and conclusion of last week’s blog) So, why do northern spotted owls like old growth? They don’t “like” old growth; they are adapted to life in an old growth forest. Thousands of years of evolution have honed their bodies and their behavior to be successful in that habitat. Can spotted owls fly to a different kind of habitat? Of course. They are birds. They can fly wherever they want, and frequently do. It is possible to find one in a second growth forest or even in a clear-cut area. Just like it is possible to find me at the beach, or in a desert, or on a mountain, but I don’t live there. Spotted owls live in old growth forest. That is where their major prey types are to be found: mainly flying squirrels and red tree voles. They can eat other things but this is the diet that gets them the energy they need to be able to reproduce. It takes a lot more energy to nest, produce offspring, and raise those offspring, than it does merely to survive. Having lo...