Bright as bright can be, the sun shines through the window and onto me. It gleams on metal, the walls and floors flicker reflect with lively reflections. Flashes of light from the locket on my desk, on the pocket button my my woolly vest. Sunshine, in the middle of winter, in the middle of the … Continue reading A Little Bit o’ Sunshine
Avatar
Is this a post about storytelling? Yes. No. When we read, we get immersed in the story. The character is our avatar. We are the character. But where do we get these experiences? How can we, the writers, know enough about life to put it down in such a way that another person who is … Continue reading Avatar
I Shall Return
Now, who said that? Whatever and however, I shall return sometime in May. I didn't run away ... well, not too far away, so I'll be back on the boards in the fifth month.
We’re Infested
An anthology of creepy tales with lots of bities - and one of them is mine - UnBucolic! No links to buy yet, but I'll get them up as soon as I've got 'em - publication date 31 March 2023 (that's probably north of the date-line, so maybe 1 April here in Aus). US, UK, … Continue reading We’re Infested
The Final AI
A short, short story: Four, now, or five? I can’t remember. Someone in the on-line forum said this is number five, but I’m only up to three. It’s important, I know it is. And I’ll do it. I will. Some things take time to consider, research, and seek advice before plunging in. I wouldn’t buy … Continue reading The Final AI
#FPQ205 – Fandango’s Provocative Question
And what is the question? This: Are you planning to formally and officially register for this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge, pick a theme, and participate? Why or why not? Or, are you planning to informally and unofficially participate in this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge on an ad hoc basis? Or, are you going to skip … Continue reading #FPQ205 – Fandango’s Provocative Question
Channeling
The weirdness has set in. Maybe it's fever. Who knows. But I got bored with being crook with the 'flu, so the laptop came out of hiding to sit on my lap. It wasn't conducive to undertaking any form of work, though, so I had to think of a strategy to get it all warmed … Continue reading Channeling
Down for the Count
Did you miss me? It's not that I've gone anywhere ... okay, I did go on a short holiday for a couple of weeks, but I came home. When I got home, unpacked, did all the stuff you do after getting back to home base - well, then I collapsed. With tiredness, I thought, so … Continue reading Down for the Count
Perception
You're writing your autobiography. What's your opening sentence? I'm writing my autobiography, it seems, and someone wonders what the opening sentence would be? That's not an easy answer, because the opening sentence is always the last part of the work. Most writers know this because it's only when you get to the end that you … Continue reading Perception
And now I’m Banning Words …
I’ll second the call to ban this word (out of context)!
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
What word would it be? I can think of many, but in the last few years the word that annoys me most is ‘impact’. Everything ‘impacts’. In most cases, the word used should be affect, but because the person saying whatever it is they’re saying (this is usually the news) they use impact for everything.
Impact, in meaning, is about ‘force’, not how someone or something is affected.
The floods – how many people were ‘impacted’? No. How many people were affected? Which means, how many people did this have an effect on, or make a difference to? Nothing to do with force.
So, rant over. Next week, I’ll go back to doing a short story. Promise.
Cage Dunn - Fibber, Fabricator, Teller-of-Tall-Tales 