In today’s Journal
* Quotes of the Day
* The Passing of Susan Ellison and a Story
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quotes of the Day
“If you aren’t getting better, you’re getting worse.” Lawrence Welk on practice
“Wit does not always mean funny. Many times it is, but the real basis of wit is sharpness. It gets the point across crisply, memorably.” James Scott Bell
The Passing of Susan Ellison, and a Story
I was late coming to this, but I thought it worthy of sharing in a special post.
First, read Neil Gaiman’s touching post at https://journal.neilgaiman.com/2020/08/susan-ellison-rip-and-love.html.
Then do as he recommends. Go and read the very short official notice and the short story Harlan wrote for her at https://www.harlanellisonbooks.com/susan-ellison-1960-2020/.
This is the ultimate in writing into the dark. How can I tell? Because practically every line — hell, practically every word — leaps off the page. I wish this ability for you.
Enjoy.
Talk with you again when I can.
Of Interest
See “The Strange Similarity of Neuron and Galaxy Networks” at http://nautil.us/issue/50/emergence/the-strange-similarity-of-neuron-and-galaxy-networks. On a personal aside, what if our “universe” is actually just the brain of the being of which we are an infinitesimal part.
See “A Quick Covers Post” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/a-quick-covers-post/.
See “Have Your Characters Say What You Wish You’d Said” at https://killzoneblog.com/2020/08/have-your-characters-say-what-you-wish-youd-said.html. I agree with and endorse this post all the way down to “That’s golden.” After that, not so much.
See PG’s take on “Booksellers to America: Save the Post Office” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/booksellers-to-america-save-the-post-office/. The clerks at my branch of the USPS, massive fish in a 5-gallon pond, are often untenably rude. Just as if everyone else sees them as important as they see themselves.
Finally, if you want some enjoyable reading, some about writing and some not, see “Russell Blake’s blog” at https://russellblake.com/. Russell is one of the few people I’m aware of who are more prolific than I am. Now that he’s apparently back, I’ve subscribed to his blog.
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 330 words
Writing of Blackwell Ops 8 (novel)
Day 1…… 1653 words. Total words to date…… 1653
Day 2…… 1043 words. Total words to date…… 2696
Total fiction words for the month……… 2696
Total fiction words for the year………… 312351
Total nonfiction words for the month… 5000
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 136160
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 448511
Calendar Year 2020 Novels to Date…………………… 5
Calendar Year 2020 Novellas to Date……………… X
Calendar Year 2020 Short Stories to Date… 12
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 50
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 208
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31