When I read a story or a novel and I enter its created world completely — with no outer distractions, and this mobile life we’re all living in tends to distract me even more — I cannot help but wonder at how the author pulled off the greatest trick. A terrific novel is…
Islewood Farm is magical in the winter, and the pond is home to many different types of ducks all year round. Zippy and his pupil, Kipling, patrol the grounds but remain gentle and social dogs with even temperaments. Still, if I didn’t know Zippy and came across him, I wouldn’t want to make him suspicious.…
This Post is bonus content that links to my review/recommendation of Kate Bush’s concept album — two new additional videos — 50 Words For Snow. Please enjoy them. Both are animated short segments from the much longer songs on the album. This segment from the song, Misty, is retitled: Mistraldespair. Eider Falls At Lake Tahoe is a shortened…
Zippy and Kipling made 2011 a year to remember. I used to play Freeze Tag with the neighborhood kids and all four of my siblings. Tag someone. Run fast. They have to freeze; remain motionless. The other variation, Statues, evolved from Freeze Tag, where you’d hold onto someone’s wrists and spin around and around and…
Today is the release of John Lescroart’s new novel The Hunter. Russell Blake shares his comprehensive and fun talk with Lescroart, one of the most revered suspense writers in the business. They speak about the craft, what the daily writing life is like, dealing with the business side of the profession, and enlighten any…
Kipling really is in a soul-and-groove moment: sacked out! I want Kipling to settle down – so I play the song Settle Down. Does Kipling like Kimbra? I want to settle down I want to settle down Won’t you settle down with me? I want to settle down — from Kimbra’s Settle Down A discovery from New Zealand…
In this short video, Kipling is chowing down and oblivious to everything else 🙂 (turn Sound up!) After the Thanksgiving meal Kipling opined: I can’t believe I ate that much. No animals were harmed in the making of this video, but a lot of fingers came out worse for wear 😉 Thank you for watching…
Okay, I’ll stop with these two happy Kipling photos and carry on with my recommendation 😉 I searched for the anthology The Best American Short Stories 2011, a series that comes out each Fall with a different guest Editor. This year, Series Editor, Heidi Pitlor, chose Geraldine Brooks, who was born in Australia, grew up in…
It’s raining cats and dogs outside my office window. Kipling is at my feet, and already a great snoozer. I wanted to send out the weekend Kipling Report before I continue working on the writing of my own “serious” fiction, and also before getting back to reading the best Big book of ideas I’ve read…
I can’t help it: I’m posting puppy photos. Probably, bucketloads of puppy photos will filter into your world far into the future. Puppies don’t have anything to do with my next favorite albums to listen to while creating art List. Although, to any outside observer, both puppies and music may lead to a better understanding…