Monthly Archives: July 2013

Milestone

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Oh, and we’ve hit a milestone today: one thousand comments on Sillyverse’s blog posts and pages! I thank my readers, who always have such interesting comments. A special thanks to the top six comment contributors, according to WordPress’s count: crimsonprose … Continue reading →

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When prophesy fails, and fails, and fails

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Back when they were conveying knowledge to the masses, David Wallechinsky and his family produced The People’s Almanac (1975). For their very first chapter, they obtained predictions from many contemporary psychics. So, 38 years later, how did the psychics of the … Continue reading →

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Chapter 23 of Martha’s Children, and the Days of Rage

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Public attention in Chicago shifts from the debut of the Vampire Bureau to the arrival of militant radicals and the “Days of Rage” in chapter 23 of Martha’s Children, “Therefore be o’ good cheer, for truly I think you are damned.” Not … Continue reading →

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When the Devil went to law in America

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Today, July 22, is the birthday of Stephen Vincent Benét (1898 – 1943). He rose to literary fame for his lengthy 1928 historical poem, John Brown’s Body, and remained a notable literary figure until his sudden death from a heart attack … Continue reading →

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Chapter 22 of Martha’s Children, and Innocent Blood

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Brian Bixby

The Vampire Bureau goes public! Criminals beware! But Sherlock Kammen is sitting on the sidelines, still trying to track down Martha and her sorceress Make Love Not War. Well, at least until a waitress starts asking questions. Watch Kammen take … Continue reading →

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One billion years plus forty: Brian Aldiss and the history of sci-fi

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Brian Bixby

One of my constant readers, Judy (whose blog demonstrates her skills as a photographer), sent me a copy of Brian W. Aldiss’s Billion Year Spree: The True History of Science Fiction (1973), along with some cards featuring her photography. The … Continue reading →

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Chapter 21 of Martha’s Children, and the college trip

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Detective Sherlock Kammen is willing to trail his boss to find out where Martha and her sorceress are. But how far will he go when the trail leads to one of Ned’s family members? Find out in “Happy in this, … Continue reading →

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The Goths (gothic writers, that is): twin birthdays

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Tuesday, July 9,  is another twin birthday of significance for readers of this blog. Two famous writers of gothic novels, Mrs. Radcliffe (1764-1823), author of The Mysteries of Udolpho, and “Monk” Lewis (1775-1818), nicknamed for his most popular work, The Monk, were … Continue reading →

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Chapter 20 of Martha’s Children, and a few thoughts on the Dresden Files

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Like Ned O’Donnell, Sherlock Kammen has a favorite sister . . . well, in his case, his only sister. Kate (née Hecate) has always been the older, more sophisticated sister, the one member of the family who moves among the rich … Continue reading →

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A few good words about time travel: two books, du Maurier and Riggs

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Having just trashed time travel in a previous post, I thought I’d cover two books that use it in unusual ways as a plot device, one book an old favorite, the other a recent book I’ve just read. The old … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments