Author Archives: Brian Bixby

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About Brian Bixby

I enjoy history because it helps me understand people. I'm writing fiction for much the same reason.

Chapter 4 of Prophecies and Penalties, and charismatic Instruments

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Brian Bixby

Ethan Knowles may be married to Emily’s former babysitter, but he’s got a history, a history that makes Emily not sure she can trust him. Still, for the moment, he’s the best source she has for what’s going on with … Continue reading →

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Review: Leigh Eric Schmidt, Heaven’s Bride

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Brian Bixby

Seeing that today, March 3, is the anniversary of the passing of the Comstock Act in 1873, I thought it appropriate to review a book about one of the victims of the Comstock Act, Ida C. Craddock (1857-1902). First, a … Continue reading →

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Chapter 3 of Prophecies and Penalties is up

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Brian Bixby

Emily Fisher can relax about one point: she now knows who Bonnie Knowles is. But why did Bonnie marry Ethan Knowles, center of one of the biggest scandals in Quasopon’s recent history? And just what did he do? The answers are … Continue reading →

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50 years dead: Grace Metalious and Peyton Place

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Brian Bixby

It was fifty years ago today that the unhappy Grace Metalious (born Marie Grace DeRepentigny, 1924 – 1964), author of that scandalous best seller, Peyton Place, succeeded in drinking herself to death. In her lifetime, Peyton Place was banned from libraries and bookstores … Continue reading →

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Chapter Two of Prophecies and Penalties, and Charlie on the MTA

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Brian Bixby

So Emily Fisher is going back to her home town, which she doesn’t want to do, to investigate a murder, something she doesn’t know how to do. Misery may love company, but Emily doesn’t have any on her flight to … Continue reading →

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Review: Flowers, Galdrabok: Icelandic Book of Magic

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Brian Bixby

A few years ago, I found out from Owen Davies’ Grimoires  that there was an English translation of an Icelandic grimoire. Having developed an interest in the Icelandic sagas and the curious magic in them, I meant to hunt the translation … Continue reading →

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An old birthday and a new story

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Brian Bixby

First, a new story kicks off today, Prophecies and Penalties. Meet data analyst Emily Fisher. She’s going home. Great? She doesn’t think so. She’s even less happy about the reason why. You can start with chapter one, “The Iron Lady.” And … Continue reading →

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Getting back on schedule

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Brian Bixby

Sillyverse will go back on a regular schedule Friday, February 14, 2014, with a fiction post on that day, and another post on varied subjects on Monday or Tuesday. That means a new story starting on Valentine’s Day, which long-time readers … Continue reading →

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The Governor’s Proclamation

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Brian Bixby

It is the custom in the United States of America that state governors issue proclamations to note special days, weeks, or months, and the reason for their designation. Here is the draft of one such proclamation to be issued tomorrow. … Continue reading →

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Conflict: reviewing a year of writing

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Brian Bixby

Time for another review of writing techniques, based on the last year’s work. Let’s talk about conflict. Lesson #1: Personal conflict works. Some of the better parts of Martha’s Children, notably Nora’s tense interview with her parish priest, are driven … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments