Tag Archives: Reading

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 →

Posted in Martha's Children, Reading fiction, Reviews, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

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

Chapter 18 of Martha’s Children, and time travel

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Brian Bixby

In the last episode, Sherlock Kammen got ventilated, by bullets, that is, so we need a new narrator. Sally Truax, Internal Affairs’s finest, steps up to the plate to tell us what happened after she shot up her sometime lover, … Continue reading →

Posted in Martha's Children, Reading fiction, Reviews, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Becoming a fan: Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Oh, I’d watched Twilight Zone and Outer Limits on television when I was a kid. That isn’t to say I always understood them; some of the stories went over my head. And I identified far too much with Will Robinson when watching … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Writing to offend

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Writers have an almost unlimited opportunity to offend their readers: sex, violence, race, religion, politics, profanity, gender, class, and so on. Americans in particular live in a society that officially encourages freedom of speech, and at the same time says … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Review: Seanan McGuire, Midnight Blue-Light Special

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Brian Bixby

It’s time for another review of a recent book from a prospective author’s perspective. Today’s subject is Midnight Blue-Light Special, which despite its title is not about shopping, but an “urban fantasy” (according to the publisher) written by Seanan McGuire, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chapter 4 of Martha’s Children, and looking for models in detective fiction

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Brian Bixby

“Of kings and rippers,” chapter four of Martha’s Children, is now available. Think Martha’s the worst thing that could have happened to Ned? Ned thinks so. And then he finds out he’s wrong. If you’re not reading the story, you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Martha's Children, Reading fiction, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Criticizing others’ writing

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Back in December, I posted a query to readers, asking when and how it is appropriate to criticize the writings of others on their blogs. I should note I was thinking of literary blogs when I wrote this, though some … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Review: Timepiece by Heather Albano

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Brian Bixby

It’s time for another book review, and like the last one, this one will tackle the book from a prospective author’s perspective. Like the book in the previous review, I picked this one up almost by chance. I was at … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chapter 22 of Dragon Lady, and my patron saint of digressions

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Brian Bixby

“Solomon Davis takes charge,” chapter 22 of The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, is now available. The future leader of the Office of Occult Affairs arrived on the scene too late to prevent the holocaust in the previous chapter. What’s left for … Continue reading →

Posted in Dragon Lady, Reading fiction, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments