An intense psychological experience, Lily Brooks-Dalton’s “Good Morning, Midnight” carried me through the heart-freezing interior landscapes of its two main characters as they struggled to survive in hostile settings. My two days with this speculative novel set me on edge … Continue reading Notes on “Good Morning, Midnight”
The Dilemma: should I pick up the paperback of Rutherford’s The Forest that I started a a while ago? I’d placed the bookmark at the end of a chapter and put the book down just as the narrative was plunging me into … Continue reading Escape From Planet Earth?
Three writers volunteered to ‘Beta-read’ my first draft of A New ZooCatron, a fantasy novella about cat-like creatures arriving on Earth from deep in the cosmos. One of the readers is truly a rocket scientist and she pointed out the … Continue reading Getting It Right
My ship is orbiting this hostile world. Its passengers need a new home and finding that home is my job. Look at me now. I’m letting everyone down. Continue reading A New ZooCatron – Chapter 18: No Time to Rest
As she circled around it, a piercing hoot-hoot made her ears stand up; the fierce caterwaul that followed brought her to a standstill, tail bushing out and back arching. Tepunia’s mind-speech called to Shvaart again and again but she heard nothing in return. Continue reading A New ZooCatron – Chapter Sixteen: The Worst Case Scenario
Loud chattering erupted when Tepunia and Shvaart landed on the limb of a tree far from their starting point. On a branch overhead sat a plump, furry creature with a bushy tail as long as its body. It raced back … Continue reading A New ZooCatron – Chapter Fifteen: Squirrely
Again “my BROTHER?” Tepunia twitched with annoyance. She was sure with all this attention Shvaart was going to forget the dangers they faced. “Lieutenant, exit the pail. Clean yourself. Act with dignity despite being, well, out of uniform.” Continue reading A New ZooCatron – Chapter Thirteen: Indecision
Having read Ken Liu’s PAPER MENAGERIE, a collection of his short stories, plus his bio and credits, I felt I’d had the good fortune to ‘stumble’ upon an excellent writer and translator whose work gave me a new perspective on … Continue reading INVISIBLE PLANETS – Ken Liu, editor and translator
With a mix of disgust and shame, Tepunia saw that every last bit of his suit was gone. He was altogether naked! Continue reading A New ZooCatron – Chapter Twelve: The Hayloft
Tepunia felt nervous flutterbugs inside her belly. She sniffed the door’s threshold, then stepped back and waited for the sound of Shvaart’s reaction. Who knew what else was inside that big, dark place? Continue reading A New ZooCatron – Chapter Ten: Was It the Kibble?
