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Columnists

U=N/T(M*G): Paper

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Black book with the word productivity on the front in gold letters.

I’ve started writing a new book! So stoked. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been able to really write anything and I have really missed it. It’s a spy romance and it has a whole lot, but I’m not here to talk about all that today. Sorta. See, the love interest has a paper productivity planner. He’s an assistant to the protagonist, kind of, and most assistants have some type of journal or planner they use to keep track of their boss’ schedule. More or less. And, of course, it got me thinking. I use a planner my own … Read more

U=N/T(M*G): Core

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Planet in the light of the Galactic Core.

Once every couple of years, I get the wild hair to reread C. S. Friedman’s Coldfire trilogy. I love this story, no lie. It’s one of the best I’ve ever read and has some of the most complex characters I’ve ever seen. And the premise is amazing. In fact, it’s the premise that brings up this post. See, Coldfire trilogy is set on a planet called Erna close to the Galactic Core. Humans came and settled it a long time before the story starts (though you see pieces of what happened to the original settlers at the start of various … Read more

Jeff Baker; Boogieman In Lavender; “Facing the Blank Page.”

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Facing the Blank Page by Jeff Baker Oh Hell! It’s August! I spent most of last month writing “June” on my checks and now it’s August and I have a column due. What to write? What to write? What to write? Damn. Blank page. Damn! Review a book I’m reading? I haven’t read a book lately. Write about what I’ve been doing? Let’s see; sitting around, typing, watching TV, going to the store, drinking beer. Nope. Not enough word count. What time is it now? Damn! Later than when I started. Closer to the thirteenth. I could write about deadlines. … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Strands

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Rainbow collection of threads on a black field.

Like something out of Star Trek, or Star Trek fanfiction, this is one of those stranger than fiction moments. In fact, I think I’ve read this ST fanfiction. So, there’s cosmic threads cutting through the heart of our galaxy. A whole lot of other galaxies too. The fun part is no one knows what the hell they are. Galactic heartstrings? Road to Hell? Connections to a parallel dimension? No clue. Scientists think it might be from the black hole blowing out radiation, maybe. Honestly though, I think that’s the fun part. That point in time when we find a new … Read more

Queer Poetry Corner: Two Books to Look At. Jeff Baker, Boogieman in Lavender

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books - pixabay

Queer Poetry Corner: Two Books to Look At by Jeff Baker And you, whate’er your Fav’rite does approve For Condescension leads the way to love Go with him where he goes, tho’ long the way And the fierce Dog-Star fires the sultry Way —-from “Odes” by Tibullus (60-90 B.C.) The Penguin Book of Homosexual Verse Poetry can be a fleeting art. Sometimes the lines and stanzas are brief, sometimes the impact of a poem is less brief than that. But other times a poem can last for a millennia and shine a light on the lives of the poets and … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Pandora

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A big red globe, with a black starburst in the center, surrounded by red spines.

Ah, climate change. A host of chaos in the near future because of it, no matter what we do now. Intensified storms, higher seawater levels, habitat destruction. Lots of stuff to keep us busy for years. We can throw one more middle finger on top of that pile. Ancient viruses. Yep. You read that right. Scientists are already pulling samples out of the increasingly warm Siberian permafrost, and quite a few of these viruses are still viable. No, there’s no need to panic, yet. It’s that yet which is the problem. First, these viruses are the super big ones and … Read more

Spellcheck – Boogieman In Lavender

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writing tools - typewriter - pixabay

If I Ran the World… Well, first I’d get rid of war and poverty and injustice and crime and hatred and all those awful “Children of the Corn” sequel movies that even Stephen King wants nothing to do with. Then I’d get down to the really important stuff. There are words I just can’t spell worth a crap! I’m a writer, I’m supposed to be able to do this. I do use spellcheck but it’s so damn frustrating that after decades there are words I continue to spell the same way, and that way is WRONG! For openers, let’s check … Read more