Sunset in Cades Cove, Smoky Mountains National Park on September 19, 2015.
Gray clouds smoke the sky. /
Fiery orange exalts the horizon. /
Earth imbibes shadows.
Monthly Archives: October 2015
Photo finish Friday: “Evening at Cades Cove”
Filed under 2015, photo by David E. Booker, Photo Finish Friday, poetry by author
Haiku to you Thursday: “All that is…”
All that is absurd /
falls. All that is not descends /
gracefully to rest.
Filed under 2015, Haiku to You Thursday, poetry by author
Writing tip Wednesday: An agent to consider
Danielle Burby
dburby@hsgagency.com
Source: http://hsgagency.com/
Danielle Burdy
Her passion lies in YA, Women’s Fiction, and mysteries. She gravitates toward stories with a strong voice and particularly enjoys complex female characters, narratives that explore social issues, and coming-of-age stories. Genres that appeal to her include contemporary YA, medieval fantasy, historical fiction, cozy mysteries, and upmarket Women’s Fiction. She finds it hard to resist gorgeous writing and is a sucker for romantic plotlines that are an element of the narrative, but don’t dominate it.
Danielle was involved in way too many singing groups in college and is always up for karaoke. She also enjoys both tea and coffee, managing to defy the naysayers who claim they’re an either-or thing. She is, however, distinctly a chocolate person. You can follow her on twitter at @danielleburby.
Filed under 2015, writing tip, Writing Tip Wednesday
Monday morning writing joke: “Musical interlude”
Patient: “Doc, I can’t stop singing ‘The Green, Green Grass of Home.'”
Doctor: “That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome.”
Patient: “Is it common?”
Doctor: “Well, ‘It’s Not Unusual.'”
Filed under 2015, Monday morning writing joke
Parts 1 – 3 of “Holly’s Corner”
[Writer’s note: What began as a writing prompt — photo and first paragraph — has become at least the start of a story. I will endeavor to add short sections to it, at lest as long as there is some interest. It might be a little rough in parts, but that’s because it is coming “hot off the press,” which could be part of the fun of it. In the meantime, you are free to jump off from any part of this story thus far and write your own version.]
by David E. Booker
Rainy day down on the corner.
She scowled and pointed something with a large barrel at me as she rounded the corner onto Central. Bolt into Holly’s or dive into the dead flowers beside a car parked in front the restaurant were my two choices.
The passenger side car window slid down.
The rain picked up in intensity. I could feel it tapping on my shoulders as if to catch my attention and say, “Now, stupid. Decide now … or be dead.”
The car was almost parallel with me. I caught a whiff of its acrid exhaust. The woman had her best angle; her cleanest shot. And that’s when I realized she was pointing a rolling pin at me. Mud and the petal from a dead flower splattered me in the face as I landed half on the sidewalk and half in the raised bordered flower bed. Considering where the board hit, my gait would never be the same.
“Hey, stupid,” the woman said, “get out of the dirt.”
“Mud,” I said, rolling over onto my side, then back.
A car horn blared, so I didn’t hear what the rolling pin woman said next. I think it was “get up,” which I was doing.
“That woman is a … (Another car horn blared as the car swerved around the stopped white car.) … she doesn’t deserve it. It’s my book!”
She was still pointing the rolling pin at me as drove on, probably because a police cruiser was easing up Central toward her position.
I brushed my hands together and only managed to smear the mud in one palm on the other. My pants were wet. So was my rain jacket and baseball cap. I brushed my hands down the sides of my jacket and then stepped inside Holly’s.
Plans were for me to meet my new client here. We had only talked on the phone. I had no idea what she looked like. I stood just inside the doorway,
(To be continued.)
Filed under 2015, photo by David E. Booker, story, Story by author
The Devil’s Dictionary: “Werewolf”
In our continuing quest to revisit a classic, or even a curiosity from the past and see how relevant it is, we continue with The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. Originally published in newspaper installments from 1881 until 1906. You might be surprised how current many of the entries are.
A young Ambrose Bierce
OLD DEFINITION
Werewolf, n. A wolf that was once, or is sometimes, a man. All werewolves are of evil disposition, having assumed a bestial form to gratify a bestial appetite, but some, transformed by sorcery, are as humane and is consistent with an acquired taste for human flesh. Some Bavarian peasants having caught a wolf one evening, tied it to a post by the tail and went to bed. The next morning nothing was there! Greatly perplexed, they consulted the local priest, who told them that their captive was undoubtedly a werewolf and had resumed its human for during the night. “The next time that you take a wolf,” the good man said, “see that you chain it by the leg, and in the morning you will find a Lutheran.”.
NEW DEFINITION
Werewolf, n. A politician that was once, or is sometimes, a man (or woman). All werewolves are of evil disposition, having assumed a bestial form to gratify a bestial appetite, but some, transformed by sorcery, are as humane (or high-functioning sociopath) and is consistent with an acquired taste for human flesh. Some neighbors having caught a wolf one evening, tied it to a post by the tail and went to bed. The next morning nothing was there! Greatly perplexed, they consulted the local priest, who told them that their captive was undoubtedly a werewolf and had resumed its human for during the night. “The next time that you take a wolf,” the good man said, “see that you chain it by the leg, and in the morning you will find a ‘Christian’ politician.”
Filed under 2015, definitions, Devil's Dictionary
Photo finish Friday: “Holly’s”
It was a cool, rainy day down at Holly’s Corner.
It was a cool, rainy day down at Holly’s Corner. Not quite a dark and stormy night, but close enough to encourage you to stop in something to eat and a bit of warmth. I was just about to step inside when a white car eased up tot he corner of Fulton and N. Central. I didn’t like the look of the car and I liked less the look of the person behind the wheel.
Filed under 2015, photo by David E. Booker, Photo Finish Friday
Haiku to you Thursday: “Answer”
After the answer /
came the question no one asked: /
are answers enough?
Filed under 2015, Haiku to You Thursday, poetry by author
Booker's Blog 