J.K. Ullrich's Blog, page 4

Best Local Bird Encounters of 2022

“You missed my Christmas music concert,” I called jokingly when the door lock clattered in the other room. I’d taken advantage of my Laddie’s absence at a softball game to bang out some carols on the keyboard, sans headphones. Although I still found it hard to muster much holiday spirit in summertime, this year I … More Best Local Bird Encounters of 2022

“Beat In Her Blood” Unbowed: A Cross-Genre Novel’s Path to Publication

After a long publishing hiatus, I just released a new novel! My sci-fi mystery Beat In Her Blood is now available in ebook and paperback formats. This novel challenged me in a lot of ways. It was my first project aimed at adult audiences, my first foray into the mystery genre, and a personal exploration … More “Beat In Her Blood” Unbowed: A Cross-Genre Novel’s Path to Publication

Interspecies Travel: A Wide-Eyed Wander in the Wetlands

Halting on the red dirt trail, I squinted against the brightening sky. It had been overcast when I left on my Saturday long run, but now sunshine leaked through the dawn clouds. I should have brought my sunglasses! Or, having completed my mileage, I could switch to an entirely different type of lens. After a … More Interspecies Travel: A Wide-Eyed Wander in the Wetlands

The Great Ocean Road Trip, Part 2

After a few days exploring the lush Otway rainforest in Lorne, my Laddie and I set out along the most dramatic segment of the Great Ocean Road. We’d originally planned to drive it across two days, taking time to hike lengthy sections of the coastal trail, but since the weather forecast indicated this would be … More The Great Ocean Road Trip, Part 2

The Great Ocean Road Trip, Part 1

This Veteran’s Day, join me for a trip along the world’s largest war memorial: Australia’s Great Ocean Road. Returned soldiers built this iconic highway in the 1920s, carving the ancient cliffs mostly by hand, and dedicated it to the fallen of World War I. My Laddie and I drove it earlier this year. Rather than … More The Great Ocean Road Trip, Part 1

Poem: Rabbit. Raven. Runner

I rarely write poetry these days, but some experiences defy capture in any other form. Like last week, when I stumbled into a murder. Running along the river just after sunrise, swathed in the damp-earth smells of recent rain, the rhythm of my feet had lulled me into a meditative mind. A flash of black … More Poem: Rabbit. Raven. Runner

Review: “The Luminous Dead”, by Caitlin Starling

When I studied screenwriting in university, I wrote a full-length science fiction screenplay set entirely in a tiny quarantine facility. Why? After several projects indulging myself in alien planets or neon-soaked futuristic cities, I wanted to remove the genre crutch of elaborate settings. Caitlin Starling’s novel The Luminous Dead hooked me on that premise. The … More Review: “The Luminous Dead”, by Caitlin Starling

Liquid Assets: Wealthy Water Wasters Flout Drought

Severe drought in the northern hemisphere is exposing a lot of things: corpses, dinosaur tracks, “hunger stones” inscribed with famine warnings, WWII submarines…and the socioeconomic disparity of water use as wealthy individuals and interests flout resource restrictions. French authorities exempted golf courses from national water bans, allowing them to irrigate the greens. Officials from the French … More Liquid Assets: Wealthy Water Wasters Flout Drought

The Other Recession: North American Lakes Going Dry

As 75 million Americans swelter under heat alerts on this hottest weekend of 2022, some might be cooling off in pools, sprinklers, or fire hydrants. But for 40 million people in the western part of the country, the latest heat wave threatens their already-dwindling water supply. Lake Mead is on the verge of becoming a … More The Other Recession: North American Lakes Going Dry

Movie Review: Reminiscence

*NO SPOILERS* Back in 2019, I wrote a science fiction mystery novel set in near-future Baltimore. Fusing cyberpunk with classic noir, I fancied myself quite literary for weaving in allusions to the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. But I ultimately shelved the project because beneath the flooded streets and flickering neon, the story lacked … More Movie Review: Reminiscence