Stan C. Smith's Blog, page 35
May 14, 2017
Awesome Animal - Giant Ground Sloth
I bet everyone, at some point in their lives, wishes they had a time machine. I am no exception, and the reason why is that I would love to go back and see some of the awesome animals that are now extinct. Those of you who have read Diffusion, Infusion, or Savage know that the Lamotelokhai (the mysterious substance that has been hiding on our planet for millions of years) has vast knowledge of every living thing it has ever encountered. And it can recreate any creature from the past. As Samuel Inwood aptly states in my upcoming novel, Profusion, "The Lamotelokhai works in many media, but in my opinion it is a master of the medium of life. It sculpts and paints living organisms as if it were a god."
But when such power is wielded without regard to consequences, chaos can result, as you will soon see when Profusion comes out in a few months.
One of the many strange creatures encountered in Profusion is a Giant Ground Sloth. There were numerous species of ground sloths, and they became extinct about 10,000 years ago.
Ground sloths lived throughout South America and most of North America. Not surprisingly, their extinction corresponds closely with the appearance of humans in North and South America, and it is thought that over-hunting by humans contributed to their demise.
Amazing Facts about extinct ground sloths:
The largest ground sloth (10 feet long and 2,200 lbs) was named after Thomas Jefferson. Before he became the third president of the US, he was very interested in fossils (a gentleman naturalist, like Samuel in my novel Savage). A friend sent him some bones found in a cave and Jefferson figured out that they belonged to a new species of ground sloth, which was then given the name, Megalonyx jeffersonii. The skeleton of this species in the photo below was found in a cave in my home state of Missouri.
Ground sloths were herbivores (plant eaters), and their teeth were flat and peg-like. They also had long, curved claws on their front feet for grabbing limbs and stripping off the leaves (and maybe for protection from predators like the saber-toothed cats that lived at the same time).
They had huge hind feet and a long, fat tail they used to stabilize themselves as they stood up (like a tripod) to reach higher branches.
One group of ground sloths became aquatic mammals! Yep, you read this correctly. About 8 million years ago, sloths of the genus Thalassocrus lived near water and started eating water plants. Within a few million years these critters had become fully aquatic and could swim like sea lions. Sadly, the aquatic sloths disappeared about 4 million years ago.
In 1995, Trish and I were lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the basement storage areas of the Smithsonian Museum. Our guide opened a drawer, took out a large object, and explained that it was well-preserved giant sloth poop. He asked if I wanted to hold it. Are you kidding me? Of course did! (this photo was when I had no gray hair, no beard, and I was running marathons--please don't laugh).
As I'm sure you know, there are several species of sloths living today (six, to be exact). They are much smaller and are called tree sloths. But they will be a topic of a future post.
So the giant ground sloth deserves a place in the T.A.H.O.F. (Topgallant Animal Hall of Fame).
Fun Fact: Topgallant was originally a nautical term, a name for the head of the topmast. It eventually evolved into an adjective to describe anything lofty or grand. In other words, it means "awesome."
But when such power is wielded without regard to consequences, chaos can result, as you will soon see when Profusion comes out in a few months.
One of the many strange creatures encountered in Profusion is a Giant Ground Sloth. There were numerous species of ground sloths, and they became extinct about 10,000 years ago.
Ground sloths lived throughout South America and most of North America. Not surprisingly, their extinction corresponds closely with the appearance of humans in North and South America, and it is thought that over-hunting by humans contributed to their demise.Amazing Facts about extinct ground sloths:
The largest ground sloth (10 feet long and 2,200 lbs) was named after Thomas Jefferson. Before he became the third president of the US, he was very interested in fossils (a gentleman naturalist, like Samuel in my novel Savage). A friend sent him some bones found in a cave and Jefferson figured out that they belonged to a new species of ground sloth, which was then given the name, Megalonyx jeffersonii. The skeleton of this species in the photo below was found in a cave in my home state of Missouri.
Ground sloths were herbivores (plant eaters), and their teeth were flat and peg-like. They also had long, curved claws on their front feet for grabbing limbs and stripping off the leaves (and maybe for protection from predators like the saber-toothed cats that lived at the same time).They had huge hind feet and a long, fat tail they used to stabilize themselves as they stood up (like a tripod) to reach higher branches.
One group of ground sloths became aquatic mammals! Yep, you read this correctly. About 8 million years ago, sloths of the genus Thalassocrus lived near water and started eating water plants. Within a few million years these critters had become fully aquatic and could swim like sea lions. Sadly, the aquatic sloths disappeared about 4 million years ago.
In 1995, Trish and I were lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the basement storage areas of the Smithsonian Museum. Our guide opened a drawer, took out a large object, and explained that it was well-preserved giant sloth poop. He asked if I wanted to hold it. Are you kidding me? Of course did! (this photo was when I had no gray hair, no beard, and I was running marathons--please don't laugh).
As I'm sure you know, there are several species of sloths living today (six, to be exact). They are much smaller and are called tree sloths. But they will be a topic of a future post.So the giant ground sloth deserves a place in the T.A.H.O.F. (Topgallant Animal Hall of Fame).
Fun Fact: Topgallant was originally a nautical term, a name for the head of the topmast. It eventually evolved into an adjective to describe anything lofty or grand. In other words, it means "awesome."
May 13, 2017
The Kansas Flint Hills - A natural treasure!
Trish and I just got back from a five-day visit to the amazing Flint Hills of eastern Kansas, in my opinion one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Trish and I got in some terrific hikes, and we even managed to find a nice variety of snakes.
Yep, we like to look for snakes together... our idea of a romantic getaway. We take photos and then leave them to go about their business. The Milk Snake below is one of many we found. Beautiful, isn't it?
The place we stayed is called the Flying W Ranch, in Chase County, Kansas (Chase County is the topic and setting for the book, PrairyErth, by William Least Heat-Moon). We also spent a few days at the Flying H Ranch about 20 miles from there. The Flying W Ranch has 7,000 acres of Flint Hills tall-grass prairie that looks very much the same as it has looked for thousands of years. It is an underappreciated natural environment. But don't give away the secret... we love how quiet it is there!
Yep, we like to look for snakes together... our idea of a romantic getaway. We take photos and then leave them to go about their business. The Milk Snake below is one of many we found. Beautiful, isn't it? The place we stayed is called the Flying W Ranch, in Chase County, Kansas (Chase County is the topic and setting for the book, PrairyErth, by William Least Heat-Moon). We also spent a few days at the Flying H Ranch about 20 miles from there. The Flying W Ranch has 7,000 acres of Flint Hills tall-grass prairie that looks very much the same as it has looked for thousands of years. It is an underappreciated natural environment. But don't give away the secret... we love how quiet it is there!
May 2, 2017
Awesome Animal - The Bandicoot
The awesome animal for this episode is the
bandicoot
. Bandicoots make an appearance in several of my novels (in
Savage
they are a common food source for the aboriginal tribe... although there is something mysterious and strange about those bandicoots).
Like many of the mammals in New Guinea (and Australia), bandicoots are marsupials (young are nurtured in a pouch on the female's abdomen).
Most species of bandicoots are about the size of a rabbit, although the Giant Bandicoot, which lives only in southeast New Guinea, is almost a meter long and over ten pounds. Although bandicoots look a little like rats, they hop like rabbits when they run, and they are fast!
Awesome facts about bandicoots:
They have a high-pitched, bird-like call they use to locate each other.
Baby bandicoots are born after a very short gestation period--only 11 days! At that point they are very tiny and they move into the mother's pouch to develop further.
The mother's pouch is open facing the rear, to prevent dirt from enter the pouch as the mother digs for food.
Males have a "bifurcated" penis, with two ends. Why? Because the female has two vaginas!
Want to see bandicoots in action? Check out this video from ZoosVictoria
So, bandicoots deserve a spot in the E.A.H.O.F. (Eximious Animal Hall of Fame).
Fun Fact: Eximious is a word that was commonly used in 17th century literature as a way of describing someone distinguished. It basically means "awesome!"
Photo Credits:
Eastern Barred Bandicoot - ZoosVictoria (https://www.zoo.org.au/werribee/animals/eastern-barred-bandicoot)
Bandicoot in Hand - Reuters (https://www.buzzfeed.com/aliciamelvillesmith/baby-bandicoot-crashes-into-our-hearts)
Like many of the mammals in New Guinea (and Australia), bandicoots are marsupials (young are nurtured in a pouch on the female's abdomen).
Most species of bandicoots are about the size of a rabbit, although the Giant Bandicoot, which lives only in southeast New Guinea, is almost a meter long and over ten pounds. Although bandicoots look a little like rats, they hop like rabbits when they run, and they are fast!Awesome facts about bandicoots:
They have a high-pitched, bird-like call they use to locate each other.
Baby bandicoots are born after a very short gestation period--only 11 days! At that point they are very tiny and they move into the mother's pouch to develop further.
The mother's pouch is open facing the rear, to prevent dirt from enter the pouch as the mother digs for food.
Males have a "bifurcated" penis, with two ends. Why? Because the female has two vaginas!
Want to see bandicoots in action? Check out this video from ZoosVictoria
So, bandicoots deserve a spot in the E.A.H.O.F. (Eximious Animal Hall of Fame).Fun Fact: Eximious is a word that was commonly used in 17th century literature as a way of describing someone distinguished. It basically means "awesome!"
Photo Credits:
Eastern Barred Bandicoot - ZoosVictoria (https://www.zoo.org.au/werribee/animals/eastern-barred-bandicoot)
Bandicoot in Hand - Reuters (https://www.buzzfeed.com/aliciamelvillesmith/baby-bandicoot-crashes-into-our-hearts)
April 22, 2017
Amazing Animal - King of Saxony Bird of Paradise
In my home state of Missouri (USA), we have a few strange and beautiful birds, such as northern cardinals, scissor-tailed flycatchers, and bald eagles. But I have never seen birds as striking as the Birds of Paradise, which are found in New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and eastern Australia. There are about 40 species, and every one of them is a wonder of specialized adaptation of very specific and remarkable colors and behavior rituals for the males to attract mates. If you want to be blown away by their colors and behaviors, check out the video on this page.
The King of Saxony Bird of Paradise makes an appearance at the very beginning of my novel, Diffusion, when Quentin is trying (unsuccessfully) to get a moment of solitude away from his boisterous students on their field trip to Papua, Indonesia. That happens, of course, before tragedy strikes their group.
The most striking thing about this species is the pair of long "eyebrows," which are feathers a half-meter long that look like long, serrated blades. Only the males have these, because they are used in an elaborate courtship dance to convince a female that they are worthy of serious consideration as boyfriend material. They have muscles in their heads that allow them to precisely move these long feathers around at will, making for a mesmerizing display.
The native aborigines of New Guinea call the bird the "kiss-a-ba," which is what its call sounds like. The natives hunt the male birds because they use the long eyelash feathers in their ceremonial headdresses. These feathers are also sometimes collected from the bowers of bowerbirds. Male bowerbirds collect unusual items to create their bowers, which they use to impress females, and molted King of Saxony feathers are prize possessions for their bowers. Bowerbirds also make an appearance in Diffusion and will be featured in a future email.
So the King of Saxony Bird of Paradise should be included in the T.A.T.C.H.O.F. - the Thriven and Thro Creature Hall of Fame.
Fun Fact: "Thriven and Thro" is a term that was used in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, particularly in poetry, to call someone excellent. Basically it means "awesome."
Photo Credits
King of Saxony BOP photo: Tim Laman for National Geographic (http://www.timlaman.com)
King of Saxony BOP Painting: Vosunii and Deviant Art (http://vosunii.deviantart.com)
The King of Saxony Bird of Paradise makes an appearance at the very beginning of my novel, Diffusion, when Quentin is trying (unsuccessfully) to get a moment of solitude away from his boisterous students on their field trip to Papua, Indonesia. That happens, of course, before tragedy strikes their group.
The most striking thing about this species is the pair of long "eyebrows," which are feathers a half-meter long that look like long, serrated blades. Only the males have these, because they are used in an elaborate courtship dance to convince a female that they are worthy of serious consideration as boyfriend material. They have muscles in their heads that allow them to precisely move these long feathers around at will, making for a mesmerizing display.The native aborigines of New Guinea call the bird the "kiss-a-ba," which is what its call sounds like. The natives hunt the male birds because they use the long eyelash feathers in their ceremonial headdresses. These feathers are also sometimes collected from the bowers of bowerbirds. Male bowerbirds collect unusual items to create their bowers, which they use to impress females, and molted King of Saxony feathers are prize possessions for their bowers. Bowerbirds also make an appearance in Diffusion and will be featured in a future email.
So the King of Saxony Bird of Paradise should be included in the T.A.T.C.H.O.F. - the Thriven and Thro Creature Hall of Fame.Fun Fact: "Thriven and Thro" is a term that was used in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, particularly in poetry, to call someone excellent. Basically it means "awesome."
Photo Credits
King of Saxony BOP photo: Tim Laman for National Geographic (http://www.timlaman.com)
King of Saxony BOP Painting: Vosunii and Deviant Art (http://vosunii.deviantart.com)
April 2, 2017
Amazing Animal - The Dorcopsis
Another creature that makes an appearance in my novel, DIFFUSION, is the Dorcopsis. Sometimes these are called gazelle-faced wallabies. As you can probably guess from the photo above, these cat-sized creatures are related to kangaroos (they are all part of the group of marsupial mammals called Macropods, which includes kangaroos, tree kangaroos, wallabies, and more).
Why is the Dorcopsis amazing? Well, one reason is that they are exceedingly obscure, found only in certain forests of New Guinea and a few Indonesian islands. Also, they usually have only one young at a time, which starts out as a tiny, naked, jellybean-sized critter, which then lives in the mother's pouch for a whopping 180 days! Wow, talk about kids who are reluctant to leave home! Usually the next baby is born before the last one has left the pouch, and the mother will suckle both young at the same time.
Notice how the young in the photo above is suckling on one of two teats? Well, many of the kangaroo-type marsupials can produce two types of milk, one that is suited more for the tiny newborn, and another type of milk with a higher fat content for the older joey.
And one more thing. The Dorcopsis has fairly long front legs (for a kangaroo, that is). Aboriginal hunters report that they are most often encountered on rocky banks of rivers, where they use those long arms to flip over flat stones as they search for cockroaches to eat. Yum!
And so the Dorcopsis deserves a spot in the GAHOF. That's the Gradely Animal Hall of Fame.
Fun Fact: the term Gradely was first used to refer to people who were prompt, but by the 1400s, it was used to label things, basically meaning they were "awesome."
Photo credits:
Dorcopsis: csavy
Newborn: Kangaroo Creek Farm
Why is the Dorcopsis amazing? Well, one reason is that they are exceedingly obscure, found only in certain forests of New Guinea and a few Indonesian islands. Also, they usually have only one young at a time, which starts out as a tiny, naked, jellybean-sized critter, which then lives in the mother's pouch for a whopping 180 days! Wow, talk about kids who are reluctant to leave home! Usually the next baby is born before the last one has left the pouch, and the mother will suckle both young at the same time. Notice how the young in the photo above is suckling on one of two teats? Well, many of the kangaroo-type marsupials can produce two types of milk, one that is suited more for the tiny newborn, and another type of milk with a higher fat content for the older joey.And one more thing. The Dorcopsis has fairly long front legs (for a kangaroo, that is). Aboriginal hunters report that they are most often encountered on rocky banks of rivers, where they use those long arms to flip over flat stones as they search for cockroaches to eat. Yum!
And so the Dorcopsis deserves a spot in the GAHOF. That's the Gradely Animal Hall of Fame.
Fun Fact: the term Gradely was first used to refer to people who were prompt, but by the 1400s, it was used to label things, basically meaning they were "awesome."
Photo credits:
Dorcopsis: csavy
Newborn: Kangaroo Creek Farm
February 13, 2017
Progress Report on PROFUSION
Many readers have asked when the next book in the Diffusion series will be available. I do not have a definite date yet, but I can tell you the book is now halfway complete. I hope to finish it before the snow geese have all passed through on their migration north (April). To say that I'm excited about Profusion would be an understatement. If you have read Diffusion and Infusion, you may be wondering where things are headed. Well, I can tell you the stakes are getting even higher. The Lamotelokhai is a wondrous entity, but it is NOT to be used carelessly! The results of its misuse can be mind-boggling and terrifying.As I'm sure you can guess, tree kangaroos play a significant role in Profusion.
The term PROFUSION refers to the "pouring forth" of something in great quantity. The question is, what exactly is it that will be pouring forth?
I hope to have the book ready for advance readers in the next few months. This is something I will be requesting help with, so stay tuned.
Why you should read Robert McCammon
I am currently reading Robert McCammon's The Border. If you like post-apocalyptic tales, and you are hungry for an original premise, this book might satisfy that hunger. Imagine our planet just happens to be at the front lines (the border) of a massive war between two advanced alien species. They have nothing against humans, just as I have nothing against the colony of ants that happens to be located where I'm going to build a shed in my backyard. I don't give much thought to the ants, but it doesn't go so well for them as I start clearing the ground.McCammon is well known for writing critically acclaimed horror novels in the 80s and early 90s. In fact, several of his award-winning books were the amazing post-apocalyptic novels, Stinger and Swan Song, to which The Border will inevitably be compared. But McCammon's more recent writing shows an expansion into much broader themes.
My introduction to McCammon's work was Boy's Life, a beautiful, gritty coming of age story of a boy trying to discover who killed a man that his father attempted to rescue, before the incident drives his father to insanity. The magic that dwells within the mind of every 12-year-old boy comes to life in this story, and it unfolds against the backdrop of racial inequality of the deep south (U.S.) of the 1960s. Wonderful story!
Perhaps the most stunning departure from McCammon's horror heritage is a series of historical mystery novels (with just a slight twist of the supernatural at times) about Matthew Corbett, a kind of self-made investigator in the late 17th century. The first book, Speaks the Nightbird, focuses primarily on a trial of a woman accused of witchcraft. I highly recommend the entire series.
And for one more major departure from his roots, in 2011 McCammon published The Five. This is a novel about a struggling, hard-working rock band on their last tour together. It is beautifully written (I would call it poetic) and is filled with subtle references to much of the same music I have listened to since I was a teen. It is McCammon's love letter to rock-n-roll, and I just wish I could have been the one to write it.
If you are a McCammon fan, great! If you haven't tried him yet, I hope this gives you ideas for which books might be most suitable as an introduction to his work.
February is not so bad
To most North Americans, February is a tedious month. They are tired of winter by this point, and it is too early for signs of spring. But I love February. One reason why is I'm fascinated by waterfowl. In my area I can witness one of the great animal migrations of this planet, the northern migration of snow geese. They fly over by the hundreds of thousands and cover our cut corn and soybean fields with vast, white blankets of gabbling geese. If you've read any of my books, you know I'm enthralled by nature, which is why creatures and wilderness environments are so important in my stories.
December 29, 2016
I love good reviews!
Got another great review of Diffusion the other day.
This reader is correct... if you like captivating twists and turns that are "confoundingly extraordinary," then you should read the Diffusion novels.
This reader is correct... if you like captivating twists and turns that are "confoundingly extraordinary," then you should read the Diffusion novels.
December 6, 2016
I'd like to give you a free copy of my first novel, Diffusion.
If you have not read my first novel, Diffusion, here is a chance to get a free ebook copy. Do you like action and adventure stories? Do you like surprising and mysterious twists and turns? If so, I am confident you will enjoy Diffusion!
Excerpt from the most recent review on Amazon:
"I usually don't read science fiction or fantasy, but I almost swallowed these whole and can't wait to see what happens next. I've loaned them out to my colleagues and they love them too. Bravo, Mr. Smith!"
If you want to grab a free copy of Diffusion, tap or click the link below. It will ask you to enter your name and email address, and then you choose the format you want (formats available for all tablets, computers, and ebook readers). It will email your book immediately, along with instructions to get it onto your device.
Have you already read Diffusion? Feel free to share this with friends you think might want to read it! This is an instaFreebie giveaway. #instafreebie
Happy reading!
YES! GIVE ME MY FREE BOOK!
Excerpt from the most recent review on Amazon:
"I usually don't read science fiction or fantasy, but I almost swallowed these whole and can't wait to see what happens next. I've loaned them out to my colleagues and they love them too. Bravo, Mr. Smith!"
If you want to grab a free copy of Diffusion, tap or click the link below. It will ask you to enter your name and email address, and then you choose the format you want (formats available for all tablets, computers, and ebook readers). It will email your book immediately, along with instructions to get it onto your device.
Have you already read Diffusion? Feel free to share this with friends you think might want to read it! This is an instaFreebie giveaway. #instafreebie
Happy reading!
YES! GIVE ME MY FREE BOOK!
