D.M. Shepard's Blog, page 4
March 28, 2020
Echoes of the 1918 Pandemic in Alaska
I sat down at my computer this morning and read that the State of Alaska has officially declared a “shelter in place order.” We’re now at over 80 cases state-wide and 1 in-state death. This mandate doesn’t actually change much for us here in Anchorage, we’ve been under a shelter in place since the 20th, …
March 15, 2020
The Ghosts of the Palace Grand Theater
When the Excelsior pulled into Seattle with a “ton of gold” mined from a small tributary of the Klondike River in 1897, a million people made plans to head north. One hundred thousand people crossed the Canadian border. Forty thousand people passed through Dawson City during the summer of 1898, only to find that most …
March 1, 2020
Preparing for the 1st Chicken Trip of 2020
Writing Inspiration, part 3 We’ve had one of the coldest Januaries on record here in Anchorage. Now that it is February, Ray and I are deep in the planning logistics for our first Chicken trip of 2020, scheduled for March. It takes a lot to travel out to the cabin under normal conditions, but when …
Continue reading "Preparing for the 1st Chicken Trip of 2020"
The Lonely Miner of the 60-Mile
Even as the snow continues to fall, the days are getting longer and we feel spring is right around the corner. Ray and I are planning for not only the 1st Chicken Run of 2020 (tentatively the last weekend in April), but placing orders for our summer projects. We have a lot of plans for …
February 14, 2020
My Review of Rowena Tisdale’s The Heart Could Forget
SPOILER ALERT!!!! THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS ABOUT THE BOOK’S PLOT. I USE THESE TO EXPLORE THE SOCIAL THEMES AND DOUBLE STANDARDS IN OUR SOCIETY. IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK/DON’T WANT SPOILERS…READ NO FURTHER. YOU WERE WARNED!!!! “Women are supposed to be very calm generally; but women feel just as men feel, they need exercise …
Continue reading "My Review of Rowena Tisdale’s The Heart Could Forget"
February 3, 2020
Alaska Writing Inspiration, Part 2
As previously mentioned in another post, when most people think of Alaska, they think of the South East. Calving glaciers, tall trees and forbidding totem poles. While that is a part of Alaska, it is only a small portion. The inspiration for my stories comes from the expansive interior. In particular, my novella, The Dark …
January 26, 2020
My Review of 50 Shades of Neigh
Stephen Coghlan’s Centaur Erotica Novel Comedy has to walk a thin line, take risks. Comedy is the lecherous little elf whispering into the king’s ear, always telling the truth about human behavior. -Mel Brooks I have always enjoyed comedy. I love parody and satire in the style of Mel Brooks, Monty Python and other comedians …
January 25, 2020
My Review of Beth Anderson’s The Frost Eater
“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.” CS Lewis I had the pleasure of being asked to do an honest review of Beth Anderson’s young adult, dystopian …
Continue reading "My Review of Beth Anderson’s The Frost Eater"
January 6, 2020
My Review of Opening Act
Contemporary Romance by Deborah Wynne One of the main reasons I love to read is escapism. A well-written book can transport me to another time or place and immerses me in a new experience. Deborah Wynne’s Contemporary Romance, Opening Act takes us along with 25-year-old Izzy, as she journeys to New York City for the …
