Joseph Carrabis's Blog, page 94

Great Opening Lines – and Why! (Sept 2020’s Great Opening Lines)

I wrote in Great Opening Lines – and Why! (Part 3 – Some Great Opening Lines) that I’d share more great opening lines as I found them. This month’s great opening lines deal with youth and how we as adults reconcile our youths. “My room is cold.” – S.M. Stevens’ Horseshoes and Hand Grenades So … Continue reading "Great Opening Lines – and Why! (Sept 2020’s Great Opening Lines)"

Canis Major

You're tired of being alone and afraid and once, just once, you want to hold someone and not be afraid of their fear.

It’s horrible when you have peanut shells on your butt

Ah, the good life. To be able to kick back, relax, have a little nosh with some friends. We document behaviors we’ve seen through the generations. Sitting on one’s butt while eating, for example, goes back to the first raccoon who befriended us, Rocky. It’s fascinating to trace behaviors and physical characteristics back through generations … Continue reading "It’s horrible when you have peanut shells on your butt"

Steve Searls’s Dalliance

I’ve mentioned Steve Searls’s writing chops twice before in Steve Searls “A Little Chit-Chat” and Great Opening Lines – and Why! (Aug 2020’s Great Opening Lines) He continues to impress, this time in his Dalliance blog post. Here’s a sample: It begins with the placement of a necklace: simple gold chain links– not curb link, … Continue reading "Steve Searls’s Dalliance"

More Publishing Hype

Back when Susan and I ran our own company, I often told clients “Never believe your own hype.” Some clients were offended. Some laughed and nodded. The big problem with hype is the hyper knows its BS and behave in three basic ways: They know they’re BSing and are constantly on guard lest someone should … Continue reading "More Publishing Hype"

“Cold War” is in Daikaijuzine Sept 2020!

Those wonderful, brave, and intelligent folks at Daikaijuzine are publishing my short story, Cold War, today.   I first wrote the story in 1987 and it lay dormant for a long time. It originally appeared in Midnight Zoo, October 1992 and was reprinted in Horizons Science Fiction, April 1999, and my self-published anthology, Tales Told … Continue reading "“Cold War” is in Daikaijuzine Sept 2020!"

Don Quitamo Sails

This story appears in the Harvey Duckman Presents Pirates issue.   I explain the story’s genesis here. Subscribers get to read the full story below and should also pick up a copy of the Harvey Duckman Presents Pirates issue. All others, here’s a taste…and do pick up the Harvey Duckman Presents Pirates issue, as well. … Continue reading "Don Quitamo Sails"

“Don Quitamo Sails” is in Harvey Duckman Presents Special Pirates Issue!

C.G. Hatton, the gracious and EverWise editor of the Harvey Duckman Presents series, mentioned a few months back that Harvey was planning a special Pirates issue. Would I be interested in submitting a story?   My immediate response was “Sorry, I don’t have anything in inventory even remotely to do with pirates.” But then I … Continue reading "“Don Quitamo Sails” is in Harvey Duckman Presents Special Pirates Issue!"

Kits Over Jennifer

No, that’s not some bizarre, exotic dish. I touch base with Jennifer The Editress about once a week. Often we go over works-in-progress, sometimes we discuss books we think the other would enjoy, usually we catch up and detox (we touch base on Friday afternoons). This time out, Jennifer The Editress and I were deep … Continue reading "Kits Over Jennifer"

Faith Untested

This story has been haunting me since 2013 and has gone through four revisions. I believe there’s one heck of a story here…somewhere…comments welcome… Faith Untested Many years ago Ben grabbed William by an ankle and dangled him outside my third story dorm room window. It was a warm, Spring afternoon that suddenly got hot. … Continue reading "Faith Untested"