Patricia Briggs's Blog, page 11

Rise of the Purple Avenger

By: Mike Nov 29, 2016

A couple of days ago I was in a very dark place, and posted when I should probably have just unplugged my keyboard. Wisdom comes slowly to some of us, and I still have much to learn. Mea Culpa.

I'm in a better place today. Still sad, still disappointed in humanity, but the sun is bright, the air is crisp and clean, and this too shall pass. I'm back in my happy place, even if I'm still a little wobbley. We had a huge outpouring of support to my whiny post, and I spent a...

Evil Wins Another Round

By: Mike Nov 27, 2016

It's 4:00 AM, and I should be sleeping. The house is quiet, and I am left alone with my thoughts, which today are dark. This is more than just the worries of a bad day or a spot of bad luck, I'm wresting with a sea-change in how I view my fellow man.

I generally try to be optimistic. I believe that people are mostly good, with a few bad bad apples here and there. I wasn't born yesterday, and I've met my share of grifters, thieves, thugs and bullies. But they're a small...

The Curious Case of Green Dandruff

By: Mike Nov 16, 2016

We live between worlds. Patty and I are both reasonably well educated. We are moderately intelligent, and well read (well, OK, Patty is well-read). I know more than one knot for a necktie, and can even tie a bow-tie respectably. We can, generally speaking, successfully infiltrate polite society and navigate with a reasonable degree of confidence.

Now, I'm not saying that we regularly attend the governor's ball, or can name a classical concerto from the opening stanza. I...

Building a Strong Story: 7 Critical Elements

By: Patty and Mike Nov 12, 2016

Patty recently taught a class on writing for authors. The class was completely sold out, and in my completely unbiased opinion, Patty did a fine job. So, I've stolen her class notes, and I'll try to summarize the class on the website.

Introductory Remarks

Writing is a bit like wine-making. Picture a famous sommelier holding aloft a crystal decanter and nattering on about notes of citrus and nutmeg and a smooth yet perky finish (whatever that means). Now, imag...

It'll be easy, I said!

By: MikeOct 13, 2016

Somehow summer has slipped away and fall ambushed me while my back was turned. I'm not sure where the time goes. We're always busy, and always running behind. How is this possible?

I was looking at my feet, pensively pondering this perpetually-perturbing puzzle, when I remembered some sage advice: To see what has eluded you, look beyond your current focus. Well, something like that anyway. Since I was currently looking at my feet, I squinted a little (my eyes are older t...

A Stranger In a Strange Land

By: Ann PetersAug 11, 2016

Home, sweet home! Germany was lovely, but the trip was very much less so. I have determined that I am under a curse, and am seeking a nice Catholic priest who will bless me and drench me with holy water, even though I am a Protestant. And maybe a smudge stick or two wouldn't hurt, either.

My luggage was lost on my last trip to Germany. You wouldn't think it would happen again, would you? No such luck. I had to collect my suitcase and recheck it in Frankfurt after g...

All I Ask Is A Tall Ship

By: Mike July 17, 2016

Our lives revolve around two things: books and horses. The books are understandable, after all, that's how we keep the bills paid. The horses are occasionally a cause of some consternation.

Patty steadfastly maintains that the horses are a business venture. We've invested in broodmares, vet care, horse trailers etc. We've spent even more time and money in facilities (though I maintain that there's a problem with building sweat equity when all the sweat is mine). Patty...

One Man's Trash

By: Mike June 18, 2016

There are many joys to living in the country. There are also a few drawbacks. For instance, there is no weekly curbside trash collection. Trash collection, indoor plumbing, and complaining about taxes are the foundational pillars of modern civilization, so this is a loss not to be taken lightly.

Actually, there is a rather costly trash collection service that we could emply. However, they would only allow a single bin of trash to be collected from a location about a ha...

Building Castles in the Sky

By: Mike May 14, 2016

My apologies for the long gap between posts. I was sick for much of the spring, and summer caught us unprepared. We've been working long hours getting the farm built and working on Silence Fallen, the next book in the Mercy Thompson series

The good news is that the book is nearly done, there's a freshly-erected loafing shed in the lower pastures and the hay barn and tack room have been reinforced, re-sided, and given a fresh coat of paint. With the lawns mowed and the t...

Building Castles in the SkyA Quiet Little Nook

By: Mike May 14, 2016

My apologies for the long gap between posts. I was sick for much of the spring, and summer caught us unprepared. We've been working long hours getting the farm built and working on Silence Fallen, the next book in the Mercy Thompson series

The good news is that the book is nearly done, there's a freshly-erected loafing shed in the lower pastures and the hay barn and tack room have been reinforced, re-sided, and given a fresh coat of paint. With the lawns mowed and the t...