Dave Higgins's Blog, page 86

Always Wear Your Seatbelt

Following Jasper’s triumphant participation in Tummy Rub Tuesday on Katzenworld, Una claims she is even cuter*. As she is also less prone to staying still, it’s hard to provide photographs for comparison. However, I did find this: Not sure whether either of them is less cute than the other; however, she’s stopped pestering me so … Continue reading Always Wear Your Seatbelt

Hard Refresh

My 14:00 sidles up. “You the—?” “Refreshing memories without the subject’s consent is illegal. You got consent?” If they did they wouldn’t come to me, but it weeds out people who are too stupid to lie. “Yeah. New colleague turned out to be an old flame I… we never should’ve let it burn out.” “Name? … Continue reading Hard Refresh

A Dangerous Year by Kes Trester

Interweaving a fast-paced espionage thriller with a starting-at-a-new-school social comedy, Trester creates a gestalt plot that will appeal to more than fans of either genre. The only child of an American ambassador, Riley Collins has spent most of her seventeen years moving from one dangerous capital city to another. And, with her mother long dead, … Continue reading A Dangerous Year by Kes Trester

Time Server

Sentence 99%. Approximately 13 minutes remaining. A few more wrinkles and a lot less hair, but I’m almost free. Liberals say the timers are inhumane. I like it though: last thing at night and first thing in the morning I see how long I’ve got. And if you fuck up, seeing it go up drives … Continue reading Time Server

Collapsing an N-Dimensional Cube

I write this in a state of overwhelming terror. Terror that – despite its all-pervading nature – I have managed to utterly repress beneath a belief that I’m bimbling along cheerfully. An acquaintance introduced me to the Cube test; a narrative personality test that supposedly reveals hidden traits and perspectives by interpreting the items visualised … Continue reading Collapsing an N-Dimensional Cube

Still Small Voice

Imagine you had a voice in your head that told you true things. I’d had enough of hearing how disasters were part of God’s plan. So, I marched into a cathedral and shouted if He had a plan I was listening. Next morning, I hear a whisper telling me to take another route. Eight-car pile … Continue reading Still Small Voice

Magic’s Stealing by Stephanie Flint

Flint mixes the tropes of classic fantasy with those of young adult fiction to weave a story that will appeal to fans of either. Preferring swordcraft to magic, Toranih’s grasp of her powers is basic at best. However, when an enemy not only rips the magic from most of her nation but also unleashes shadow … Continue reading Magic’s Stealing by Stephanie Flint

Improving Drab By Drab

I don’t often blend my YouTube appearances with my blog: however, last Saturday’s Nitty Gritty Writing Podcast was taken over by my drabbles. Do you focus on improving a specific writing trait? Which writing exercises do you find most efficient? Is the only way to learn to write, to write?

Once in a Lifetime

“Please. My Lizzie’s dying.” Despite the stench, I kneel. Air oozes past the witch’s teeth. “I’ll grant healer’s touch. But there’s a price. You can only use it once.” Pain infests my hands. Fingers clasped, I race home. Can’t risk wasting it on the wonky door. The hinges give on the second kick. Tumbling forward, … Continue reading Once in a Lifetime

The Stravinsky Intrigue by Darin Kennedy

Kennedy fuses the archetypical symbolism of Stravinsky’s music with the individuality of modern life to create a tale of psychological exploration that is neither lacking in mystery nor overwhelmed with obscure metaphor. This novel is the second volume in the Fugue & Fable trilogy. As such, this review might contain some spoilers for The Mussorgsky … Continue reading The Stravinsky Intrigue by Darin Kennedy