tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32056302011-07-07T19:46:32.957-04:00Broken toys, outdated clothes, dust, and cobwebs. Things scrabble in the corner. Watch your step. <br /> Contents copyright &copy; Carter Nipper. All rights reserved.Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.comBlogger4681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1147616481378882162006-05-14T10:18:00.000-04:002006-05-14T10:21:21.386-04:00

I'm moving in, even though the house is still under construction. Watch your step.Y'all come see me.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1147371802809568022006-05-11T14:08:00.000-04:002006-05-11T14:23:22.920-04:00

Brain function is returning, albeit slowly. Posting will remain infrequent for a while, as I get back up to speed. Speaking of which, my next post will most likely be from my new digs. I'll post a link here to let those who care know where I've gone.And speaking of those who care, thanks to all for the good wishes. My blog friends are important to me, and I value your concern and

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1146008548907824192006-04-25T19:40:00.000-04:002006-04-25T19:42:28.916-04:00

I shall return.The past 6 months have taken a toll, and I am now laboring under some pretty extreme mental and emotional exhaustion. As soon as I reach the far side of the Slough of Pointlessness that I am currently slogging through, I will be back.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1145399212338422252006-04-18T18:13:00.000-04:002006-04-18T18:26:52.393-04:00

First, Melly and tambo did it, so I'm going to jump off the cliff, too:Reading Level Results (generated by Juicy Studio)Total sentences 393Total words 2401Average words per Sentence 6.11Words with 1 Syllable 1658Words with 2 Syllables 474Words with 3 Syllables 182Words with 4 or more Syllables 87Percentage of word with three or more syllables 11.20%Average Syllables per Word 1.46Gunning Fog Index

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1145307195936000722006-04-17T16:43:00.000-04:002006-04-17T16:53:16.023-04:00

Almost, anyway. Way better than before. I will go ahead and give my unqualified recommendation for septoplasty if you have a grossly deviated septum. Just make sure you surgeon uses the modern method and does not pack your nose full of gauze.Surgery was delayed until 10 am on Friday. I was home by 2. I think. Friday is pretty much gone. Anesthesia does that to me. I took one Loritab

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1144877581391760372006-04-12T17:00:00.000-04:002006-04-12T17:33:01.496-04:00

1 -- The full-time position came through for me. I "officially" start Saturday, because that's when the new pay period starts. Paperwork underway, to be turned in tomorrow morning. I have about 12 hours to make all those important and irrevocable decisions about retirement, insurance, etc. Schedule uncertain at this time. I hope to get that worked out tomorrow, as well. I'll have to work a

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1144505048980306552006-04-08T09:48:00.000-04:002006-04-08T10:04:09.076-04:00

1 -- Judge Disses "Da Vinci" Lawsuit. Common sense prevails, for once! You just can't have it both ways. If Baigent and Leigh's book is non-fiction, there is no case. You can't copyright facts. If it's fiction, then they join Frey on the hot seat. Either way, they are not the only ones to have made these claims; they're centuries old. Realistically, I agree with the writer of this article:

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1144503077168410592006-04-08T09:20:00.000-04:002006-04-08T09:31:17.196-04:00

tambo posted this meme, and it looked interesting, so here goes:Go to Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/). Type in your birth date (but not year). List three events that happened on your birthday. List two important birthdays and one interesting death. Post this in your journal.3 Events:1818 - Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. state.1967 - At Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, a

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1144272281153935572006-04-05T17:12:00.000-04:002006-04-05T17:24:41.223-04:00

My polysomnography (that's "sleep study" to them's that don't know) was negative. As in I do have apnea, but it is so mild that CPAP treatment is not appropriate. Insurance won't pay for it untl it's a lot worse, either. So.On Friday, April 14, I will have a septoplasty and turbinate reduction done. Those are fance names for some very minor out-patient surgery with a very, very small chance

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1144196711999429612006-04-04T19:17:00.000-04:002006-04-04T20:25:16.596-04:00

1. What's Next -- Searchable database of adult books in series. From the Kent District Library in Comstock Park, MI.2. Juvenile Series and Sequels -- Index to children's and YA series from the Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence, MO.3. Online Conversion Calculators -- Need to convert lux to footcandles? Feet per second to miles per hour? Pica to points? Conversion calculators for

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143901905435629122006-04-01T09:18:00.000-05:002006-04-01T09:31:45.493-05:00

A lot of exciting and terrifying advances in technology catch my eye these days. Though I think the research is great, I have doubts about putting such things into the hands of people. Some of the future ethical and technological issues are complex to say the least, and the some of the implications of these developments are downright frightening. The latest:IBM researchers have developed tools

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143770408619041902006-03-30T20:52:00.000-05:002006-03-30T21:00:08.653-05:00

Drop by my Johari's Window and let me know what you think about me. This is a pretty cool psychological tool for comparing and contrasting how I see myself with how others see me. Should be interesting.Got the link from Kristina.I also made a Nohari Window that lets you tell me all the negative stuff you think about me. You have to give a name, but it can be anything you like, if you want to

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143592948703989672006-03-28T19:31:00.000-05:002006-03-28T19:42:28.743-05:00

A right-wing blog named Red America? Tailgunner Joe is spinning so hard the grass is smoking.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143583995687586422006-03-28T17:02:00.000-05:002006-03-28T17:13:17.010-05:00

The pollen is upon us. So far, just a light dusting, but by the end of the week, we'll be engulfed in yellow clouds and sneezing out things that cannot even be described. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this stuff piles into half-inch drifts. It covers everything. We ain't talking hay fever, here, folks. This is pine pollen pandemic. Sinus cement. Allergy overload.Ah, Spring! When

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143479770055732932006-03-27T12:07:00.000-05:002006-03-27T12:16:10.056-05:00

Noise in the Attic may be moving soon. I have downloaded WordPress and am evaluating it on my Web site. At such time as I feel comfortable with it, I'll be moving over there. I don't really have anyhting against Blogger, I just like to have control over my stuff. I'll post a schedule for the move when I know more.Just as a BTW, anyone thinking about doing the same should really check out this

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143478913790846782006-03-27T12:01:00.000-05:002006-03-27T12:07:24.626-05:00

Brick masonry is an immensly satisfying hobby. It's one of those things I enjoy but don't do well at all. My projects all have a distinctly rustic look to them. That's fine for the things I do -- mainly small flower beds -- and I am not going to claim I do professional level work at all. No way.I also won't bore everybody with the brick by brick, bird by bird, word by word cliche. You can

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143208769495098612006-03-24T08:29:00.000-05:002006-03-24T08:59:29.603-05:00

My fantasy short "A Time to Every Purpose" made the quarter-finals in L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest. According to the e-mail from the Contest Administrator, that means it placed in the top 10-15% of all entries received for that quarter. The judges were Anne McCaffrey, Robert Silverberg, Yoji Kondo, Algis Budrys and K.D. Wentworth, so I feel pretty good about that. Now I'm off

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143083895304817402006-03-22T22:09:00.000-05:002006-03-22T22:21:23.180-05:00

Your past life diagnosis: I don't know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern USA North-East around the year 1125.Your profession was that of a farmer, weaver or tailor.Your brief psychological profile in your past life:Seeker of truth and wisdom. You could have seen your future lives. Others perceived you as

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1143063559634376712006-03-22T16:19:00.000-05:002006-03-22T16:39:19.730-05:00

I had my sleep study done last night, though how much study they got done is questionable given the amount of sleep I got. I don't do well in a strange environment with all kinds of electrodes and other dingleberries attached to me. The final total of hardware that I had to wear was:5 EEG leads on my scalp. During the 4 hours or so I did manage to sleep, I had some awfully funky dreams. That

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1142449918370996172006-03-15T14:11:00.000-05:002006-03-15T14:11:58.603-05:00

My life is officially in a state of higgledy-piggledy. At present, I am in the midst of:the last week of Winter Quarter. Which means I have a Library full of semi-hysterical students frantically trying to finish the assignments they have been ignoring for the past 9 weeks.applying for a new position at the College. Which will mean better pay and benefits, but also a longer commute and a much

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1142188497858801972006-03-12T13:34:00.000-05:002006-03-12T13:34:57.943-05:00

In a comment to my post the other day about the creative process, HawkOwl commented:I think the "flash of lightning" method is actually detrimental both to one's writing and one's development as a writer. First, if you are not writing out of your conscious mind, the reader's conscious mind is going to find gaping holes in your construct; and second, if you are not generating your ideas

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141940679501831712006-03-09T16:42:00.000-05:002006-03-09T16:44:39.513-05:00

Well, Holly has done it again! Now she has started a podcast on writing, and will be taking questions from the audience. The first episode deals with "weather opening". This is just too cool.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141859226840595522006-03-08T17:26:00.000-05:002006-03-08T18:07:06.953-05:00

Melly offered a link to this post on outlining by Crawford Killian the other day. He has some interesting things to say about the subject. His last point got me thinking, though. He says:But when you first learned to drive, you were thinking consciously (with anoutline) of every aspect of driving. It took a lot of practice to makedriving a matter of habit. Writing is no different.I don't

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141686206942616022006-03-06T17:29:00.000-05:002006-03-06T18:03:27.053-05:00

To publish your novel, that is. Apparently, a Lot of people are willing to pay a lot of money to get "published". Herewith, a few comments about why I think the vanity press industry if booming. NOTE: this post is not about self-publishing as a marketing tool or the validity of vanity presses for publishing small print runs of works of extremely limited interest. Those are separate topics.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141337885004072112006-03-02T17:15:00.000-05:002006-03-02T17:18:05.023-05:00

tambo strikes again:Your Inner Child Is SadYou're a very sensitive soul.You haven't grown that thick skin that most adults have.Easily hurt, you tend to retreat to your comfort zone.You don't let many people in - unless you've trusted them for a long time.How Is Your Inner Child?

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141328594904998082006-03-02T14:43:00.000-05:002006-03-02T14:43:14.976-05:00

I hit 25k on Washed in the Blood this morning. The way things are developing, it looke like I may not even make 50k on the first draft. My characters have begun that last desperate slide into the maelstrom that will lead them to their individual Armageddons.It's normal for me to write short. Mt first drafts frequently resemble a detailed narrative outline than a real story. My intention,

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141267369092229922006-03-01T21:31:00.000-05:002006-03-01T21:42:49.140-05:00

Some of the material for the2 Year Novel course at Forward Motion has got me thinking about the creative process. Always a bad idea.One of the comments Zette made in one of her discussions was that the writer has to take control of writing the novel. Letting the characters dictate the course of the plot is reliquishing responsibility and control over your writing process and almost always leads

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141164134435577722006-02-28T16:40:00.000-05:002006-02-28T17:02:14.526-05:00

There's this one commercial on TV. You've probably seen it. At one point a girl promises that "when you call Customer Support, I will treat your problem like my problem".No. When I call Customer Support, my problem IS your problem. THAT's what Customer Service is. There is no "like".A whole lot of businesses these days have lost sight of one basic fact of business: your customer is your sole

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141099483474836222006-02-27T23:02:00.000-05:002006-02-27T23:04:43.486-05:00

...but damn if I can figure out what.You Are Turkey and Gravy SodaGobble. Gobble.What Jones Holiday Soda Are You?Thanks for another time-waster, tambo.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1141049652739541002006-02-27T09:14:00.000-05:002006-02-27T09:14:14.223-05:00

In writing--and in life in general--I struggle to do things poorly. This is very important to me, because I expect myself to be perfect in all ways all the time. That is, of cource, a totally preposterous and impossible standard, which means I have ample opportunities to kick myself for not measuring up. It also gives me an excuse to stop in mid-project and give up, or else to not even start.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1140732885991866272006-02-23T16:43:00.000-05:002006-02-23T17:14:46.203-05:00

Melly, I'm afraid you're going to have to take a number and stand in line. I will write a post on POD and self-publishing Real Soon, but Arthur A. Levine pre-empts you. Sorry.I also owe Stationery Queen a rant on Customer Service and everybody a post on The Evils of Present Tense, or I'm a Grumpy, Old-fashioned Bastard. All in good time, folks. But first, this word...Miss Snark refers us to a

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1140473797002072522006-02-20T17:11:00.000-05:002006-02-20T17:16:37.016-05:00

You Are The EmperorYou are an authority figure, and other people look to you for what to do.You are strong and powerful. Crossing you is not a good idea.You have worked hard to get to your position, and you're not about to give it up to anyone.Though you have a warrior heart, you are gentle to those who treat you well.Your fortune:In the near future, you need to be willing and able to defend

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1140472520305808822006-02-20T16:32:00.000-05:002006-02-20T16:55:20.416-05:00

It's just more of the same old stuff. Write well, or just get it done? I fight this battle every single day. Part of me wants to get the first draft done, then fix it up. Another part asks "why not do it right the first time?" They're both hardheaded, obstinate bastards (I wonder where they got that from?) who won't give even a little bit. The end result is poor production and frequent

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1140115464653959502006-02-16T13:44:00.000-05:002006-02-16T13:44:24.733-05:00

"What's wrong with First Person POV?" I see this question all over the place. Go online, pick any two of your favorite e-zones, read a couple of stories in first person with a critical eye, and you will soon see what's wrong. The way I see it, the problem is two-fold:First-person narrators more often than not tell the story, rather than showing it. They describe their surroundings, summarize

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1139878236297707572006-02-13T19:45:00.000-05:002006-02-13T19:50:36.310-05:00

As best I can figure it, I'm suffering a delayed reaction to my mother's death. I've never been very good at grief; I've always been successful at suppressing it. This is too much, though, and it's overwhelming me. I'm getting counseling, but I may be a few days getting back out into the world.In the meantime, here's a link to a literary agency that I stumbled on over the weekend. If you need

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1139666954158470932006-02-11T09:05:00.000-05:002006-02-11T09:09:14.170-05:00

Having some inclement mental weather. Heavy overcast with occasional showers. I plan to spend the next 48 hours doing some journaling and heavy thinking and see if I can come to some decisions.I also have to work on my income taxes. That's always good for 2 or 3 months of bitching, moaning, and cussing. This time of year also brings to mind the old saying: "Taxation without representation is

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1139434900635098482006-02-08T16:36:00.000-05:002006-02-08T16:41:40.653-05:00

We must go and tell the King!The weather forecast calls for light snow flurries tonight and tomorrow. Here in Central Georgia, just the mention of snow is enough to send everyone into Looney-Land. We're easily amused down here.Actually, I'm more worried about Saturday. We're looking at mixed precipitation and highs that may not reach 40F. Since al-Qaeda couldn't destroy us with fire, the

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1139338067330742992006-02-07T13:47:00.000-05:002006-02-07T13:47:47.406-05:00

Here's a brief snippet from one of my assignments for the 2YN class at Forward Motion. It got away from me a little bit and doesn't quite fit the assignment, but I kinda like it.A lot of people consider my style of writing to be florid and over the top. I certainly don't claim to be Hemingway, nor do I completely subscribe to his philosophy of writing. This is my voice. It expresses my

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1139068186073156192006-02-04T10:39:00.000-05:002006-02-04T10:49:46.106-05:00

Search engine query round-up:Another vote for "sex in the attic". All right, all right, I'm going! Jeez!"CARTER WATCH" It's enough to make a guy paranoid. Gotta go close the blinds now."16 years naked". This one from Germany. Put some clothes on, for God's sake! Nobody wants to see that."Time's a Wastin' carter" Is that a hint?"stories of dancing in the darkness" I have a few, but I

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138996502046567722006-02-03T14:55:00.000-05:002006-02-03T14:55:02.136-05:00

Yesterday's post brought me to thinking about the direction I want to go in my writing career. Fiction is absolutely my first, best love. Fiction lets me explore deep places and discover fascinating new things. Though some of them are a little slimy-icky, that's OK. They are things I need to see and disect. If someone else in the world can learn something from that, too, that's just "more

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138919525276326682006-02-02T17:16:00.000-05:002006-02-02T17:32:05.416-05:00

My post the other day about publishers discovering the Internet stirred up some dust bunnies in the old attic. After the sneezing subsided, I managed to corral a few of them and arrange them in some semblance of order.Those of use who did not grow up with the Internet often have a hard time adapting our thinking to the new reality. A 'Net-centric world functions differently than I am used to.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138893529511102192006-02-02T10:11:00.000-05:002006-02-02T10:18:49.543-05:00

Your Love Life Secrets AreLooking back on your life, you will only have one true love.Ummm...No.You're a little scarred from your past relationships, but who isn't?Hey, that's life. Scars give you character, right?You expect a lot from your lover - you want the full package. You tend to be very picky.If you're not getting the full package, why bother? Being in love takes too much time and work

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138835720743786252006-02-01T18:04:00.000-05:002006-02-01T18:15:20.760-05:00

My washer has resorted to terrorism. I think it may also be hoarding Weapons of Mass Destruction. This means war! It's already been a most joyful week working on the fu...ummmm...doggone thing. Looks like a long weekend ahead.I don't mind fixing the dryer when it breaks. There's so little that can go wrong with a dryer. It's just a motor, a belt, and a heater. Easy to move, since it's

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138758046403440862006-01-31T20:34:00.000-05:002006-01-31T20:40:46.416-05:00

Mainstream publishers are gradually discovering that the Internet is not just a fly-by-night geek hangout. There are actual people out there USING the doggone thing!http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB112084457881180868-0AaD5icf4L_Vldpbx0tbXCGceTw_20060715.htmlAmong the highlights:Fictitious Web sites and blogs based on characters from forth-coming booksWeb-based games based on novelsFree

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138543526446981322006-01-29T09:05:00.000-05:002006-02-01T17:50:54.450-05:00

Way of the Cheetah: How to Boost Your Productivity by Lynn Viehl. 2006.So you call yourself a writer, or would like to, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time. Maybe the distractions of your busy life get in your way. Maybe you start strong but have trouble finishing anything. Don't lose heart; the cavalry is here.Lynn Viehl, well known arounf the blogoverse as Paperback Writer, offers her

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138461709783038542006-01-28T10:19:00.000-05:002006-01-28T10:21:50.523-05:00

Nitwit of the day/week/month/year. Since the year is only 4 weeks old, this does not bode well for the next 11 months.Telephone: *RING*Me: Library. May I help you?Caller: What time do you close today?Me: On Friday's we close at 3.Caller: 3 in the evening?Me: *Dumbstruck silence*

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138320955601071132006-01-26T19:12:00.000-05:002006-01-26T19:15:55.616-05:00

Courtesy of Warning Label Generator.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138198740191739872006-01-25T09:19:00.000-05:002006-01-25T09:34:37.030-05:00

Create a Character Clinic by Holly Lisle. First OneMoreWord Edition, ©2006.Bringing characters to life for the reader seems like an impossible dream for many writers. We give them distinguishing characteristics, maybe even distinct ways of speaking, but still they lie there on the page, bored and boring. Many writing books are full of What and Why; Holly Lisle's Create a Character Clinic is

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1138112979993389502006-01-24T09:28:00.000-05:002006-01-24T09:29:40.020-05:00

I'll be back soon. My to-do list has turned into a Hydra.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1137853396589546872006-01-21T09:22:00.000-05:002006-01-21T09:23:16.603-05:00

http://www.mailorderchickens.org/Make sure your sound is on. If you're in a public place, you really should consider headphones.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1137776610500997662006-01-20T12:02:00.000-05:002006-01-20T12:07:43.840-05:00

A venerated sage with vast power and knowledge, you gently guide forces around you while serving as a champion of the light.Judge me by my size, do you? And well you should not - for my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life greets it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, and binds us. Luminescent beings are we, not this crude matter! You must feel the Force around you,

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1137535118105595222006-01-17T16:46:00.000-05:002006-01-17T16:58:38.206-05:00

If anyone out there needs convincing about the reality of Satan, ther is now proof beyond any shadow of a doubt. It's called Sudoku, and it it evil, evil, evil.Sudoku is a Japanese import (they get their revenge yet again). It's a game that, in it's most common form is composed of a grid 9 x 9 squares. The grid is further subdivided into 9 3 x 3 boxes. The object of the game is put the

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1137250181048975522006-01-14T01:47:00.000-05:002006-01-14T09:49:43.160-05:00

.tfo-applet { border: solid 1px #000000; }.tfo-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.tfo-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }... ...Powered by ThinkFree Office Onlinethinkfree online Office-compatible apps (http://online.thinkfree.com/). Need Java virtual machine and broadband connection to run the presentation.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1137111634622781822006-01-12T19:18:00.000-05:002006-01-12T19:20:34.636-05:00

Sagittarius: '06 says you are not in charge. This is a time when others design your fate, and there is little you can do but accept that. Of course you can run away to some foreign land, or climb into some ashram for the next two years, but you'll miss the lesson. You might also miss the fabulous work product that they are leading you toward.Link from goblintastic.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1137102177512833502006-01-12T16:28:00.000-05:002006-01-12T16:42:57.613-05:00

Over heard on a recent program about the Bible Code: "Even if there's an all-knowing God who knows everything we're going to do doesn't mean we have to do it." Huh???Leaving aside the whole thorny issue of an omniscient and omnipotent God, free will is a concept that is easy for us to understand, yet so very hard to put into practice. Except for autonomic bodily functions, everything we do is

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1137008216611330882006-01-11T14:35:00.000-05:002006-01-11T14:36:56.626-05:00

For any writer of dark fiction or anything that depends on suspense, trust and betrayal are 2 of the most essential tools available. Every writer knows about the necessity of getting the reader's trust. Coleridge's "willing suspension of disbelief" depends on that trust. The reader must feel comfortable with the story, enough so to lay aside worries and distractions and place himself into the

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1136844763756642212006-01-09T17:09:00.000-05:002006-01-09T17:12:43.773-05:00

The long-anticipated Character Creation Clinic by Holly Lisle is now available for purchase. At $9.95, it's a real bargain. I'm on page 34 right now and already have gotten my money's worth. You can use the link in the sidebar to order. While you're there, sign up as an affiliate and earn a little mad money.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1136654268818065962006-01-07T11:30:00.000-05:002006-01-07T12:17:48.893-05:00

The question of disposal of human remains is unpleasant, but we all have to face it at some time. Taking care of your disposal after you die is best done as early as you can. Just like making wills and living wills, though, such preparations are far too often left until too late.After my mother died, my father and I had a long conversation about this, and we found that we agree on many points

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1136485970288883422006-01-05T13:14:00.000-05:002006-01-05T13:32:50.466-05:00

I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. -- Robert Frost "The Road Not Taken" All the difference, indeed, for me and for numberless others through the generations. What a difference in my life to have stopped by woods on a snowy evening, to have

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1136398637672793752006-01-04T13:16:00.000-05:002006-01-04T13:17:17.686-05:00

How stupid do you have to be to talk on a cell phone while driving a stick shift in heacy traffic?

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1136303669528065532006-01-03T10:47:00.000-05:002006-01-03T10:54:29.543-05:00

Firming up my idea for my 2YN novel. It involves the war between idealism and cynicism as expressed through a conflict between magic and mundanity. Still pretty nebulous right now, but a lot of possibilities are showing themselves. This feels like a good fit for me, with a lot of room for conflict, high stakes, and an enormously powerful Dark Side. I hope I can maintain my interest and

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1136228960636906152006-01-02T14:09:00.000-05:002006-01-24T19:51:38.426-05:00

FinishedOpus: 25 years of His Sunday Best by Berkeley BreathedThe Vampire Sextette edited by Marvin KayeMagdalene's Lost Legacy: Symoblic Numbers and the Sacred Union in Christianity by Margaret StarbirdThe Quest for Arthur's Britain by Geoffrey AsheCreate a Character Clinic by Holly Lisle Smoke and Mirrors by Neil GaimanIn ProgressBest American New Voices 2004 edited by John CaseyFinishing

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1136228536801276572006-01-02T14:02:00.000-05:002006-01-02T14:02:16.800-05:00

Ok, I'm back. Thanks to everyone for the expressions of sympathy. We've finally got most of the details settled. Death is just too complicated a business these days. I recommend avoiding it whenever possible. ;-)Around this time last year, I was considering my goals for 2005. One thing I certainly learned in 2005 was the truth of the saying about the best laid plans. I only completed one

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1135699694525176812005-12-27T11:08:00.000-05:002005-12-27T11:08:14.596-05:00

Few people outside Central Georgia would recognize her name. She never made the news. She never made a lot of money. No one will ever name a building for her; her face will never be on a postage stamp. Fame and fortune were not her lot in life. She never wanted them. Nonetheless, she touched hundreds, even thousands, of lives in a deep, personal way, and those people remember her and honor

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1135354569653025902005-12-23T11:13:00.000-05:002005-12-23T11:16:09.666-05:00

Oh. My. God.I did it. I just sent the synopsis of Washed in the Blood to Miss Snark. Oh well, when MS, the Crap-O-Meter, and Killer Yapp are done with it, I'll at least have some confetti for New Year's Eve. I will go dig a hole now, so I can crawl in and cover myself up.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1135267735806388892005-12-22T11:08:00.000-05:002005-12-22T11:08:55.816-05:00

http://www.ryburn3step.org.uk/dragon.htm

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1135177075591129302005-12-21T09:30:00.000-05:002005-12-21T09:57:55.683-05:00

Happy Winter Solstice! In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. South of the Equator, they do everything upside-down and backwards, so they think today is the Summer Solstice. I guess I can cut a break for people who can live on the underside of the Earth without falling off, though.The Winter Solstice is the real New Year. For thousands of years

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1135033208112194082005-12-19T17:31:00.000-05:002005-12-19T18:00:08.210-05:00

Sorry, sometimes I fall prey to my childish infatuation with really, really bad puns.I have fallen behind in my responses to comments, so I'm going to cheat and put them in a post. And you can't stop me! Nyaah!In response to My New Retirement Fund:Heather: Just invest yours and let the miracle of compound interest work for you. Yah, right.Hi jae! Here's a link to you. Maybe that'll be worth

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1134685693676071742005-12-15T17:16:00.000-05:002005-12-15T17:28:13.756-05:00

I was working on the synopsis of Washed in the Blood this morning. I guess it says a lot about me that I truly enjoy putting John through Hell. I kept asking myself "What's the worst thing that could happen?". Some good ideas come out of that.What does John have at stake? His soul. Is that high enough stakes for you? It can't be his life, because he's already dead, so what else is there?

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1134499120268197942005-12-13T13:38:00.000-05:002005-12-13T13:38:40.356-05:00

The doctors determined that Mama was too weak to undergo a catheterization, much less any exploratory or reconstructive surgery. So. She's coming home this afternoon. Now we wait. Days, weeks, even years. I already cringe at the sound of the telephone, a leftover neurosis from the anxiety-based psychosis that put me in the loony bin a few years back. Now, I live in dread of that 3am phone

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1134424659633742312005-12-12T16:56:00.000-05:002005-12-12T16:57:39.650-05:00

My blog is worth $15,242.58.How much is your blog worth?Thanks, Heather!

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1134333875367535902005-12-11T15:44:00.000-05:002005-12-11T15:44:35.470-05:00

This past Monday, my mother had a heart attack. Long-time readers of NITA will remember that she is wheel-chair-bound after a major stroke in 1999, and was already fading. She was admitted to the ICU and faltered all through Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday morning, her doctor told my father to start calling the family, because she probably would not live through the day, and certainly not

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133996637336156662005-12-07T17:59:00.000-05:002005-12-07T18:03:57.350-05:00

This one's going around. I thought I'd give it a shot.Seven things to do before I die (in no particular order)1. Get a novel published2. Finish remodeling the house (hysterical laughter here)3. Travel to Scotland and Ireland4. Find spiritual and emotional serenity5. Lose 25 pounds and KEEP IT OFF! Forever!6. Celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary (26 and counting)7. RetireSeven things I cannot

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133993678049762462005-12-07T16:41:00.000-05:002005-12-07T17:14:38.143-05:00

"April is the cruelest month"T.S. Eliot -- The Waste LandThat's a load of crap. December leaves April snorting its dust.The grass and leaves are brown and dead. The air has gone from cool to raw. The days are short, and whatever sunlight there is is too weak to help. On top of all that, a lot of us see Christmas hanging over us like Poe's Pendulum while we lie bound and helpless to avoid it.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133625126869940332005-12-03T10:28:00.000-05:002005-12-03T10:52:07.956-05:00

I finally allowed myself to see a major fault with my short stories: I start too slowly. I have a very bad habit of setting the scene before I allow anything to happen. Bad, bad, bad. Start in medias res and let the backstory and description fall in as needed. I have known this for years, but couldn't see that I was not doing it.I blame this on growing up with TV/movies/videos, where, most

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133552713473618142005-12-02T14:43:00.000-05:002005-12-02T14:45:13.493-05:00

DRAGONYou are the dragon. A dragon,in western lore, is a giant lizard with wings.It usually has the capability to breathe fire.The dragon symbolizes immense power, physicalstrength, and courage. The dragon has also beena symbol of wisdom and of protection. Dragonsmay also appear to be greedy as many a taledepict them as keepers of vast hordes oftreasure. Which mythical creature resides in your

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133462735980226762005-12-01T13:45:00.000-05:002005-12-01T13:45:36.106-05:00

No, not Elmer FUD, though now I can't get him out of my head ("Kill the witing! Kill the witing!" Yes I'm weird and twisted. This is your final warning.). I'm talking about Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, the Three Stooges who constantly poke at my eyes and fling cream pies about the place. Nyuvk, nycuk, nyuck!I am revising "A Time to Every Purpose" with the idea in mind of submitting it to the

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133399494315441972005-11-30T20:08:00.000-05:002005-11-30T20:11:34.326-05:00

Your results:You are Spider-Man Spider-Man 100%Hulk 85%Green Lantern 70%Batman 65%The Flash 65%Iron Man 65%Superman 55%Catwoman 55%Robin 52%Supergirl 37%Wonder Woman 27%You are intelligent, witty,a bit geeky and have greatpower and responsibility.Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...Link from Jean.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133389904514423432005-11-30T17:09:00.000-05:002005-11-30T17:31:44.623-05:00

Miss Snark took Sandra Scoppetone to task yesterday about her post about her editor leaving. Both Ms. Scoppetone's original post and Miss Snark's commentary on it have stirred up the dust and brought the bats winging down from the belfrey. The fan's on high and snit's flying everywhere.I have read Ms. Scoppetone's post, and I can see both sides of the debate. Both are right, and both are wrong

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133366374324763852005-11-30T10:48:00.000-05:002005-11-30T10:59:34.406-05:00

Stationery Queen is moving up in the world. Or sideways. Or something. Anyway, she is definitely NOT the Stationary Queen. Today is the last day of the first of her life. Starting tomorrow she is a full-time professional freelance writer. Way to go, SQ! I think we should all step over to her blog and congratulate her. Pass the word.Seeing someone leaping into the abyss in order to live

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133291542143227032005-11-29T13:54:00.000-05:002005-11-29T14:12:22.253-05:00

A friend of mine is lost in darkness and despair today. Please light a candle or say a prayer or do whatever you can to send her a thought of peace and comfort. If you would like to leave a thought for her here or e-mail me with it, I will make sure she gets them.If you have never been suicidal, you cannot imagine just how heavy and impenetrable that darkness is. It weighs you down and wears

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133223236197611862005-11-28T19:10:00.000-05:002005-11-28T19:13:56.210-05:00

Today's winner in the Most Interesting Search Engine Query category is:sex in the atticI don't know whether to be amused, concerned, or disgusted. And, yes, Michelle, I'm still getting hits on "dangers of nair".

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133216169811711602005-11-28T17:14:00.000-05:002005-11-28T17:16:09.826-05:00

Trapped in a Well, the new game from awesomefunny.com.Takes Pong to new depths. Gotta love it!

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133211933336499042005-11-28T16:04:00.000-05:002005-11-28T16:05:33.360-05:00

Which generic smut novel character are you? (With somewhat relevant pictures!) The Rascally Unshaven Rogue Everybody loves a rebel, and the unshaven rogue is no exception. With your mannish stubble, sly expression, and sinful proficiency with a weapon, you have a way with women unmatched by any other, not even Shaft or James Bond. Click Here to Take This QuizBrought to you by YouThink.com quizzes

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1133100725051016282005-11-27T09:10:00.000-05:002005-11-27T09:12:05.063-05:00

soft breeze strokes bare treesdead leaves sigh relaxing on grassa lonely bird trills

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132708107263389152005-11-22T19:41:00.000-05:002005-11-22T20:08:27.353-05:00

November 22, 1963. The day the world changed.Those of us who lived through it remember where we were and what we were doing. It was Friday, and I was in school. The principal announced the news over the intercom: "President Kennedy has been shot. He is dead." The schools closed for the rest of the day. I was 2 weeks away from 7 years old. On that Friday afternoon and in the days that

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132699237053475112005-11-22T17:25:00.000-05:002005-11-22T17:40:37.126-05:00

tambo is getting all worked up over "safe" writing. At the same time, Melly's twisting herself into knots about "artistic integrity". You guys are joking, right? They're moot issues.Writing is a job. That's what everybody says, anyway. What's the point of having a job if not to make money? There's no question: do whatever it takes to make a buck. It's the American Way. Give 'm what they

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132600711343447332005-11-21T14:06:00.000-05:002005-11-21T14:18:31.393-05:00

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rainTelling me just what a fool I've beenI wish that it would go and let me cry in vainAnd let me be alone againRhythm of the Rain -- The Cascades (1963)Rain! Finally! It's been about 6 weeks since the last rainfall that amounted to anything. Just a steady drizzle since about 7 last night. Glorious! We should get an inch or more before it passes over.Grey,

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132414734527843812005-11-19T10:19:00.000-05:002005-11-19T10:46:59.283-05:00

I know the literati will hunt me down with torches and pitchforks and burn the windmill down around me for this one. Can't please everybody.It's simple, really, though that doesn't necessarily mean easy. A story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end, preferably in that order.In the beginning was the conflict, and the conflict was in the story, and the conflict was the story. Without

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132266803433095802005-11-17T17:27:00.000-05:002005-11-17T17:33:23.446-05:00

Freeze warnings tonight and tomorrow night. Temps are predicted to fall into the high 20's F with a fairly stiff breeze. 'Bout time, too. We've been in the 80's most of the past two months. I was starting to wonder.I spent the morning picking the last of the peppers (pickling time!) and digging sweet potatoes. Everything else that's planted will be glad to get some cold weather. Now, if it

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132157440931625362005-11-16T11:10:00.000-05:002005-11-16T11:10:40.996-05:00

One of the major demons riding my back is the tendency to shy away from the truth. This is something that I have to keep foremost in my mind when I am writing and editing. The heart of a story is a powerful and dangerous place. Tact and diplomacy are screens that keep me from having to go there and face the story head on. Unfortunately, they also keep the reader at arm's length, generating

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132077418357488412005-11-15T12:56:00.000-05:002005-11-15T12:56:58.423-05:00

New title bugging me: "A Dream of Jewels and Dust". I can feel the story in it, but I can't see it yet. Have to free-write some on it later on. For now, though, meditating on "That Others May Live" and finishing the third (and final?) draft of "Sea Change".

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1132075937204098082005-11-15T12:32:00.000-05:002005-11-15T12:32:17.286-05:00

Very seldom will I invest enough time and energy to get halfway through a novel and then put it down and walk away. I have too many books in my TBR stack to put a whole lot of effort into a book that doesn't helod my interest. In the present case, though, I'm going to have to abandon my attempts to plow through my current reading. It's not bad writing or a boring or trite story or bad

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1131980902536159322005-11-14T10:08:00.000-05:002005-11-14T10:08:22.610-05:00

One of my current nightmares:Jenna clutched the folded flag to her chest and nodded mutely as the Sergeant of the Honor Guard expressed his and the Marine Corps' condolences. By most definitions, Brad certainly deserved an Honor Guard. His sacrifice had saved the rest of his squad from certain death, and his actions certainly earned him honor. The ceremony to award his Congressional Medal of

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1131576283096376182005-11-09T17:04:00.000-05:002005-11-09T17:44:43.180-05:00

**Oil companies made a killing off of Katrina and Rita. True colors showing through here. Profit at any price, even human lives. You know, it would take only a small percentage of those profits to completely rebuild the Gulf Coast.**A deal to renew the USAPATRIOT Act and make it permanent may be in the works. The deal includes some important limitations on the use of "national security

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1131573765409554092005-11-09T16:39:00.000-05:002005-11-09T17:02:45.510-05:00

Fear.I know about fear. We're intimate friends. Many years ago, I joined Charlie Brown among the ranks of the pantophobic. I'm afraid of things real and imagined, sublime and obscene, from A to Z, alpha to omega, soup to nuts, bad to worse. If you ask what I'm afraid of, I'll reply "What'cha got?" and straighten the shoulders of my black leather jacket.Everybody's afraid, it's just that some

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1131394702986656342005-11-07T15:18:00.000-05:002005-11-07T15:18:23.036-05:00

Got a rejection letter from a major magazine in today's mail. The editor APOLOGIZED for taking so long to respond and promised to do better next time. It has only been about 9 weeks since I submitted the story, and their guidelines do not specify a particular return time. I was prepared to wait at least 16 weeks before querying. That is what I mean by being consciencous and professional. I

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1131122477531737932005-11-04T11:39:00.000-05:002005-11-04T11:41:17.543-05:00

Got this link from tambo. Weirdly accurate, though I'm really glad it says "Reaping", if you know what I mean.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1131066418499465222005-11-03T19:47:00.000-05:002005-11-03T20:07:12.006-05:00

I'm feeling a little asocial these days. Just not in mood to be around people for some reason. Physically, I'm doing great. The new medication is kicking my blood sugar's ass. I'm cutting back on the nighttime insulin a little bit. My doctor wants to get me off it altogether, and I'm going to do everything in my power to help him.Mama's a lot better. They may release her tomorrow. We know she's

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3205630.post-1130795062272602272005-10-31T16:39:00.000-05:002005-10-31T16:44:22.300-05:00

The new issue of Vision is up, with my article on character development in short stories.Posting and commenting will be sparse for a few days. My mother's in the hospital, and I will be distracted. She's 75 and in poor health, so a setback like this is really worrisome.I'll be back when I have something to say.

Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09418590528335033331noreply@blogger.com0