September 2022 – Deep Sky Anchor

Katelynn and the Hummingbird

by Mary E. Lowd

Originally published in Empyreome, Volume 3: Issue 1, January 2019

“The hummingbird wasn’t exactly speaking, but Katelynn heard its words in her mind. She could also see a cacophony of confusing images, perhaps memories, of flying through space on a giant metal spaceship, exploring a wide range of differently inhabited planets. It was enough to make any tabby go crazy.”

The magic in the air whispered through Katelynn’s whiskers like a summer breeze, and the fat tabby purred. The ley line that ran under her owner’s house was perfectly aligned with the orientation of her brown stripes whenever she sat under the oak tree in the backyard and faced the hummingbird feeder hanging in the neighbor’s Japanese maple — as she was now. The rising sun glinted off the windows in both houses, giving them shining eyes in their architectural faces.

It was the perfect moment for casting spells. Continue reading “Katelynn and the Hummingbird”

Reinvention of Pre-Existing Concepts

Me: “It’d be like if you put your fist in a box, and you didn’t know if you’d punched yourself or not until you opened it. Like Schroedinger’s Self-Punch.”

The 15-year-old: “You mean… like Russian Roulette?”

Me: “Oh yeah, I guess that does already exist.”

Writers in Sitcoms

Home Economics is not a great show, but I do enjoy watching Topher Grace be a struggling novelist. And it’s nice to have another sitcom to look forward to each week, along with Abbott Elementary and the new Reboot (Rachel Bloom! Keegan-Michael Key!).

Sitcoms are so important. Continue reading “Writers in Sitcoms”

Very Important Research, I’m Sure

Me: “Time to write!”

My brain: “Let’s look up collie puppies that are available in Oregon.”

Me: “That’s not… I mean… fine.”

Cerulean Pushpins

The horrible clattering sound of a cat knocking down an entire container of pushpins and them scattering everywhere…

Followed, of course, by the sweet, angelic mew of a perfectly innocent baby who wants you to know she could never, ever, ever do anything wrong.

That is all.

Laughter

You know the scene in Roger Rabbit where no one in the bar gives Roger up to Judge Doom, because he made them laugh?

Because he made them laugh, they cared about him.

This is why stories need humor, even if they’re not comedies. It makes the audience care.

Making Mr. Right, Electric Dreams, and DARYL

Robot Weekend continues today with plans to watch more silly 80s robot movies — “Making Mr. Right” and “Electric Dreams”.

Also, here’s a cute little robot story on Deep Sky Anchor (originally published in Analog Science Fiction & Fact), newly illustrated by Midjourney. Continue reading “Making Mr. Right, Electric Dreams, and DARYL”

Re-watching Short Circuit

Let Robot Weekend commence with the watching of Short Circuit!

We’ve been meaning to do a Robot Weekend for a long time, but always get stuck on the question of what thematic food would be… Finally, we mostly just gave up on that question and are starting with some chex mix. Continue reading “Re-watching Short Circuit”

Reading Three Books

I’m currently reading 3 books—one as part of a race with my 9-year-old; one alongside my 15-year-old for their Gothic Lit class; and one just for me.

I’m interested in and enjoying all three. But I just got to spend an hour reading the one for just me, and it was really nice.

Kira’s Rage

I love how totally unfazed everyone on DS9 is by Kira’s constant, simmering rage at everything. She’s effective; she’s reasonable; she’s their friend. They don’t police her tone. I wish so dearly the real world could be a place like that for me.