The Leaves Of October

Happy October 21!

Today M and I celebrate the day we met, Thursday, October 21, 1976.
M, thanks for calling a scary stranger--me! That October was cold and snowy and all the leaves were long gone. I remember wearing a winter jacket and boots on that first date, October 23.

Of course, for those of you who remember that I just turned 39 again, I was a mere child when I went on that blind date 36 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Hanging Around

owlet enjoys tickling

Video of an owlet enjoying being tickled

http://www.wimp.com/owltickled/

Stuff on Friday

1. Famous



means getting your own table at Chapters.

Do you think they put enough books on the J.K . Rowling Table?



2.  Furry Favourite

3. Fall

Why can't we skip right from fall to spring?



4. Funnier

What I hope to be after taking this online course:

http://www.globejotting.com/classes/online-humor-writing-class/

Sting and Stevie Wonder: "Fragile"

A fantastic duet, performed on Stevie's 60th birthday. I love Sting's solo version, but Stevie just blows me away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28DfvvfZLi0&feature=player_detailpage

Dream a Little Dream *for* Me

I've always envied the authors who say they get ideas for their novels in their dreams. My dream life has been quiet on the Useful Idea front.

Woody Allen giving me advice on writing -- yes.
Agents telling me to go to conferences to meet them (before I got my own agent) -- yes.
Editors urging me to finish my novel and submit it to them before they die of old age -- yes.
Novel ideas -- forget it.

Until last night, when my subconscious provided something interesting and different. A strange SF/horror thriller type thing. Not my usual genre or style at all. But so cool. I resolved to write it down before I forgot it.

When I woke I wondered whether it was familiar, after all, so I used Google to research it.

It wasn't fresh and different.

I had dreamed about Dean Koontz's novel, "Watchers."

Thanks a lot, subconscious.

George Carlin's Modern Man

Here's an example of creative use of cliches, by the incomparable George Carlin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNtRO3IrGg4