Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome

So here’s how this all got started: It was a few weeks before Christmas, and my very good friend Janet Lee, who is a local artist, was suddenly the hottest thing since sliced bread. The arthouse in East Nashville (Art & Invention) where she sells her ornaments, cards, and paintings, couldn’t keep her stuff on the shelves. In an…

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How To Play the Musical Saw

While in Chattanooga for Mary Robinette Kowal’s birthday bash, Ken Harrison (Mary’s esteemed father) played his saw for us. He also gave us a brief tutorial on how one plays the musical saw, and I caught it on camera. The bonus bit at the end is for all my fellow Trekkies out there. Tweet

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A Girl Walks Into a Coffee Shop…

Last night, in my continuing efforts to NOT GO HOME so I can FINISH THIS NOVEL, I parked myself at a local Starbucks and rudely eavesdropped on the conversation of Nashville photographer Steve Harman. Student of life that all authors are, I was intrigued by his approach to photography, the questions he asked during the interview with his client,…

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Beauty & Dynamite Available at Fictionwise

If you’re into that sort of thing, click here and check it out. Meet Alethea Kontis, a self-proclaimed Genre Chick whose life is an adventure that tears through these pages like a hurricane. Carrot-a-day cancer cures and Murphy as a guardian angel (yes, that Murphy, the guy with all those irritating laws) are just a part of the daily…

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Beauty & Dynamite Available on Fictionwise

If you’re into that sort of thing, click here and check it out. Meet Alethea Kontis, a self-proclaimed Genre Chick whose life is an adventure that tears through these pages like a hurricane. Carrot-a-day cancer cures and Murphy as a guardian angel (yes, that Murphy, the guy with all those irritating laws) are just a part of the daily…

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Hugo Reminder

I’ll be entering my nominations today or tomorrow. Have you submitted yours? For your nominating convenience: * Awards pimpage of my own work:         Short Story: "Blood & Water" — read for free at IGMS until March 31st         Related Work: Beauty & Dynamite, Apex Publications * SF Awards Watch with their recommendation lists. * Writertopia with the Campbell eligible list….

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Damn the Dreamers

I started sketching in front of the TV yesterday. I finished the painting today. I call it "The Dream-Haired Woman." Thanks to my new friend J.T. Ellison and the half-hour drive home from Sherlock’s, there’s a whole story that goes along with that. I know exactly how I want to start my next piece. HOWEVER — I received a…

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Saturday Afternoon at Sherlock’s

Because Ingram doesn’t allow us access to Facebook email anymore, I’d been remiss about returning a note from fabulous local thriller author J.T. Ellison. So when I found out she was part of the Mystery Writers Convention being held today at Sherlock’s Books I said to myself, "Self, get your butt out of this house and go be polite….

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