Recent Posts
Manuscript is too long, so split it… NOT!!!
I have lost count of the number of times that someone has told me that I should take my long manuscript and split it into two (or three) and call it done. This particular conversation comes up every single time I mention to anyone how long my manuscript is, and it’s actually not outrageously long — it just happens to be over 100,000 words. But let’s face it, my work is high fantasy, and I would struggle to think of any high fantasy novel that wasn’t over 100,000 words (a high fantasy intended for adult audiences).
Books could almost be immortal
I have seen many debates over that last few years about whether the introduction of the eBook has killed the publishing industry. Many have asked whether books are a thing of the past. It’s a valid question, but this is not the first time the question has been asked. Think about all the old doomsday stories. In many of them, society has been left to flounder, and the knowledge of the past is frequently lost. Reading becomes a lost skill or something that only a select few know. Languages evolve and unless certain knowledge is passed down from generation to generation, history becomes this mysterious thing that none of us […]
I’m tall, so why do I have to wear heals with jeans?
It’s an age old complaint: clothing designers don’t make clothes for women. I have no idea who they’re making clothing for, perhaps their boyfriends, but it certainly isn’t the average female. Sorry guys, but I have bumps and curves and most women I know do. What’s worse, I’m actually tall. Yet, I still have to wear high heals with my jeans, just so they don’t drag on the ground. The most common complaint that I hear from women is about the length of pants. It’s like the clothing manufacturers seem to think that because you’re a larger woman that you’re not just tall, but you’re very tall.
Genetics is about much more than DNA
The latest episode of Conversations in Science on KLRNRadio has now aired. In this month’s episode, Jessie and I were joined by Dan Koboldt as we talked about the field of genetics and the genome project. I did have to rein in Jessie’s bizarre questions (something the two of us still laugh about), but I had no idea that the field had progressed to the point it had. It’s not often that I’m left speechless, but Dan succeeded. Take a listen as Dan explains what a geneticist really does and how our understanding of the human genome had led to amazing advancements in cancer research.
Measuring the Speed of Light
You can measure the speed of light with little more than a microwave and a chocolate bar. You read that right. A CHOCOLATE BAR! In the latest Conversations in Science: Experiments with Kids video, learn how and discover why it works.
Fires on the Ground, Confusion in the Soul
Regular readers of my blog or social media feeds will know that I live in Christchurch, New Zealand. I’m proud of the city where I live. It just breaks my heart to see my city threatened once again by Mother Nature. We have had our fair share of natural disasters, mostly in the form of earthquakes (something that I have written about on numerous occasions), but Christchurch is definitely not immune to the ravages of weather. There was the flooding back in March 2014 were St Albans (the suburb literally on the other side of the main road from me) was evacuated because the water was waist high. My neighbour […]