I love going on cruises. I’ve been hooked ever since my parents and I went on a three-day Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line’s old Leeward back in 1996. Since then, I’ve taken NCL’s Norwegian Wind to Alaska and done … Continue reading
Today I had the great misfortune to hear “What I Am” by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. When I was a lad, the Elder Mr. Loch used to listen to that song quite a bit. At the time, I … Continue reading
As I read more and more ebooks on the Kindle, I’m starting to detect a quality-control problem. For example, in both of Aliette de Bodard’s Aztec mysteries (which are awesome, by the way), I’ve noticed formatting glitches galore. Hyphens … Continue reading
I was rudely awakened this morning by the fire alarm. As I waited outside for the all clear to return to my cozy bed, I decided to download a sample of Wilbur Smith’s Warlock on my iPhone. Warlock is … Continue reading
One of my biggest pet peeves is when authors clutter their work with excessive background information. Few things irritate me more than having the flow of a story broken so the narrator can regale me with a mini-lecture on Egyptian … Continue reading
Many of you have no doubt heard about Rebecca Black, the thirteen year old singer whose debut song “Friday” has become an object of near universal mockery on the Interwebz. With lyrics like this: Fun, fun, think about fun You … Continue reading
I just read that Jennifer Garner (of Alias fame) has been cast as Miss Marple in new Disney film. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Agatha Christie’s books, Jane Marple is supposed to be an elderly spinster who … Continue reading
I’m not really a fan of stories told by a first-person narrator. I know that, to some people, they make the story seem much more personal, but I just can’t suspend disbelief enough to accept a narrator who can somehow … Continue reading