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MIDWEEK FICTION: LITTLE HOUSE IN THE HAUNTED WOODS

“This the place to buy magic stuff?” “Yes indeed, Madame. Welcome to the shop. How may I assist you?” “Well, I’ve inherited my sister’s house. She made it out of gingerbread to bring in livestock for her larder but there was a little accident with some supper that got the drop onContinue reading “MIDWEEK FICTION: LITTLE HOUSE IN THE HAUNTED WOODS”

DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XL

No matter what Bott pushed or pulled or thumped, the ship was going down, down. He had defeated his old ship, filled with librarians, and that was all the amusement the Emperor intended for this particular prop. “Everthin’s dead, Cap’n,” Louba told him. This was unnecessary: the smiling flowers on the console wereContinue reading “DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XL”

Bygone Bywords

That blog about the sitcoms some people call “Commercials” generated some interest, and a couple of complaints. Some people expect quizzes about TV commercials to involve slogans or jingles, while other people complained I said next to nothing about the products involved. Well, we CAN do something about that. Of course, every productContinue reading “Bygone Bywords”

Touched-up Territory

I was old enough when I found out about it that I was more surprised than shocked. The distance between what we are shown and what really is was known to me from an early age, at least to that time in second grade when I picked up the little cup of cherry Kool-AidContinue reading “Touched-up Territory”

DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XXXIX

The ship that might be the Dragonshelf dropped almost straight down on the nasty-looking orange and black one. Nubry had known Bott could fly, but watching it from here made that really obvious. If only he hadn’t been a pirate as well! Her eyes moved to where the captioned dialogue was rolling up theContinue reading “DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XXXIX”

Neglected Sitcoms

Last week, we touched on some of the problems for me in assessing comedy of the middle of the twentieth century, as I have occasionally threatened to do in a series called “Is That Even Still Funny?” One problem was that there was so MUCH of it. Except when the news was on, andContinue reading “Neglected Sitcoms”

Oh, a Cowboy Needs a….

The Western’s popularity rises and falls, but has not gone away for at least a century and a half. The last big era for postcards coincided with an era that valued Westerns highly: they were still popular in cheap, kid-friendly movies (“oaters”), proliferated across radio (“Return with us now to the thrilling days ofContinue reading “Oh, a Cowboy Needs a….”

DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XXXVIII

At the height of the high white flight of stairs was a small landing and a tall wooden door. Bott and his crew studied it for a moment without detecting spikes, poisoned nails, or opening for projectiles. It lacked even a knocker with a nasty expression. One hand on a grenade, Bott turned theContinue reading “DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XXXVIII”

Comedy Archaeology Quiz

Every now and then, when I feel like living dangerously, I consider writing a series called “Is That Still Funny?”, in which I would examine the comedy that made me laugh when I was growing up. I have it all figured out: how I will guard myself against laughing simply from nostalgia, how weContinue reading “Comedy Archaeology Quiz”

NOTE IN PASSING: Nathalie

It is with shock that I note the death, at 102 oerthereabouts, of another Book Fair buddy, perhaps one of the most significant, Nathalie F. Alberts. I am sorry the obituary did not mention (or I didn’t catch it) who put the H in “Nathalie”, but she probably spent a great deal of timeContinue reading “NOTE IN PASSING: Nathalie”