Quotes from Andre Norton

Here are the contexts of the quotes tweeted from @sueannbowling Aug 15 through August 21, 2013.

“Power can exist without dark or light.” The Gate of the Cat, by Andre Norton. Wittle, as they face the final test.

“I do not question any power.” The Gate of the Cat, by Andre Norton.  Yonan, when Wittle insists on going forward to the power she seeks

“To each there are given gifts. Those which we cherish grow.” The Gate of the Cat, by Andre Norton. Yonan to Kelsie, on the brink of the land within.

“We have learned something.” ’Ware Hawk, by Andre Norton. The Old Race will never again trust Karsten.

“Men always seem to fear what they cannot find a direct reason for.” ’Ware Hawk, by Andre Norton.  Alon to Tirtha, somewhat startling her because of his youth.

“Those who weighed and balanced such acts were tarnished by the doing.” ’Ware Hawk, by Andre Norton.  Or, since the “acts” spoken of are giving aid, it is given in response to need, not in hope of future gain.

“This is a terraformed planet. There isn’t any fossil fuel.” Horse Power, by Sue Ann Bowling. The crux of the problem on Horizon.

Geometric quilts

I thought I’d show you a couple of Fair quilts with geometric, almost monotone patterns today. This one’s diamonds in browns and beiges, with just a touch of light blue.

And this one’s diagonal stripes, in grays, taupes and green.

North Pole Weather 8/19/13

The sun rose at 5:52 this morning, and will set 16 hours and 3 minutes later, at 9:55 this evening. I’m going to have to start watching the timing when I go someplace in the evening, since I don’t drive after sunset (or before sunrise, but that will be a while yet.) Maximum solar altitude is below 38°, and the sun now dips more than 12° below the horizon.

The weather is finally getting back to normal – forecast highs in the 50’s and 60’s, low in the 40’s. and occasional rain. August is normally our wettest month, so the high fire danger we’ve been in so far, tempered only by the lack of lightning strikes to start fires is unusual, as is the smoke. (Locally, the Army live-fire ranges have been under most suspicion.) But we’ve had over a third of an inch of rain in the past week – still below normal, but enough to break the drought. Considering we could be having our first light frosts by now, I really can’t complain that every day of the month so far has been warmer than normal.

The perennial flowers are pretty near the end of their season, but the annuals surrounding the raised beds are in their full glory. It won’t be too long until the leaves start turning, though – a few are already littering the lawn.

Weekend Writing Warriors (Tourist Trap)

It’s Sunday today, and you know what that means. Lots of snippets from lots of different authors, some of whom can be found by clicking on the logos above and below.

Today’s snippet is from my second published book, Tourist Trap. Here’s the blurb.

A vacation with his three best friends from slavery and a manhood challenge: Roi is given the graduation present he has dreamed of. Dogsledding, hang gliding, a chance to see Pleistocene animals transplanted to a Terraformed vacation world, horseback riding, sailing … all the sports he has returned to with his recovery from paralysis, and a few new ones to learn.

They’re prepared for danger from weather, wild animals and extreme sports. But none of them realize that Roi’s half brother Zhaim, determined to recover his old position as Lai’s heir, intends to kill them if he can—and he’s decided that the dangers of the trip will make a perfect cover for his schemes.

How long will it take them to realize that the “accidents” they keep running into are more than just accidents?

For today I’ve picked a relatively sexy snippet, though it’s not human sex. We’ve already established that Token. one of the saddle horses, is coming is season and becoming difficult to handle as a result.

The little meadow was open and gently cupped, with no place in creance range where a horse could be hiding. Roi opened his mind to the horses’ sensory impressions and quickly found Raindrop, Freckles, Dusty, Splash and the three pack horses, but no trace of Token. He called them all in with a suggestion of the grain in the packs, and reached farther for Token. He picked up the massed senses of a wild herd, perhaps an hour’s ride to the west and then, nearer, a flood of rampant equine sexuality.

“Oh, hells,” he groaned. “A wild stud did come in here, and he’s driven her off. I can feel her, but I can’t get through to her to bring her back. Flame, if I ever said you had a one-track mind, I apologize.”

Tourist Trap is available from iUniverse, from Barnes and Noble and from Amazon, but compare prices. Last time I checked, Amazon was still charging way too much for the Kindle version. The publisher e-book price is under $5.

A Few More Quilts from the Fair

Butterfly Quilt

Cats

Plants and Flowers (I love the background on this one.)

Jarn’s Journal Year 8 Day 61

Year 8 Day 61

Rainbow may be just the helper I need. And she is definitely not interested in trying to seduce me.

In fact, I get the impression that her former mate treated her rather roughly, and that her only real regret at his death was the loss of the meat he provided. Certainly she is scarred and somewhat lame, but that makes no difference to me. What is important to me is that she is an expert at tanning and sewing hides and a more than passable cook. She is reasonably adept at butchery, and her cooking of small game such as birds and fish is mouth-watering.

So far as she is concerned, staying in one place and caring for a single person is a welcome respite from her duties to the group. Gazelle and Songbird have been advising her as to my needs (and quirks, I suspect) and my tendency to spend much of my time away exploring. I worry a little about the lack of company for her once the People leave, but Rainbow assures me she will enjoy the rest.

What is more, she likes Patches, and Patches likes her. This is a welcome change from all of my acolytes except for Songbird and Giraffe. Patches is starting to be a little stiff in the mornings, and while I plan to explore the landmass north of this continent next year, I am doubtful about the wisdom of taking Patches along. If she can provide company for Rainbow, I may be able to leave her here. The warnoff has an area effect, so they should both be safe.

Jarn’s Journal is the remote back story of the universe in which my science fiction is set. Jarn is a human-like alien who was stranded in Africa some 125,000 year ago. His story to date is on my author site.

A Chemotherapy Fashion Show

Author Sue Ann Bowling in July 2009

I’ve always been too lazy to do anything to my hair that requires upkeep, so I’ve just gone from brown to gray without ever trying blond, red, black or frosting. But at this point in my chemotherapy I have a few strands of (mostly white) hair combed over a pink scalp, and I thought, “Why not try out a different appearance?” The local cancer center has all kinds of wigs and turbans available, so I spent a morning trying them on. Most were totally unstyled, and I tried them on only for length and color. Most – how can I put it? – just weren’t me. I used  Photo Booth on my laptop to record some of the results.

In self defense, the photo at the left gives a little better idea of how I look when I’m not undergoing chemotherapy and when the photo is taken by a professional rather than by my computer! (Not to mention when my nose and my forehead are not skinned, and whatever the laptop photos are doing to my skin tone.)

I should mention that all of these photos have been lightened and warmed in color to compensate for the lighting.

Almost. This one came out in second pace.

But when it came right down to it, I liked the highlighted one better. It still needs styling.

Quotes from Jane Austen

Here are the contexts of the quotes tweeted from @sueannbowling between August 8 and August 14, 2013. All but the last are from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

“I have certainly meant well through the whole affair.” Mr. Collins, feeling rather put-out (but hardly distraught) by Elizabeth’s refusal.

“[Matrimony] was the only honourable provision for the well-educated young woman of small means.” Charlotte, reflecting after she as accepted Mr. Collins’ proposal.

“I am not romantic, you know.” Charlotte, defending herself to Elizabeth over accepting Mr. Collins’s proposal after Elizabeth has turned him down.

“I only want to set you perfect, and you set yourself against it.  Elizabeth to Jane, shortly after Bingley has left.

“ How am I even to know it would be wisdom to resist?” Part of Elizabeth’s conversation with her Aunt Gardiner about the lack of wisdom of Elizabeth’s allowing herself to be attracted to Wickham.

“Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing, after all.” Elizabeth to her aunt Gardiner, getting ready to set out to visit Charlotte and Mr. Collins.

“I commend your school spirit.” Homecoming, by Sue Ann Bowling. Zhaim’s coded message to Xazhar, telling his son to continues harassing Roi. He’s gotten Xazhar to believe that Roi’s presence is a deliberate insult to the school.

Death Comes to Pemberley: Review

I have to admit that some forms of the sequels to Pride and Prejudice just don’t attract me. Zombies and the supernatural do not appeal to me as part of the Austen genre, and some of the mysteries are little better. One mystery that has come out recently, however, struck me as interesting because it is by a well-known mystery writer whose other works I have enjoyed. I refer to Death Comes to Pemberley, by P. D. James.

Most of the characters come directly from Pride and Prejudice, and the initial setting – Lady Anne’s Ball and all the preparations required – is very much in period. There have been some changes, of course in the six years of the Darcys’ marriage. The Darcys have two young sons, Wickham has been a hero in the Irish wars and then quit the Army, and Col. Fitzwilliam’s older brother has died, leaving the Colonel Viscount Hartlep and his father’s heir.

Then on the eve of the ball which Lydia has plotted to attend, Wickham and Denny have left the carriage conveying her, and gunshots are heard in the woods of Pemberley. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, in response to her frantic entreaties, have found Wickham over Denny’s body, crying out that he is responsible for his friend’s death.

Needless to say, things are not quite as they seem. Darcy is cleared by the circumstances and timing of the murder, as is the lawyer, Henry Alveston, though Col. Fitzwilliam is not. But the clues are well hidden, and the anxiety of the trial is sustained both by the possibility of Wickham’s hanging and by the real uncertainty of what happened, as well as the effect on Elizabeth and Darcy.

All in all, I found this one of the better mystery sequels to Pride and Prejudice.

North Pole Weather 8/12/13

The sun rose this morning at 5:29; and it will set 16 hours 51 minutes later, at 10:20 this evening. Solar height at noon is now below 40°, we are still losing almost 7 minutes a day, and in a few days we will start having nautical night (sun more than 12° below the horizon) again.

We’re still running warm and dry for the season, with 3 more 80 degree days since last week, and only a trace of rain. Tuesday and Wednesday might hit 80 again, but mid-70’s are still pretty warm for this time of year in Alaska. I really hope we get more precipitation than the isolated showers predicted; I’m tired of smoke.

Those lilies not badly stunted by the lack of water early on are opening, the zucchini is growing faster than I can eat it, and the mint is running riot in the raised bed, thanks to my hauling the hose around. This is increasingly difficult; my balance has deteriorated until I don’t dare water without a cane.

No pictures of me this week; the volunteer at the cancer center wasn’t there Friday. I need to go in again for labs today, so maybe today. My sister thinks I should go for red hair. I’m going to have little enough of my own by the end of the week!

Update 2:30 pm: My hematocrit and cell count have changed enough I won’t have to have a transfusion, and the volunteer at the support center was in so I spent the time between blood draw and results trying on wigs. Red and blond just didn’t work with my skin tone, but I now have a highlighted brown that I rather like. I took my laptop and photographed several I tried, so I’ll have a “chemotherapy fashion snow” on the blog Thursday..