Weekend Writing Warriors: Homecoming

It’s Sunday again, and time for Weekend Writing Warriors (click on the logo above) and Snippet Sunday (click on the logo below.) Today I’m posting 8 sentences from my first published book, Homecoming available in all formats from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

Roi, paralyzed and beginning to realize he is no longer a slave, has just returned from his first semester at boarding school. But has he understood what Nik, who has just arrived, tried to tell him before he left?

 

Nik, Derik ’pathed, unable to keep all of the anxiety out of his mind-voice, shouldn’t he have better muscle tone by now?

Nik looked up, startled, and walked briskly across to join them. “Here, Roi,” he said as he placed one of his hands on the boy’s and wrapped the other around Roi’s upper arm, “try to lift my hand.”

Derik was uneasy, but couldn’t analyze why. Nik’s face changed as Roi lifted his hand. “Here,” he said sharply, “let me see exactly what you’re doing.”

“Nik, don’t,” Derik started to say as his own awareness blossomed into real fear, but it was too late. He was thrown backward, chair and all, while Nik went flying toward the house wall and a volcano seemed to erupt inside his head.

What happened?

Jarn’s Journal Year 8 Day 131

Year 8, Day 131

I’ve made a point, lately, of asking Rainbow each evening if there is anything she would like me to watch for in my explorations. Last night she asked, rather uncertainly, if I could find a different kind of fish. “The ones here are not coming to the trap,” she said.

“Try moving the trap,” I suggested, but at the same time I felt a little guilty. I’ve spent so much time swimming and exploring the possibilities of the salt lake that I haven’t done much else. There are no fish in the lake, of course, but there is a freshwater river flowing into it from the north, along the trench I saw earlier. I should really check out its source, I thought, and I could keep my senses alert for fish on the way.

Photo Source

It’s still hot, since it’s close to the middle of summer there, so I flew fairly high to escape the worst of the heat. Even at altitude I could see that a ribbon of greenery bordered the river, and coming lower, I found actual trees. To both sides were mountains, with desert beyond them, but ahead was another lake, this one, from the evidence of the river, fresh. Not a large lake, and in fact much smaller than the salt lake, but one teeming with fish.

The water is warm, though not as warm as the salt lake, and the surface of the water is still well below sea level. The river runs through it, and a very quick exploration of the river northward suggests it comes from a marshy lake which gathers water from the surrounding hills. It is still in the trough, with no connection to the tideless sea.

I should adopt the same strategy I used in exploring the river and the linear sea earlier and spend half the day mapping the coast to my west and half following the trench. Meanwhile, I reached for my quarters and brought the basket I had left there. The fish were so numerous I had no problem teleporting a couple to the basket for Rainbow to prepare.

Strangely enough as I prepared to leave, I found what looked like a stone tool near the shore. It was even cruder than the ones I make, and not at all in the style Little Gnu tried to teach me, but it was quite definitely shaped purposefully. Could there be more of the People here?

Jarn’s Journal is the fictitious journal of an human-like alien stranded in Africa roughly 125,000 years ago. The story is part of the back story of my science fiction universe. The entire Journal to date, updated weekly, can be found on my author site.

Quotes from Jane Austen

Here are the contexts of the quotes tweeted from @sueannbowling from October 3 though October 9, 2013. All but the last are from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

“’Till this moment, I never knew myself.” Elizabeth, after rereading Darcy’s letter telling of his association with Wickham (and Wickham’s behavior to Darcy’s sister.)

“Daughters are never of so much consequence to a father.” Lady Catherine de Burgh, urging Elizabeth to stay longer.

“I should infinitely prefer a book.” Mary, responding to Lydia’s description of the fun they had greeting Elizabeth.

“You will never be able to make both of them good for any thing.” Elizabeth to Jane, who is trying to think the best of both Darcy and Wickham.

“Your profusion makes me saving.” Elizabeth to Jane, saying that Jane’s regret and compassion takes away from her own need for both.

“A scheme of which every part promises delight, can never be successful.” Elizabeth, when the proposed pleasure trip to the Lakes must take her away from Jane.

“I don’t invite myself to meals empty-handed.” Horse Power, by Sue Ann Bowling. Roi’s explanation for why he is adding things to Amber’s shopping basket and why he is paying for them.

Review of Jane Austen, Game Theorist by Michael Suk-Young Chwe

Unlike most of the books and DVD’s I’ve reviewed for the Pride and Prejudice Challenge, Jane Austen, Game Theorist is not an easy, entertainment-oriented read. It is a scholarly book, published by Princeton, complete with a long reference section and an index. Nevertheless, it is a complement to Pride and Prejudice (and Jane Austen’s other books) from a somewhat different point of view than the usual literary approach.

I am not a game theorist, and after reading this book I suspect I am a very poor strategist as well, being highly numerate and paying attention to details of my surroundings rather than how other people think and what they want. The book starts with a quick analysis of game theory principles in folk tales such as Br’er Rabbit, which illustrates both some of the pitfalls (thinking the tar baby is sentient) and manipulating the opponent by understanding how he thinks (please don’t throw me in the briar patch.) In fact it appears that most good character-driven fiction has a strong game-theory component, but the author argues that this is particularly true of Jane Austen, and gives numerous examples.

One of the things he particularly emphasizes, especially in Pride and Prejudice, is the handicap of the inability to get inside another person’s skin, to see things from their point of view. Certainly neither Darcy nor Elizabeth start out understanding each other. Some of the reasons have more general application: a superior is often clueless about how an inferior (in social standing, chain of command, or merely in his own mind) thinks, simply because he is unable or unwilling to degrade himself to think like the other person. Darcy, a male and in his mind superior to females, cannot understand a female. Lady Catherine is even worse, thinking that her orders will automatically be obeyed.

The principles and be and should be expanded to such fields as international relations, though all too often it seems they are not. And this unfortunately seems also to apply to corporate managers and politicians. This morning’s news, for instance, and an interview decrying the game of “chicken” our political leaders are playing.

North Pole Weather, 10/7/13

The sun will rise at 8:20 this morning and set 10 hours, 36 minutes later at 6:56 in the evening. Noon elevation no longer reaches 20°. It’s still generally above freezing in the daytime, sometimes as warm as 50°F, but it freezes most nights now. Once the winter snow cover is established, which at this time of year will probably be whenever we have three to four inches of snow on the ground, the temperature will stay below freezing around the clock.

I’m not sure what happened to the maple this year, but it certainly did not turn red.

The leaves have mostly turned color but a lot of them are still hanging on the trees. They look very dry, though, and I suspect most of them will be down at the first good wind. Enough have fallen to pile on the mints and perennials for insulation, and I hope those plants make it over the winter. I hope also that I’ll be able to get out earlier next spring than I did this year, and that my balance has recovered enough that I can work outdoors. This year I’ve had to hire people to do most of the work.

The second monitor I use for the internet died last week, and I just bought a new one Saturday. I just hope it fits on my desk, as it’s a good deal larger than the old one. Funny how electronics are one thing that seems so stay fairly constant in price while having all kind of larger sizes and new features.

Weekend Writing Warriors: Tourist Trap

Sunday’s the day for snippets from all kinds of authors. To find those posting on Weekend Writing Warriors, click the logo above; for snippet Sunday click the logo below.

I’ve picked 8 sentences from my second published book, Tourist Trap. This is from a peaceful moment in their raft journey down a canyon. Roi and Flame have been sharing a sleeping bag on the gravel side bar where they’re camped, and Roi has just wakened Flame to show her something revealed by the rising moon.

The waning moon was hidden from where they lay, but it shone full on the cliffs across the river, and even lit the waters’ edge. “Like they’re made of silver,” she said softly, “with a river of carved glass. Oh, Roi, it’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

“Look lower,” he said softly, “near the mouth of that wide side canyon just upstream from us. The grassy bar we noticed earlier.”

Flame shifted her attention, caught movement, and blinked a time or two to bring the moving creatures into focus. “Wild horses,” she breathed, “but they’re so dainty.”

Dainty as in no larger than a medium-sized dog. They don’t do anything beyond attracting Roi’s attention as an artist, but they do play a role by doing that.

Tourist Trap is available from Barnes and Noble or Amazon. 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?

Jarn’s Journal Year 8 Day 117

Year 8 Day 117

Rainbow never complains or makes demands. She merely looks martyred.

Subtly.

Photo Source

I would probably have noticed earlier if I had not been so fascinated by the salt lake. For several days I’ve been up before dawn and teleporting to the rift. There I alternate exploring with swimming until it becomes so hot that even swimming in the relatively warm water cannot cool me down. At that point, usually before noon, I teleport back to my laboratory with generous samples of water, halite pebbles, salt crusts from various shores and occasional salt-tolerant life forms.

I have found mountains of halite – literally – and brought back small boulders. Salts other than halite are common in the crusts along the shore, and the water, while quite undrinkable, is actually healing to my skin.

I thought until this evening that my failure to taste salt in the food Rainbow was preparing was due to my being so surrounded by salt that my sense of taste was overwhelmed. It finally occurred to me that the gifts of the group had not included salt, probably because I generally supply it.

When I asked her if she could use any salt she told me, very apologetically, that she had almost none left.

I could not help laughing, which made her look even more martyred.

“I’m laughing at myself, not at you,” I assured her once I got myself under control. “I’ve been surrounded by salt lately – pebbles to mountains. I’ll bring you several forms, and you can decide if pebbles, crusts, or evaporated lake water would be the most useful for you. But please, if you need something you don’t have, tell me. I had no idea you needed salt.”

I hadn’t even remembered to show her the pebbles, I thought. But she has seemed to have so little interest in what I am doing. Perhaps I should mention anything that might help her with food preparation or clothing.

Quotes from Tolkien

These are the contexts of the quotes tweeted from @sueannbowling from September 26 through October 2, 2013. All but the last are from The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Map of the Misty Mountains, from the original English version of the book.

“You’ll want it, if you haven’t got it.” Sam, realizing as the fellowship sets out from Rivendell that he forgot to pack rope.

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” Gimli, when Elrond refuses to have the others of the fellowship swear to stay with Frodo.

“Let him not vow to walk in the dark who has not seen the nightfall.” Elrond’s response to Gimli.

“Sworn word may strengthen quaking heart.” Gimli again. Elrond responds, “or break it.”

“The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears.” Boromir, after the failed attempt to cross Redhorn Gate. They hear wargs howling, and the mines of Moria suddenly seem the lesser of two threats.

“Something has been disturbed that would have been better left quiet.” Gandalf, after Pippin has dropped a stone into the well in Moria. In the book this is a deliberate attempt to see how deep the well is.

“For once in my life can’t you let me do something I want to do, on my own?” Tourist Trap, by Sue Ann Bowling. Roi as a teenager is rebelling against his father’s protectiveness.