Tag Archives: humor
How I Became A Spy
Espionage. The word has quite a ring to it, doesn’t it? The first image that springs to mind is 007 – Bond, James Bond. A life of danger, fast cars and faster women. Looking back, I shouldn’t be surprised that I was destined to become a spy. I’ve been preparing for this since childhood. I grew up […]
A Voice On The Perfect Character
A perfect character? Have you ever read a story and something just seems, a bit off? There is a decent story line, snappy dialogue and perfect characters. Ah, there’s the rub – perfection. No one is perfect. Ever. Not even a Disney character. I mean think about it. Prince What’s-His-Face, is riding around in the forest […]
Do You Have a Writing Spirit Animal?
If you’ve spent ten seconds on any social media feed, then you’ve seen the links to the endless chain of quizzes and personality inventories. You know the ones I’m talking about; What Disney Villain Are You? What Rock Are You Most Like? What Civil War Battle Best Resembled Your Last Family Outing? One that catches […]
Writers & Addicts
Writers are a weird bunch. For me, and I’m guessing that I’m not alone here, writing is addictive. The more you do, the more the urge to write builds, exactly like heroin. If I can’t chip a little here and there, I’ll start withdrawals, the shakes and hearing voices. Unlike heroin, there is no chemical […]
As Common as a Tramp Stamp in a Trailer Park
Working in and around prisons for years tends to change your outlook on things – and people. And, usually for good reason. Couple that little tidbit of learned behavior with the sick and twisted brain wave patterns of a mystery writer and all bets are off. Any snippet of a conversation overheard in a coffee shop, […]
A Voice on Finishing What You’ve Started
Have you ever had that moment? That moment when you finish your novel and a dark creeping dread taps you on the shoulder? And all the joy evaporates… I have. Almost every single time. The drafting and writing is done. This should be a happy time – this should be a happy dance time. But, no. […]
Running on Empty
One of the most miserable sensations known to man comes at the precise moment your car starts to sputter, spit and lurch like a taser charged ferret. Your eyes immediately flick to the gas gauge, because deep in your soul-of-souls, you experience a charge of enlightenment worthy of a Shaolin monk. You, Young Grasshopper, have run out of […]
How To Identify A Conspiracy
There is no such thing as paranoia. Your worst fears can come true at any moment. Hunter S. Thompson Who doesn’t love a good conspiracy theory? Conspiracies have existed since the dawn of time, probably back to the day our hunter-gatherer forefathers led tribal rivals into the tar pits. What is it about a juicy […]
The Tax Man Cometh
Death and Taxes. Ah, yes. The two inevitable givens in life. We can’t escape either end for very long. And, once again, the depressing season of tax preparation and gnashing of teeth is upon us. Pop Quiz: I prepare my own returns because I’m: a) Cheap, b) Fond of frustration, c) Just as smart as […]
Yard Sale Madness
A terrible disease festers in the suburbs. There is no known cure and it makes the looming Zombie Apocalypse look like an A Ticket ride at Disneyland. Okay, I dated myself there with the A Ticket reference. (Note to readers: Back in the Olden Times, you got a book of tickets when you visited the […]
James L'Etoile 