12 Comments

No, Neville, nooooo! Don't do it!

Expand full comment
author

If he doesn't do it, whatever "it" turns out to be, this book can be much shorter and I won't have to write the next chapter. Yay!

Expand full comment

Well, you ARE going to write the next chapter, Neville will do SOMETHING, and Thursday will continue to be my second favorite day of the week.

Expand full comment
author

Oh, I get it. Turtle Paradise comes out Saturdays! Like... tomorrow. Hope your newest post is in better shape than mine was the night before.

Expand full comment

That's not really it. I was going to say Thursday was my favorite day but that sounded sycophantic so I said 2nd favorite. This morning I had nothing so I started working on my post about 7 am. I'm lucky because I can take some photos or make a video and wham, bam, I have something to post. I'm glad I'm not masochistic enough to be a fiction writer.

Expand full comment
author

Masochistic or not, I'm a sucker for any kind of flattery!

Expand full comment
May 26, 2023Liked by Ruben Bix

The ringmaster lights his cigar, waves his arms to exhort an invisible crowd, then turns and gestures to you as if he’s giving you the cue to begin. You feel isolated from everything that’s happening here, but this is where you’re supposed to say something.

This is where you need to explain to Alana that there’s a world beyond the visible.

“My mother was a dentist.”

HA!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for calling out this passage! I swear commented on this this morning and strangely my comment disappeared. To say it again: I think Chapter 8 is kind of a mess. There's way too much description which, of course, I didn't really pick up on until after I'd posted it and tried to read it aloud to myself. I want to cut a lot of it, and I will when I get time, but thankfully you highlighted a part I really like. I guess I have to be glad it isn't ink on paper.

Expand full comment
May 25, 2023Liked by Ruben Bix

Somewhere, a coconut-shell brazier is feeling abandoned.

Expand full comment
author

I am visualizing this as a coconut shell charcoal burner. I googled it and it turns out brazier is an alternate spelling of brassiere. When in doubt, use bra I guess...

Expand full comment
May 26, 2023·edited May 27, 2023

I wasn't doubtful, just ignorant. Thanks for pointing it owt.

Expand full comment
author

No. I googled your spelling and there seems to be a precedent for it. But yer welcomb.

Expand full comment