In the spirit of the season, a sample from Island of the Mad, when Russell & Holmes set out for a haunted island of the Venice lagoon, Poveglia. Before leaving the hotel, Holmes and I had studied the general maps and my slightly more detailed sketch of this tripartite island. The boat-house, on the southern…
Read More
The other day I did a Halloween reading for a fund-raiser lunch, which reminded me of this, from Lockdown. Happy all hallow’s week… 107 DAYS AGO OCTOBER 31 Olivia When the call came in, Olivia thought it was just another Halloween prank. Olivia hated Halloween—and had long before she become a cop. Maybe it wouldn’t…
Read MoreIt’s MYSTERY WEEK …for Mystery Writers of America, NorCal. And as it happens, I’ve been roped into three of the events: Saturday 20, 6:30: San Francisco I‘ll be moderatingNoir at the Bar for Litquake/SF at what looks like an amazing venue: Amnesia beer hall, at 853 Valencia. Come and raise a glass (they also have…
Read MoreInteresting to look at some of the images that have caught my eye in this past week, wandering through a series of European museums. There seems to have been a theme of some kind. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what that might be. Or why. Can you?
Read MoreThe other day I went on a wine- and honey-tasting expedition outside of Belgrade, at a place called…well, here: It had examples of old-style bee skeps: It had an illustration of the development of bee-keeping technology: It had a very decorative (if not entirely practical) beehive, since even Apis Mellifera might wish to worship in…
Read MoreAs I said yesterday, I’m honored to be a sort of banned author myself, having been told in the early days of my career that certain bookstores in Salt Lake City (oh, those Mormons again!) were selling A Grave Talentunder the counter, since it was about a lesbian detective. (Or maybe it was because I…
Read MoreHappy (yes!) Banned Books Week (and the Future of Democracy) September 23-29 is Banned Books Week from the American Library Association, with this year’s theme of “Banning Books Silences Stories.” My local library, in Santa Cruz, asked me to contribute to their video collection of local readers talking about a favorite banned book. And I…
Read MoreSunset, shortly after we passed from Romania into Bulgari. And where, ironically, the massive communication tower glimpsed over the hilltop signalled an almost complete loss of shipboard wifi.
Read MoreWe moored at the tiny eastern Romania village of Fetesti before sunrise this morning, and the sun came up…followed by the mist.
Read More
One travels for a lot of reasons. For the scenery— And the insight into other ways of life— To learn things— And see castles— with dragonic downspouts— (And don’t forget the companionship— or the art— Or even the occasional frisson of danger [click photo to see the roof repairs]—) But I hadn’t expected to find…
Read More