I seem to be talking and thinking about monsters a lot these days. In part, that’s because I joined Twitter. Rather, I should say I began using Twitter, since I created an account long ago, but never used it for anything other than following Duotrope posts. Now I’m following N.K. Jemisin, Anne Leckie, Tor Books,…
Author: DremaDeoraich
The Nature of the Beast
What is the true nature of the human beast? In the movie Wonder Woman, Diana agonizes over the fact that the war continues even though she has killed Ares. Captain Trevor tells her that maybe the horror of war wasn’t contained in one malevolent being. Maybe a little part of that darkness lives in us…
Humanity Reflected in a Homeless Man
My essay “Dancing Man,” in which I discuss the humanity reflected in a homeless man, was accepted by Across the Margin. It’s a true story, a memory of my encounter with a joyous street person who left an indelible mark on my heart, on my soul. I see people on the streets all the time,…
In Search of Demons
(Warning: May contain spoilers.) What do you think of when you hear the word “monster”? Chances are the first thing that comes to mind are creatures like vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein’s creation, ghosts, Godzilla, or some otherworldly beast. Dictionary.com gives a long list of definitions like “a legendary animal combining features of animal and human form…
Confessions of a Writer
One of my classmates submits some of the most beautiful prose for critique. In his last class submission, his character drives through small rural backwater towns with no traffic lights, where the gas pumps still sport analog dials. The character speaks of being a voyeur, seeing only that moment in time, a snapshot of the…
The Left Hand of Darkness
By Ursula K. Le Quin Ace Books, ISBN: 978-0441478125 Paperback, 304 pages. ©1987 On Gethen, human envoy Genly Ai has been sent to convince the planet’s leaders to join the Ekumen, a loose confederation of planets who do not rule one another, but who cooperate in matters of interest to all Ekumen members. Barriers to…
Knowing I Don’t Know
A few weeks ago, I got a rejection from a magazine for my short story “Upshot.” Rejections are part of a writer’s life, but this one was unusual in that along with the “sorry” came some helpful insight. The main character is a Mayan native living in isolation in the cloud forest region of Guatemala,…
Learning From Burnout
Back in the early- to mid-90s, I and a few other volunteers began a small non-profit for the Mid-Atlantic earth-based spiritual community. In the beginning, its sole activity was to produce a regular publication, and a small one at that. Within a few years, the project had become my full-time, all-volunteer (i.e. “non-paying”) job. The…
Non-Traditional Alternatives
My novel (the first book of a trilogy) has been out on query for months now. I’ve gone through a list of agencies and am now trying publishing houses that don’t require representation. I also want to try a few small presses and see what they can do for me. But I have to admit…
Sound the Retreat!
One of my biggest hurdles to meeting a daily word count is diversion. We live in an apartment complex in a populous neighborhood in a busy city. Outside our window is a lovely green space with hollies, crape myrtles and squirrels. A bazillion birds, along with dragonflies and butterflies, flit past my window, dragging my…