Category Archives: Writing

Literacy and Justice

Posted on February 5, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

It seems that every day brings another story of book banning or book burning in the United States. Anyone who believes in protecting freedom of the press should be terrified by the assaults on liberty from the Christo-Fascist rightwing mobs … Continue reading →

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Down and Out in Paris

Posted on February 3, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

In 1928, a former Colonial police officer and aspiring author named Eric Arthur Blair moved from his London home to Paris in order to buckle down and launch his writing career. The move didn’t work out so well, but it … Continue reading →

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The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

John Steinbeck took the title of his 1937 novel “Of Mice and Men” from a line contained in the penultimate stanza of ” To a Mouse”, On Turning her up in her Nest, with the Plough, November 1785. by Robert … Continue reading →

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The Possibility of Evil (and much more)

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently discovered a terrific Audiobooks on YouTube playlist of free audiobook readings with more than 130 different titles, each of which is a full book or short story, read in its entirety and available to listen for free at … Continue reading →

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Please Close The Door

Posted on January 30, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I always enjoy a good Mark Twain anecdote and this one tickled my fancy. In 1908 burglars surreptiously entered his Hartford mansion and stole a set of silverware from the sideboard. In response, he posted this notice on the front … Continue reading →

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If you see one coming, you should run

Posted on January 29, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Aa a child I was fascinated by the old European Jewish tales of the Golem. When I visited Prague just after the Velvet Revolution, I had the opportunity to walk the streets of the ancient Ghetto and see the places … Continue reading →

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Snowstorm of Rejections

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

All authors face rejection at some point in their writing careers. Some of us throw in the towel and are content with publishing blogs, but the greats always seem to persevere. Here are some suggestions from writers who knew how … Continue reading →

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Observe Everything

Posted on January 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I was deeply moved by the wonderful animated video below of “The Mushroom Hunters” by Neil Gaiman, read by Amanda Palmer with music by Jherek Bischoof. Science, as you know, my little one, is the study of the nature and behaviour of … Continue reading →

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Writer’s Room

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The 24-Hour Room is a growing community of writers that launched on January 20, 2021.  The 24-Hour Room is a free virtual writers space offering fellowship, structure, solutions, motivation and intellectual sustenance. Author Elizabeth Gaffney created it to offer support, … Continue reading →

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Teach a writer to fish

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

 

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