Good Writing. |
Flash fiction is a short piece, often less than 500 words. I have three flashes from a challenge I did with fellow authors that I’m sharing today, each under 100 words. I hope you enjoy them. Each is a complete scene or story.
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Enjoyable things to read or do, places to see or go.
Good Writing. |
Flash fiction is a short piece, often less than 500 words. I have three flashes from a challenge I did with fellow authors that I’m sharing today, each under 100 words. I hope you enjoy them. Each is a complete scene or story.
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“Photon torpedoes! Fire!” If you thought that was a line right out of Star Trek, congratulations. You were right. The show has been on television, in movies, books, and other media for fifty years now. The imaginative people who created and wrote it have amassed a galaxy-sized universe in which they can release stories. There are entire wikis devoted to the Star Trek series.
Writing good Science Fiction is more than the product of a good imagination, however. Along with writing and editing skills, marketing, networking, and willingness to work hard, a scifi storyteller also needs science fact on which to base that fiction.
When I’m researching a story, I start at the bottom and work my way up. I subscribe to Astronomy Magazine and read it both digitally and in print, skipping few words in either edition. Because I’m no science expert, I depend on material created by those who are. When I don’t understand a concept, one way to grasp the basics to start with a book or website geared toward young readers. A good one is Ducksters which has a science section called Physics for Kids. It contains simple information in an interesting way and suggests other places to continue research. According to them, a photon is not made of smaller units, which means it’s an elementary particle. It has no electric charge or mass, and it’s stable. There is a list of other qualities. To read more, visit http://www.ducksters.com/science/physics/photons.php
There are numerous other resources a writer can use to research and learn. In the Astronomy Word of the Day series, I’ll be sharing material I’ve gleaned over the years, as well as resources where I’ve found them. While I won’t share a word every day, there will be one at least once a week. Be sure to bookmark this page and follow the blog for more.
A photon is one of the basic units of light. It has properties of both a particle and a wave, which allows light to be diffused and refracted. A photon has no mass and does not carry a charge. They form the most visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The word comes from Greek (phos or phot) meaning light. Combined with electron (an English word), the word photon means “particle representing the smallest distinct and separate amount of light.”
In the Star Trek universe, there are multiple types of photon torpedoes and were fired in a tube-shaped case. The warhead itself contained a detonation chamber filled with antimatter. When detonated it created a a matter-antimatter explosion and ion radiation (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan).
So are there really photon torpedoes? Would they work? Not according to theoretical physicist Michio Kaku. He says a photon torpedo would have as much power as a flashlight. I can see the battles now… Captain Kirk (or another Star Trek captain – take your pick) orders the photon torpedoes to fire, and the entire crew of the ship whips out flashlights and shines them on the enemy. That would, in truth, be as effective as a “real” photon torpedo.
So while “photon torpedo” sounds good in scifi usage, the actual definition of photon means torpedoes won’t be in our future. At least, not like the ones in Star Trek.
Like this type of post? Want to see more? What other words would you like to see? Please leave a comment and let me know.
Hearts from my Valentine |
Hubby surprised me with a handmade Valentine that included the hearts image on this page. Feeling inspired, I wrote the following scene for my blog.
She woke to the feel of her husband’s warmth against her back, and snuggled against him. “You awake?”
“Do I need to be?” He wrapped one arm around her waist, and kissed her neck.
“That depends on how much you want to take part.”
His low chuckle rumbled. “Wife, I want to be part of anything and everything you’re doing. Especially if it’s me.”
She turned onto her back to see his face. Sleep had mussed his hair, and morning whiskers had roughened his jaw.
He stroked his chin as if seeing himself through her eyes. “I should shave.”
She stretched, and the covers slipped down, revealing her breasts.
His eyes went glassy. His lips parted, and he licked them.
“Shave later.” She arched against him, reached up to encircle his neck, and pulled him down for a hot good morning kiss.
Bread Pudding. |
Would you like an easy recipe for your Mardi Gras party or dinner menu? How about a simple bread pudding even the kids will enjoy? This one is an old favorite, and it’s served with a sweet butter topping and cinnamon sugar. Good down home cooking.
Shamrock |
Izzorah Loves the Ocean. |
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I love this photo. I created ears for him, and that was about all I had to do to make this picture of my feline humanoid Izzorah work.
In an upcoming book, Izzorah (Rah) and his lover marry and go on their honeymoon. In one scene, Luc comes up behind him at the seaside and stands quietly, taking in the beauty of his younger lover as he enjoys the splash of warm water and the cooling waves.
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever,” Keats said. That certainly fits here. Golden, tan, fit, in love with life. Who could not adore a man like that? Luc is certainly smitten.