A bad administrator is more concerned with reports than with decisions. He wants the hard record which he can display as an excuse for his errors.
Lord Leto II
Today’s quote
April 3, 2024
Today’s quote
March 29, 2024
The influence of geography on history went mostly unrecognized…Humans tended to look more at the influence of history on geography. Who owns this river valley? This verdant valley? This peninsula? This planet? None of us.
Frank Herbert, God Emperor of Dune
Today’s quote
March 27, 2024
You don’t write for success. That takes part of your attention away from the writing. If you’re really doing it, that’s all you’re doing: writing.
Frank Herbert, “When I Was Writing Dune”
My secret embarrassing childhood desire…
March 24, 2024
What’s a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had?
When I was in junior high, I sometimes tried to will a book to fly into my hand from a bookcase across the room.
Yeah. I wanted to be able to use telekinesis. Like Jean Grey of the X-Men.
Not surprisingly, my characters in Bringer of Light wind up being able to do it.
“It’s mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” (Satchel Paige)
Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better…
March 23, 2024
What is your favorite type of weather?
It depends on my mood.
I like cold weather in winter, especially on the weekend when I can take it easy and enjoy coffee properly.
I don’t mind rainy weather when I feel like being contemplative and writing.
I prefer clear sunny weather when I want to go watch a baseball game outdoors with friends and family.
I enjoy cool and dry windy weather in autumn when the falling leaves decorate the nearby temple and shrine.
What I don’t like is when the weather changes from winter in the morning to early summer by mid-afternoon, and I especially get irritated when people can’t tell the difference between weather and climate.
“You don’t need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows…”
Ask a foolish question…
March 21, 2024
- Sleep
- Drink coffee
- Write
- Read.
- Watch old episodes of Star Trek that I have watched so often that I have virtually memorized the dialogue…
Trolling trolls rarely works
March 21, 2024
On March 13th, someone on Goodreads shelved Bringer of Light, and on March 14th gave it a one-star rating, the lowest possible.
On March 15th, Bringer of Light was finally published online.
I flagged the “review” as violating Goodreads policy, and received an email saying the company would deal with it appropriately.
Six days later, the one-star “review” still stands.
It’s been very tempting to post a comment. But for the moment, I have resisted.
If you don’t like my work, that’s fine. But it is simply mean-spirited to try to judge it without even bothering to read it.
There are lots of trolls out there. They must be starving for attention.
Poor buggers. You’ll have to find food elsewhere.
Bringer of Light: Characters
March 11, 2024
This time I tried “mmhmm” studio. Some bumps and bruises, but managed to survive!
Oh, and it doesn’t really have a “pronunciation guide.” Oops. The names (I thought) were fairly easy to pronounce. (Weng is not “wehng” but more like “wong,” or even “wung,” but otherwise straightforward…)
Hope you like the video! (2 of 4, I hope)
I’m not the “doubting one,” but…
March 9, 2024
Daily writing prompt
What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance?
My middle name is actually Thomas. I chose to use “M Thomas” as a pen name out of respect for my father, who taught me how to write. As a professional communications writer, he was responsible for lots of public documents for the NYS DMV, including traffic safety reports, driver manuals, press releases from the Governor, all sorts of “my boss will feel the need to edit this, so I will deliberately leave behind something for him to do so as he doesn’t screw up the entire thing” document.
I may or may not have adopted this strategy in my own professional work (I certainly adopted the attitude…)
Another reason is because I had a baby brother named Thomas. He passed away before reaching five months old when I was not quite 11. It had a major impact on me as a child (and indeed as the adult and as the father I am).
I have no sons. It bothers me that I may be the last Thomas in our family. For a while, anyway.
What I am still not used to is…
March 6, 2024
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
“Where are you from?”
I never understood why this question might rankle some people…until I moved to Japan.
I’ve been in Japan since 1999. “Where are you from?” was one of the first questions people asked me at the time, when I was teaching in junior and senior high schools.
No problem, I thought. I’m from Upstate.
“I’m from New York.”
Nods of understanding. “Ohhh, the Big Apple.”
Uh, no. Upstate.
“New York is a state?”
🤦♂️
M Thomas Apple Author Page 