Category Archives: Inspiration

Inspiration, Questions and Answers, Writing

Question: When a writer presents their manuscript to an editor or a publisher, what prevents them from just stealing the work and publishing the book under their own names?

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Answer: Professionalism. An editor or publisher will only ever get one chance to “steal” someone’s work. After that they’re out of business, sued into oblivion, and Chernobyl when it comes to ever being employable ever again. The only writer who is worried about an editor or publisher stealing their manuscript is the noob who doesn’t understand that their work isn’t worth stealing. The amateur. The wannabe too scared to break in who is looking for a reason – any reason – to ensure they remain anonymous and unpublished.

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Inspiration, Interesting Places

Photography in the Eastern Sierras by Cat Connor

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

I dearly love the State of California; it is one of the most picturesque places in all of the world, with many varied and extraordinary landscapes and vistas. It truly does have something for everyone.

I grew up, primarily, at the beach. I saw many a sunset. Oddly, though, I’ve never really cared for ’em. I’ve never found them particularly romantic. Maybe I’ve seen too many of them, or maybe I just don’t like to throw anything away. And that’s what a sunset is. Sunset is the end of a friendship you had with the day. It’s – as I’ve written before – “the part of the relationship where all the little things you thought were cute grate on you like fingers down a chalkboard and you can’t wait for it to be over so you can go back inside.”

Personally, I believe I’ve got the soul of a cowboy. To this day I love all the great westerns; the panoramas, the wide open spaces. And – even though two of my most favorite cowboy films (Silverado and Tombstone) weren’t filmed there – I’ve had a deep and abiding love for the Sierra Nevadas. I love Yosemite, Kings Canyon, the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails, Death Valley and Mount Whitney. Being alone in the open cathedrals made of forests, rock, light, water, and stone makes me feel at peace within the magnificent machine built by our great Creator. I am a solitary wayfarer experiencing a world created just for me.

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Inspiration

Happy Towel Day #happytowelday

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

“A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

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Inspiration

Nemophilist

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

A nemophilist is a person who loves or is fond of forests, woods, or woodland scenery. The term derives from the Greek words “nemos,” meaning grove, and “philos,” meaning affection or love, describing someone who takes great pleasure in being among trees and in natural wooded environments.

Nemophilists are individuals who find profound joy and solace in the embrace of forests and wooded landscapes. They are drawn to the tranquil beauty and serenity of these natural environments, often seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of modern life. For a nemophilist, the rustling of leaves, the scent of earth, and the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy are sources of deep contentment and inspiration. This affinity for the woods goes beyond mere appreciation; it is a heartfelt connection to the natural world that rejuvenates their spirit and fosters a sense of peace and belonging.