“It’s my favorite short story I’ve ever written: In A Pickle.”
“Can I listen to it and read along?”
“You bet. Here’s the link to the short story. It’ll open in a new tab. The dramatization is below. Be sure to be sitting down and don’t operate heavy machinery while you listen to it. Note that this short story and many others are in my book, Oops! Tales of the Zombie Turkey Apocalypse.
Now, what was he going to do? Brice Butterworth’s boss just told him to double the productivity of Vegan Inc.’s pickle strain they used for their Kilwowski Pickle brand. That was completely impossible.
But keeping his job required it. He was the low man on the genetic engineering totem pole at Vegan Inc., the last one hired and the first one to be fired if another recession hit.
Brice couldn’t think. He couldn’t face this. So he cruised the internet. “The origin of zombie turkeys? I didn’t know they’d found that. Hmm, a Midley Beacon exclusive, the foremost zombie news source,” he read out loud.
Get Your Favorite Science and Fantasy Books from my reviews. I’ve been busy reading and I try to review every book I read. Here are the very best books I’ve read this month.
This was my second reading of ‘Song for the Basilisk’, the last one was over 20 years ago.
It’s even better the second time. I read it more slowly and understood the political machinations and the mysteries the author presented the reader. Patricia McKillip definitely has the ‘mystery’ + ‘fantasy’ combination to herself.
The premise is simple. There are four factions contending for rulership of the kingdom. The Basilisk slaughters one that has ruled for hundreds of years. One child escapes to a school for the bards.
The bards are musicians, storytellers, and magicians. But they only come to power by going to the hinterlands, where the magic is.
Meanwhile, the Basilisk rules in peace for 37 years. He has several daughters, one of which grows up learning all his magic.
Ms. McKillip brings all the elements together in a dramatic and surprising novel. It’s one of her best and that says a lot.
Dumb…silly…juvenile…couldn’t put it down. Comfort food for that juvenile part of you that never quite outgrew your comic books. Just forget that it’s preposterous (after all, you were already warned by the title; what did you expect?), and go with the flow…
Are you one of the February Internet Winners? You bet you are! Find out how a little later in this blog post. The first February Internet Winner follows:
Does this look like February where you live?
Yes, the middle of the United States has had a February to remember! Did you see any Imperial Walkers?
But don’t worry! If you get cold you can always do this:
Possibly satire from the world's only genuine fake news source, the Babylon Bee.
Get your welcome email. I’ll send you one within twenty-four hours.
Then click the appropriate button in the email to claim your gifts.
When you get your audiobook codes, claim them. Many people never bother. After a couple of months of waiting, I give them away again. Be sure to let me know if you use the UK Audible server. Then I’ll send you different codes and a different claim link.
Let’s close with this winning photograph of Jupiter.
