My schedule was very unpredictable and erratic this week, which led to not nearly as much writing as I would have liked.
Microbiome Feature Issue
When did probiotics become trendy? When did they become legitimate science and medicine? How do we differentiate between the pseudoscience of “raw food” movements and the clinical science of potential treatments for diseases from Alzheimer’s to ALS?
Warfare on the Mediterranean in the Age of Sail Review
I learned an enormous amount about naval warfare in the age of sail, the tactics and techniques involved, how the evolution from oars to sails took place, and the geopolitical context behind conflicts that I only vaguely knew happened at all.
Private Matters
What separates human beings from other animals? What makes us distinct, different, unique, what traits do we alone have who have done things that no other species has on Earth? For that matter, what is different between a person hunting for subsistence and a person settling the Fertile Crescent?
Blood Magic S3:E5: Blood and Dragons, Part One Release
In some ways, Blood and Dragons is the easy climax of the series, the obvious one. I’m hoping that I’m able to pull it off where that’s an advantage, and not a problem, because I’m really excited to finally be writing this pair of episodes.
Weekly Writing Update
If last week was a high wordcount week, this week was the opposite - most of my writing time was occupied in finishing up revisions on both parts of Blood and Dragons (the first part will go live on Tuesday!)
Coup d’État: A Practical Handbook Review
That title is no understatement. Bloodied copies of this book have been purportedly discovered amongst the most worn possessions of failed coup leaders, which Luttwak is quick to disclaim as being evidence that they did not amply take to heart his text’s lessons, and not a suggestion that his instructions are flawed.
Back and Forth on Pacing
My recent reading of Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy set me to thinking about pacing in a more rigorous way than I have before.
Weekly Writing Update
All told, I think I wrote something like ten thousand words of new story or story-related material this week, not including work I did on blog posts and book reviews, which I'd like to think is somewhat respectable for someone doing this as a hobby.
Moon to Mars Public Comment Opportunity
There is a public comment period open from now until May 31st for NASA's defined objectives in the Moon to Mars program, which can all be found here: Moon to Mars Objectives. NASA has some details about the public comment period here: NASA Seeks Input. To make comments, go here: Feedback on the draft.
IGC Publishing 