Scattered Positivity

Long time, Internet!

I had a fun NorWesCon with lots and lots of people I don't see often, but THAT SAID... about halfway through my first night there, the wife calls to say that there was an altercation involving police, guns, and kids with guns in front of our house. While the kids were in the yard. No shots fired, but she was a bit freaked out and I was a little weirded out at the thought of leaving everyone in the house alone after that. So's I drove home and spent the night, then drove back to Seattle the next night with Cory, and had some fun, completely forgot about a writers' workshop session (sorry, everyone involved!) then drove back late at night.

If it hadn't been for Cory's all-around mad genius, I would have fallen asleep, then dead, at the wheel. We had a great story therapy session and now I know what to do with a story if I ever sit down to write it.

There are a couple of scattered reviews for my new story, "Blade and Branch and Stone," around the Internet:

By far the most ambitious story in the issue and the most original, Ellsworth's created a strange and intriguing world.

Also:

While the concepts of a race that is part tree and trees that store generational memories aren't new, and aren't my favorite tropes if I'm being honest, Ellsworth uses multiple viewpoints to present a moving picture of how two races at enmity with each other can bridge a gap. This was a multi-layered tale worth the reading.

For those who haven't read it, the story is here. Enjoy! You might even leave me a comment if you think it's a particular shining light. Or if you think it's terrible.