Category: fantasy
-
Year of Gratitude 2021
Even as we continue deep inside the pandemic, 2021 has brought signs of hope. As of this post, new case numbers have dropped dramatically. Campaigns for vaccination are gathering momentum. D.C. politics, despite the continued rants of certain extremists, have calmed. The White House is at last turning away from a personal aggrandizement and toward…
-
Words of Courage, Comfort, and Contemplation
There are small things I can point to as bright spots inside the pandemic. Among these, I’ve discovered the pleasure of podcasts. I know: I’m years behind on this one. I’d never listened to podcasts before March 2020, but being away from the office – and people in general – nudged me into finding new…
-
First Goals and Aspirations for 2020
Avila University started its regular spring semester about two weeks ago. Seems I’ve hardly drawn a breath, and the month has already slipped by! After some worry that I might be teaching an overload again this spring, I managed to negotiate with the powers that be so that my teaching obligations remain within contract. This…
-
Winter Solstice Reading
Happy Winter Solstice! I’m celebrating this year by bringing back a tradition I let slide a while ago: my annual holiday reading. Technology has changed since the last time I did this, so it took some time to figure things out, but the recording is finished and uploaded – embedded below and available on…
-
Where Magic Resides
WordPress friends, my apologies leaving you alone for so long! Honestly, I do not know where this semester went. Every time I wanted to sit down and write an update, time was whisked away by some pressing commitment. I won’t mourn being off line. I never do. Life feels more real when I’m away from this…
-
Turning Point Revisited
In 2007, I sold my first short story, ‘Turning Point,’ to the speculative fiction journal ZAHIR. Set in the highland forests of Costa Rica, ‘Turning Point’ chronicles the tensions between three field entomologists who must decide what to do when a faerie falls into one of their malaise traps. The meticulous Ruth, dedicated to documentation and…
-
Hidden Heritage
We’re well into classes at Avila, but in quiet moments I still reflect on my summer trip to Germany and all the things I learned and saw traveling the country with my family; visiting the stomping grounds of relatives and ancestors. I’ve long been fascinated by family histories, a habit instilled in me no doubt…
-
Inconceivable!
Every year around this time, I look at my August calendar and say, “Who are you, and what have you done with my summer?” Classes start at Avila this week. Wait, what? Classes start this week?? Why does time always takes us by surprise? I once read a theologian who argued this was evidence of…
-
ADELANTE 2018
I’m honored to announce that I’ve been invited as the keynote speaker for this year’s ADELANTE conference, presented by Prospanica KC. Prospanica is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Hispanic community to reach their full educational, economic, and social potential. They also advocate the pursuit of higher education in all careers and advance Hispanic…
-
June Bee Update
Bee activity has spiked this month out at Jerry Smith Park. Our collection protocol brought in twice as many individuals compared to April and May combined! I’m also seeing bees I haven’t seen before; notably, Svastra, a striking bee with very furry legs. (That “fur” by the way is what biologists call “scopa;” specialized hairs for carrying…
K. R. Gastreich, Author 