I wasn’t sure if I wanted to start back up with both my blogs this year, and after some thought, I’d seriously considered shutting this one down to focus on The Garden of Delights (my “name” blog). With so much going on lately though, I realized I need an outlet that’s me, but not me.
So, I’m back again with some small “what I’d been plotting for Wednesday” offerings (at least things I’d been plotting before the internet and searching things to do in England just sucked me in for two days straight). It’s been over ten years since I was there last, and so much has changed, both there and in my life. This trip, instead of with my husband, will be the Boodle and I, for three weeks of touring and experiencing. It’s a bit daunting, but magnificent as well.
And speaking of magnificent… my husband forwarded me THIS in my Twitter feed the other day:
Our Sun in decreasing wavelengths from left to right.
That image definitely got me thinking about how we see our world. I write fantasy world stories and some science fiction. What if someone’ eyes didn’t see things in the visible spectrum we as human so often do? How would the world look to them? They certainly wouldn’t perceive color the way we did. They might not, given that more of their senses were probably different enough from ours, feel things the way that we do.
This sort of world where such a small difference—the change between red light or blue light (both part of our visible spectrum)—can reveal layers we could have only imagined. Look at the last quarter of that image, on the far right, and consider those wave-like features (ultraviolet radiation, if what I’ve read is correct). Now imagine that sort of energy related to communication in an alien species?
Oh, the possibilities!
And, of course, there are plenty more views to consider. Here is a link to another picture of a similar type of thing on NASA’s website, with an explanation of why this sort of research is done.
Next thing I’d like to share with you since this was intended to be a Wednesday post (dang you, Internet, for being so delightfully distracting 😉 ) is a WIPpet Wednesday snip of fiction.
We have what-would-have-been Wednesday the 25th of January… so seven paragraphs (2+5) minus one for the month. Six short paragraphs…
I’m dragging this piece my Unnamed Story, which is pretty much always a Work In Progress (WIP). I keep the notebook next to me for whenever I am having too much trouble thinking of what comes next in my main WIP (a restructuring of Courting the Swan Song).
Valmara reached over and started filling another round of drinks. There was a set to the younger man’s face. His dark gaze rounded their group. Alanii wondered if he might also be thinking about Valistii’s continued absence. Then the man downed his newly poured glass sharply and fell back into his chair.
“She’s going to sleep with all of you—” The man grimaced. “Or is that all of us?” The edge of his voice spoke horror as well as disbelief and awe.
Unsure of how he should answer the young man, he hesitated. While he considered his words, Ytramli and Lan glanced from Valmara to him then to each other.
His cousin’s expression changed to a dreading knowing. The man’s mouth twitched, opening twice and closing in silence. Finally he reached for the lighter and took several abrupt puffs. At last the man groaned out something that resembled words.
Alanii just nodded. Since it had sounded to him like the man had said “she’s mad” he had to agree.
Lan hadn’t been far behind Ytramli in realizing what they were trying to not discuss. The older man mouthed the cigar he held still unlit. His expression seemed thoughtful. At last he shrugged. “Technically she should, but perhaps your priest will excuse you and she from that rite. Though I question your priest’s wisdom in selecting her.”
As always, if you enjoy what you see, or if you’d like to participate, head over to the WIPpet linky and visit some our other awesome members. Emily Witt, thank you for continuing to be our gracious host. 😀
Many Worlds From Many Minds 