Karen Carlson
@sloopie72.bsky.social
And do not call the tortoise unworthy because she is not something else. - Walt Whitman
I read a lot. Then I blog about it so I don't forget.
https://sloopie72.wordpress.com/
I read a lot. Then I blog about it so I don't forget.
https://sloopie72.wordpress.com/
Reposted by Karen Carlson
Excited to have a flash fiction piece in a really lovely new magazine called Strange Pilgrims!
If you want to read some Greek mythology related fiction while you drink your coffee:
www.strangepilgrims.com/p/consider-t...
If you want to read some Greek mythology related fiction while you drink your coffee:
www.strangepilgrims.com/p/consider-t...
Consider the Eagle by Lincoln Michel
At first things went well enough... | Flash Fiction #2
www.strangepilgrims.com
February 5, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Excited to have a flash fiction piece in a really lovely new magazine called Strange Pilgrims!
If you want to read some Greek mythology related fiction while you drink your coffee:
www.strangepilgrims.com/p/consider-t...
If you want to read some Greek mythology related fiction while you drink your coffee:
www.strangepilgrims.com/p/consider-t...
"I don't tell secrets, but I have made a living out of listening to them."
Thoughts on reading Jake Weber's novel about (among other things) the importance of storytelling: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘡𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘈 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦-𝘶𝘱 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/02/05/j...
Thoughts on reading Jake Weber's novel about (among other things) the importance of storytelling: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘡𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘈 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦-𝘶𝘱 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/02/05/j...
Jake Weber: The Prince of Zendia (2026) [IBR2026]
Cover art by Jerry King Tom Williams is a forty-plus year veteran of NSA and the last Zendian language analyst at the agency. Most NSA employees think Zendia is a made-up country meant to teach new…
sloopie72.wordpress.com
February 5, 2026 at 1:47 PM
"I don't tell secrets, but I have made a living out of listening to them."
Thoughts on reading Jake Weber's novel about (among other things) the importance of storytelling: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘡𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘈 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦-𝘶𝘱 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/02/05/j...
Thoughts on reading Jake Weber's novel about (among other things) the importance of storytelling: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘡𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘈 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦-𝘶𝘱 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/02/05/j...
Reposted by Karen Carlson
I don’t post here very often because this is such a lonely platform. But here’s a lonely ruin on the edge of Alameda called Neptune Beach that used to be a bustling seaside amusement park.
February 2, 2026 at 11:13 PM
I don’t post here very often because this is such a lonely platform. But here’s a lonely ruin on the edge of Alameda called Neptune Beach that used to be a bustling seaside amusement park.
Looks like tomorrow night's going to be cloudy, so I'll give the beautiful Snow Moon a wave a little early.
February 1, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Looks like tomorrow night's going to be cloudy, so I'll give the beautiful Snow Moon a wave a little early.
Exploring Greek mythology, Part 2: Greek Tragedy
Though written 2500 years ago, some of these plays are surprisingly relevant to the present. Not to mention entertaining.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/28/g...
Though written 2500 years ago, some of these plays are surprisingly relevant to the present. Not to mention entertaining.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/28/g...
Greek Mythology, Part 2: Greek Tragedy (IBR2026)
…. Now I mention all of this not because I think it’s important for you to remember it but to give you a sense of just how strange by our standards Greek tragedy really is. Well, okay, …
sloopie72.wordpress.com
January 28, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Exploring Greek mythology, Part 2: Greek Tragedy
Though written 2500 years ago, some of these plays are surprisingly relevant to the present. Not to mention entertaining.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/28/g...
Though written 2500 years ago, some of these plays are surprisingly relevant to the present. Not to mention entertaining.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/28/g...
Reposted by Karen Carlson
📚 Great reading recommendations in the replies!
I'm not reading anything because I'm exhausted but I loved Sarah Bakewell's "Existentialist Café" @hrfmadsen.bsky.social is reading, it's also entertaining.
I'm not reading anything because I'm exhausted but I loved Sarah Bakewell's "Existentialist Café" @hrfmadsen.bsky.social is reading, it's also entertaining.
January 24, 2026 at 4:40 PM
📚 Great reading recommendations in the replies!
I'm not reading anything because I'm exhausted but I loved Sarah Bakewell's "Existentialist Café" @hrfmadsen.bsky.social is reading, it's also entertaining.
I'm not reading anything because I'm exhausted but I loved Sarah Bakewell's "Existentialist Café" @hrfmadsen.bsky.social is reading, it's also entertaining.
Reposted by Karen Carlson
Hundreds gather in Portland to protest actions by ICE * Free to access
Hundreds gather in Portland to protest actions by ICE
The demonstration came at the end of a week in which federal immigration officials said over 100 people had been detained in Maine.
www.pressherald.com
January 23, 2026 at 11:07 PM
Hundreds gather in Portland to protest actions by ICE * Free to access
Exploring Greek mythology, Part 1: The Epic Cycle
There's a whole universe going on before, during, and after the Iliad and the Odyssey. But it mostly disappeared over time...
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/23/g...
There's a whole universe going on before, during, and after the Iliad and the Odyssey. But it mostly disappeared over time...
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/23/g...
Greek Mythology, Part 1: The Epic Cycle (IBR2026)
Let us finally return to the question we originally posed at the start of this introduction: is the Epic Cycle, as recoverable by fragments and the (incomplete) summary of Proclus, worth studying t…
sloopie72.wordpress.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Exploring Greek mythology, Part 1: The Epic Cycle
There's a whole universe going on before, during, and after the Iliad and the Odyssey. But it mostly disappeared over time...
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/23/g...
There's a whole universe going on before, during, and after the Iliad and the Odyssey. But it mostly disappeared over time...
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/23/g...
Reposted by Karen Carlson
January 19, 2026 at 1:07 PM
why is Youtube so determined to sell me horse food? And not just horse food - show-horse food.
January 17, 2026 at 7:39 PM
why is Youtube so determined to sell me horse food? And not just horse food - show-horse food.
Look what came in the mail today....😀
January 10, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Look what came in the mail today....😀
My blogging buddy, Jake Weber, has published his novel - I'm very excited to finally get to read it!
workshopheretic.blogspot.com/2026/01/my-n...
workshopheretic.blogspot.com/2026/01/my-n...
My novel based on my career at the National Security Agency is now available--guaranteed to be one of the two best NSA novels by a former employee ever!
A blog about writing fiction and whether it's good for you.
workshopheretic.blogspot.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:18 PM
My blogging buddy, Jake Weber, has published his novel - I'm very excited to finally get to read it!
workshopheretic.blogspot.com/2026/01/my-n...
workshopheretic.blogspot.com/2026/01/my-n...
"Herodotus of Halicarnassus here presents his research so that human events do not fade with time."
Thoughts on reading Herodotus, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 (it's way more fun than it sounds!)
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/08/h...
Thoughts on reading Herodotus, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 (it's way more fun than it sounds!)
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/08/h...
Herodotus: The Histories (IBR2026) – More fun than you might think
Herodotus of Halicarnassus here presents his research so that human events do not fade with time. May the great and wonderful deeds – some brought forth by the Hellenes, others by the barbarians – …
sloopie72.wordpress.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:05 PM
"Herodotus of Halicarnassus here presents his research so that human events do not fade with time."
Thoughts on reading Herodotus, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 (it's way more fun than it sounds!)
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/08/h...
Thoughts on reading Herodotus, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 (it's way more fun than it sounds!)
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/08/h...
Beautiful Wolf Moon
January 2, 2026 at 11:24 PM
Beautiful Wolf Moon
Shaking Things Up A Little: My reading plan for the next few months
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/02/i...
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/02/i...
In-Between Reading 2026: Shaking Things Up a Little (IBR2026)
Happy New Year! This is the time of year I usually start reading Pushcart. I have the 2026 volume on my Next Read Table (the TBR shelf got overloaded so I had to expand) but I’m going to do things …
sloopie72.wordpress.com
January 2, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Shaking Things Up A Little: My reading plan for the next few months
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/02/i...
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2026/01/02/i...
Picture of the staff who operate my account.
January 1, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Picture of the staff who operate my account.
It's just a cheap discount store, and it's only been there 15 years, but it's the only downtown place to sell inexpensive housewares (and clothes and off-brand snacks and holiday decorations and basic garden supplies in Spring). I'll miss it.
December 31, 2025 at 1:49 PM
It's just a cheap discount store, and it's only been there 15 years, but it's the only downtown place to sell inexpensive housewares (and clothes and off-brand snacks and holiday decorations and basic garden supplies in Spring). I'll miss it.
BASS 2025 Wrap-up: Finding the Funny, And Much More
Closing out #BestAmericanShortStories2025 – with thanks to editors @nicolealamy.bsky.social , @pronounced-ing.bsky.social , and the twenty writers who put themselves on the page.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/29/b...
Closing out #BestAmericanShortStories2025 – with thanks to editors @nicolealamy.bsky.social , @pronounced-ing.bsky.social , and the twenty writers who put themselves on the page.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/29/b...
BASS 2025 Wrap-up: Finding the Funny, and Much More
Book Art by Su Blackwell (detail) During my first year as series editor of The Best American Short Stories, every day has felt like library book sale day…. Even if they have led me to ignore my fam…
sloopie72.wordpress.com
December 29, 2025 at 1:15 PM
BASS 2025 Wrap-up: Finding the Funny, And Much More
Closing out #BestAmericanShortStories2025 – with thanks to editors @nicolealamy.bsky.social , @pronounced-ing.bsky.social , and the twenty writers who put themselves on the page.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/29/b...
Closing out #BestAmericanShortStories2025 – with thanks to editors @nicolealamy.bsky.social , @pronounced-ing.bsky.social , and the twenty writers who put themselves on the page.
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/29/b...
"I can't deny it made me feel special, to have been summoned. "
Thoughts on reading Jessica Treadway's short story, "An Early Departure" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/b...
Thoughts on reading Jessica Treadway's short story, "An Early Departure" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/b...
BASS 2025: Jessica Treadway, “An Early Departure” from Five Points #23.2
When I start writing a story, I usually know what it’s about but not what will happen in it. I begin with a relationship, situation, or memory that holds emotional resonance for me, because a…
sloopie72.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 1:05 PM
"I can't deny it made me feel special, to have been summoned. "
Thoughts on reading Jessica Treadway's short story, "An Early Departure" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/b...
Thoughts on reading Jessica Treadway's short story, "An Early Departure" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/b...
Oh my - Jeopardy (spoiler) just told me something alarming about one of my favorite Christmas songs, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas":
𝑰𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 “𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕”, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑱𝒖𝒅𝒚 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚"
Thank you, Judy!
𝑰𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 “𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕”, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑱𝒖𝒅𝒚 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚"
Thank you, Judy!
Some daye soon we all will be togethir
Yf the fates allowe
Til that tyme we have to muddle thrugh somehowe
Yf the fates allowe
Til that tyme we have to muddle thrugh somehowe
December 25, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Oh my - Jeopardy (spoiler) just told me something alarming about one of my favorite Christmas songs, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas":
𝑰𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 “𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕”, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑱𝒖𝒅𝒚 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚"
Thank you, Judy!
𝑰𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 “𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕”, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑱𝒖𝒅𝒚 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚"
Thank you, Judy!
"They were very good at fighting – they always said things that were mean and true."
Thoughts on reading Sanjana Thakur's short story, “Aishwarya Rai” from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/23/b...
Thoughts on reading Sanjana Thakur's short story, “Aishwarya Rai” from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/23/b...
BASS 2025: Sanjana Thakur, “Aishwarya Rai” from Granta, May 28, 2024
Granta art: Photograph © Keerthana Kunnath I do think that this story, with all its different mothers, allowed me the space to explore how variable and complex mother-daughter relationships are, an…
sloopie72.wordpress.com
December 23, 2025 at 1:03 PM
"They were very good at fighting – they always said things that were mean and true."
Thoughts on reading Sanjana Thakur's short story, “Aishwarya Rai” from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/23/b...
Thoughts on reading Sanjana Thakur's short story, “Aishwarya Rai” from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/23/b...
"I am nowhere near running out of road."
Thoughts on reading Justin Taylor's short story, "What About This," from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/b...
Thoughts on reading Justin Taylor's short story, "What About This," from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/b...
December 20, 2025 at 1:13 PM
"I am nowhere near running out of road."
Thoughts on reading Justin Taylor's short story, "What About This," from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/b...
Thoughts on reading Justin Taylor's short story, "What About This," from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/b...
Reposted by Karen Carlson
December 19, 2025 at 12:22 PM
"There is music in silence."
Thoughts on reading William Pei Shih's short story, "The Masterclass" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/17/b...
Thoughts on reading William Pei Shih's short story, "The Masterclass" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/17/b...
BASS 2025: William Pei Shih, “The Masterclass” from Los Angeles Review, September 2024
“The Masterclass” originated as a cut from a novel that I was working on, but over a summer in Paris, evolved into a piece of its own, encapsulating themes of mentorship, the struggles within artis…
sloopie72.wordpress.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:38 PM
"There is music in silence."
Thoughts on reading William Pei Shih's short story, "The Masterclass" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/17/b...
Thoughts on reading William Pei Shih's short story, "The Masterclass" from #BestAmericanShortStories2025
sloopie72.wordpress.com/2025/12/17/b...