M.J. Downing “You look like a monster in that thing,” Finn called from the porch. He was speaking to his father, Professor James McCoy, just home from his college office, who was carrying the yard waste to the curb. He wore a long wool coat with a wide hood as he walked down their... Continue Reading →
Yes, he really did walk around, sometimes, with his rope over his back or head. He would bring it to you like that when it was time to play. That was my Grumpy. I delayed writing this for over a month. Losing my pal, Grumpy, pictured above, is one of the hardest times of... Continue Reading →
I learned a great deal in my few years in the Louisville Fire Department. One of the first and best and hardest lessons was that, unlike my father, I was not cut out to be a firefighter. I was shy, reticent, and mostly unconscious about what I wanted out of life. That’s quite common... Continue Reading →
Where did you go? You’re in the ground, now, I suppose, but it doesn’t feel real. How can you be dead? You were always so alive, so vital, like a flame, though you never burned me. I basked in your warmth, and I feel it still, though you are gone. You didn’t want... Continue Reading →
As those who follow my Instagram account know, I’m a fan of Jay Bonansinga. His images sizzle and pop on the page; his story lines demand I go on reading. The immediate connection he builds between a reader and his characters drives us forward, page after page. Don’t read him at bedtime! In Stan... Continue Reading →
“Christmas Ex Machina.” M.J. Downing On a cold, gray Christmas Eve, while Sam Cooper was home, at work, when the ghost came. Sam, surrounded by computer screens, was in the midst of a video conference at the same time he answered several questions from clients who paid him well. His talent was making software behave.... Continue Reading →
Do fairies translate to the techno, postmodern world? M.J. Downing First of all, I’m looking or comments on this subject. So, please give this a thought, especially in light of the last story I posted, “An Eye to See.” Halloween stories need a source of threat. I chose fairies, this time, because I don’t see... Continue Reading →
This one is for Tolkien enthusiasts who are disappointed by The Rings of Power: There’s Hope Yet! Amazon’s Rings of Power is just the right size for television or film. It is far too small, though, for Tolkien enthusiasts. The computer graphics and clever camera work are all exciting, perhaps even innovative. I am... Continue Reading →
Just recently, as I emptied my email spam box, I came across an invitation to be admitted to the Illuminati. No, I had not sent in an application, as odd as that might sound, coming from the former director of the Jed Clampett College Center of Esoteric B.S. the sign for which was once posted... Continue Reading →
M.J. Downing. With the recent release of a “coming attractions” Netflix ad, folks will see that Enola Holmes 2 is on its way in ’22. Furthermore, “Screen rant” suggests that Henry Cavill’s reprise of the Sherlock role will be more involved in the second view. In my view, I say, why not Cavill? Since... Continue Reading →
MJ Downing’s Place 