Lorinda J. Taylor

Retired librarian, writes SF/F about intelligent termites, first contacts, future history. Books at

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

Featuring my series The Man Who Found Birds among the Stars. 7 5-star reviews on v.1: "... a story of flawed heroes and perfect plot, of hard science and tender hearts. It is intelligently written, fantastic entertainment for the
imagination." https://t.co/HEujO9JD8H

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiSat [A conversation between Capt. Nikalishin and the psychologist Dr. Winehandle. Do you think Robbie should keep Ian as his Chief Engineer?]

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiSat [1/5] “Ian said you told him he had a problem with authority figures – let’s see, how’d he put it? That both the big, bad monster in the engine & his father are, uh – primal forces to be conquered.” Robbie couldn’t help laughing.
“And what did you say to that, Captain?”

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiSat [2/5] “Well, first I said, ‘Pish-tush – head-peelers.’ But I’ve rather come to see what he meant. The human mind is certainly complex, and each one of ’em is unique, too, isn’t it?”
“That’s what keeps my work fascinating. …

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiSat [3/5] Robbie, I’m pleased Ian has started talking to you about some of these things. Keep encouraging him, will you? But at the same time, don’t start playing psychoanalyst. You’re not trained for that.”
Robbie chuckled. “Don’t worry, doc. I know my limitations.” …

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiSat [4/5] “I want reassurance that if you feel Cmdr. Glencrosse is performing his duties in an inadequate manner, you would have no compunction about pulling him off the line.”
“Oh, I understand a Captain’s responsibilities, doctor,” said Robbie.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiSat [5/5]“ “Every minute I’m in command out there, I’m aware a Captain’s first duty is to ensure the safety of his crew & his ship. But I’d bloody well hate to have to relieve Ian of duty, because I think it wd devastate him. It would signal for sure he had been defeated.”

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiFri Always "hunting" for likes - thanks! @ScottLeminski @HilaryRSparkes @SchatzSpeaks @darkdre57036765 @voimaoy @bowengreenwood

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

Somrbody bought ten of my print books today! Weird, but most welcome!

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiFri Zhánwagel received his visitors in the outer chamber, beneath the archaic smoke-hazed paintings of antelope, #hunters, and leering Troil. The High Elder was a singularly ugly and forbidding figure, with a head like a boulder ...

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiFri He raised his arms, & a wind seemed to roar through the Cave, guttering the torches, setting their flames dancing with multicolored lights. Grotesque shadows leaped, making the #hunters on the walls wave their spears and the horol flee in panic across the painted crags.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiFri “I was always a man of frugal appetites, and unskilled as a #hunter, and during these ten years I have lived on whatever came to hand – berries, bark, raw pine nuts – fungus – snails – an occasional fish caught with the hands, or a trapped marmot.”

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#SciFiFri Few humans came to the roots of Zhinthá except to #hunt roe and dorod’l, and even those handsome blue-barred waterfowl displayed no sign of alarm as Halrab shouldered his pack and turned to regard the abruptly rising terrain before him.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#1linewed "Funeral" - well ... Not my most successful posting. Thanks to @LLaaksoWriter and @voimaoy Only slightly more successful over on Bluesky.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#1linewed [1/6] So once again it fell to my lot to become a counselor of mourning. …
After considering what I had to say, the zan’zei| devised their own version of a memorial for Vai’zei’a’parn. They decided to place his body in a small cave and wall it up there.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#1linewed [2/6] The mourning ritual was lengthy. They sacrificed little birds in the manner we had witnessed earlier, and they pounded the symbolic horns of Vai’zei’a’parn into dust and scattered them over his body before they sealed the burial.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#1linewed [3/6] Thel’tav’a asked them to lay some of her little skull-chains & feathers next to Vai’zei’a’parn in the burial chamber &they did so. Bu’gan’zei put in a morsel of food as a gift for the crotchety Raft-Poler & then he recited his praise-speaking following the burial.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#1linewed [4/6] Then a mourning dance was held that encompassed the entire fortress & lasted a whole night. People came from all the neighboring fortresses to participate…
At last the rites ended & the body of the Leader of the People was left to return to the Ground-Mother.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#1linewed [5/6] And Is’a’pai’a said, “It is time for us to return to the path.”
So once more we exchanged goodbyes w/ many friends. For us newcomers this farewell differed little from others we had spoken during our journey, but for Krai’zei and Da’sask’ni’a it was excruciating,

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

#1linewed [6/6] … for they had no way of knowing if they would ever return to their beloved home. And most likely those goodbyes did prove to be final, for I have no knowledge that any of us who left that day ever passed that way again.

[Lorinda J. Taylor @TermiteWriter]

My old doctor left so I spent the morning in an appt. with a new one. Family practice drs don't last long, it seems. I'm back to normal tomorrow, I hope.