Author Archives: Kate

Kage Baker once commented that “becalmed” was a freakin’ stupid word for the condition it actually described. She knew what it really meant, of course. To be “becalmed” is to be stranded at sea with no wind. A ship becalmed … Continue reading →

Kage Baker, I am fairly sure, would be pissed off at me right now. I am not rising to the varied challenges of my life. I am not pulling myself up by my boot-straps – in fact, I’m not even … Continue reading →

Kage Baker was one of the world’s leading proponents of birthday celebrations. I don’t know who keeps track of these things – some sort of cosmic clerk somewhere must, I hope. If there is a top 10 list (and I … Continue reading →

Kage Baker loved photographs from space. She wasn’t a science fiction fan growing up – not like I was, passionately reading anything with rockets or aliens on the cover. Kage found the science fictional art puerile and misogynistic; worse, it … Continue reading →

Kage Baker was never one for napping. Momma had lots of weary stories about that … for her part, Kage had lots of stories about the excruciating boredom of lying awake in cribs and youth beds, staring at the ceiling. … Continue reading →

Kage Baker was much, much fonder of heat than I am. Even when the summer heat waves overtook us, she was happy in the sweltering heat. A change to summer clothing, a fan on her neck, sufficient cold Coke and … Continue reading →

Kage Baker loved summer. It was her time, her own season. She was born on its threshold, just as the signature sea clouds that mute May and June finally burn away (those years that they do): just when the first … Continue reading →

Kag Baker saw the inside of a lot of hospitals during her last year. Being the sort of person who catalogs things compulsively, she livened some of the time  by comparing the various medical facilities, one to the other. Food, … Continue reading →

Kage Baker loathed endings. She avoided them whenever possible. She liked long, long movies. And she liked to watch a film several times in close sequence. The invention of DVDs was made for someone like Kage, who could happily watch … Continue reading →

Kage Baker was born on June 10, 1952. She would have been 61 years old today. I don’t think she would have liked it. No question, she’d have been glad to be alive! That would have meant she’d beaten the … Continue reading →