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Informational posts (weekly events, writing games, internet rabbitholes) as well as fiction snippets. Â Includes access to 7+ years of past posts.
Monthly class for Patreon supporters.
Weekly Zoom events: Wednesday Writing Games, Friday Clean and Chat.
Monthly Zoom events: Story Discussion group, special speakers, and Social Media talks.
Advance chance to sign up and special rate on live classes through the Rambo Academy, as well as early access to sales and writing retreat registration.
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Everything in lower tiers.
Access to recordings of past events and classes.
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Yearly limited edition sticker (sent out in December).
$10 Campus Pass plus Library Card
Everything in lower tiers.
Yearly ebook  (sent out in December).
1 live or on-demand Rambo Academy class per year  (transferable but non-cumulative, starts on 3rd month).
$25 Scholar’s Edition Campus Pass
Everything in lower tiers, but live class is every 3 months  (transferable but non-cumulative, starts on 3rd month).
$50 Schoolhouse Rock Edition Campus Pass
Everything in lower tiers but live class is monthly and starts immediately (transferable but non-cumulative).
$100 Super Extra Deluxe Campus Pass
Everything in lower tiers.
A monthly 15-30 minute coaching session or story edit up to 4,000 words.
Everything from the $5 level up will also be available through Paypal subscription for people who don’t want to add Patreon to their addictions. I tried to keep everything equitable because I didn’t want any level to feel like I was taking away stuff.
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"(On the writing F&SF workshop) Wanted to crow and say thanks: the first story I wrote after taking your class was my very first sale. Coincidence? nah….thanks so much."
~K. Richardson
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Creating Glass Garden Flowers: A Walkthrough
At least a glass saucer or plate will get added to this project as "petals," but the painting part of the process is pretty much done. I've used both sides of the plate in order to create additional depth. The center piece is a wooden stopper for a long-ago broken decanter. It's decorated with metallic paint pen. I'll finish it off with a layer of something to water-proof it. I was pleased with the look of it overall, though.When I set out to make the glass garden flowers for Mom, I found plenty of pictures but very few tutorials. So here’s a walkthrough of the process, which should illustrate one important thing about these: they’re not a last minute project. The paint takes time to dry, as does the adhesive, which you will need to do in at least two stages.
What you need:
Glass or ceramic pieces to make the body of the flower from
3 to 5′ (suggested) length of rebar or other stake-like material
Terrycloth
Duct tape
Step 1: Assemble What You Have
Assemble the glassware you’ll be using. I suggest checking cupboards first. You’ll want several sizes that can be layered on top of each other, and (usually, depending on your other pieces) something for the center, like a short candlestick, round glass ball, or other object suitable for a focal point.
Go through your crafting supplies and look for beads, bits of jewelry, beach glass, shells, and other pieces that can be used to decorate layers.
Step 2: Find What You Don’t Have
If you can’t find everything you need at home, go shopping. In the thrift store, look for interesting pieces that are chipped or otherwise deeply discounted in both the ceramics and glassware sections. Check the metalware and mirrors as well. My local Value Village has a wall in which they bag oddments and sell as lots. If you have this, browse through it. Things you’re looking for: glass pebbles, large beads, holiday ornaments, mosaic pieces, and other things that can be glued onto plates. Pick up old shot glasses or small bottles to use for the backs.
I prefer to let what I find dictate the piece. You can also try to replicate or improve on an existing pattern or otherwise plan it out. In such a case you may need to visit multiple stores to find what you need.
In the dollar store, look for glassware and remember that you are able to paint it.
Step 3: Figure out the Layers
Bring home the pieces and arrange them, trying to figure out the order in which you will want to glue them. You may choose to work from the front to the back or vice versa. Attaching the shot glass will be a final step.
Step 4 (optional): Paint Glass
Decide if you’re going to paint the glass, which must be finished before any gluing can take place. If so, I used DecoArt Gloss Enamels, which can be used on wood, glass, and ceramics. Be aware painting add time to the process. You will paint the piece in stages, letting each color dry in turn, and then letting the overall piece dry for four days before you bake it to set the colors. Is it worth it? Here’s another of the pieces I painted today.
This plate will serve as the back layer of a flower. I suggest not worrying too much about being meticulous with the paint. You want an organic feel for the flower (in my opinion). I'll let this piece dry and then bake it to set the colors before I start adding anything to it. Because pieces will overlap the center, there's no point in getting too elaborate with it.
Once you have painted the glass, let it dry and bake it.
Step 5: Glue the Layers
Once the step involving glass paint has been performed or skipped, you can begin gluing. I suggest putting down the back piece, gluing the next layer atop it, etc. You can assemble all the front layers and glue them. Set to dry on a level, ventilated surface that is reasonably warm. Let them dry at least 24 hours.
Step 6: Decorate the Layers
At this stage you may glue other things in as decoration. Among what I’ve used so far: Christmas ornaments, gold foil, a cat toy, glass flowers, marbles, large pearl beads, glass pebbles. Let dry at least 24 hours.
Step 7: Add the Back
Now you’re ready to add the back. I use a plastic cereal container to hold the pieces while gluing on the backing, since many of them have delicate front pieces that they cannot rest on. Again let the piece glue for at least 24 hours.
Step 8: Assemble the Stake or Holder
To assemble the holder, if using a shot glass, cut a small piece of terrycloth and duct tape it to the top of the rebar. You can adjust it to make it fit snugly into the glass. Otherwise, you do not need to pad the rebar.
Finito. Now you know enough to make more and probably new ideas have occurred to you already. I’d love to see your creations, please post links if you have them!
Nattering Social Justice Cook: Self-Defense Class, Week One
Sloths are kinda irresistible in the morning.Well, it’s been interesting.
Monday, I got up at 4:45 AM and drove over, first making sure I’ve eaten half a protein bar despite my stomach protesting the early hour. Because I’m always anxious about getting places late, I was there fifteen minutes early and got a chance to chat with the instructor, Carrie, a peppy woman maybe 10-15 years older than I. The gym’s fairly minimal: mats and bags. Four other women arrived, and we got started.
Shock number one. We’re learning self-defense, but this is also a fitness bootcamp with a hearty dose of circuit training included. I find the fact that I walk a lot and do a plank once every few days has totally deluded me to my state of fitness. This is brought painfully home during the jumping rope section. I haven’t done it in decades and simply cannot do more than a couple without hitting my feet. Still, I persevere.
We spend some time hitting and kicking the bags. It’s satisfying. I like it because it’s getting me used to the idea of using my body like that. This part of the drill is kinda killer, though, as we alternate hitting/kicking with things like push-ups, side bridges, and jumping squats.
It’s a long time before an hour is over.
Wednesday I get up at the same time, eat some yogurt, and decide I’ll walk over. Things are dark at 5 am, but not too bad, and I get there in plenty of time. We’ve lost one person and are down to four now. It’s much like the last session, particularly the humiliation of the jumprope session, but this time, somewhere in the middle of sit-ups, I find myself on the point of tears at how unfit I am and how painful all of this is. It’s unpleasant to the point where the thought of just apologizing and walking out flits across my mind. But again I persevere. Towards the end, we learn how to break free if someone grabs your arm, by always moving towards the spot where the resistance is least.
Afterward I walk home. It feels uphill all the way, and actually is, due to West Seattle’s geography. It’s highly unpleasant and I stride along grumpily wishing I’d driven.
Keeping that in mind, I decide to drive over on Friday. I’m surprised by the internal objections to going I’m feeling when I get up that Friday morning. What if it’s as bad as it was on Wednesday? What if it’s worse? I finally talk myself into it with a promise: if it’s that bad, then I will let myself quit after this session. Having managed my yogurt and drunk some water, I head over.
And it’s not as bad as I thought. I actually manage five jumps in rapid succession with the jumprope. (I do follow this triumph up by somehow managing to tangle myself in the rope to the point where I feel absurd and pray that no one is watching.) I’ve ordered my own online and it’ll arrive Saturday, so I can practice a little before Monday’s class. Overall I feel peppier than I have before, to the point where there are moments where I might actually be enjoying myself, such as the warm-up where we’re circling to the sound of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and the dodgeball session. Make no mistake, though, there’s still plenty of pain.
I leave feeling pretty good about the week. The class is one quarter over, and I think I’d be a bit better equipped if someone came at me. Next week includes the Ladies Basic Gun Training on the 4th so that should come with its own set of revelations, given that I grew up in a household where we were forbidden toy guns.
