I’m in the middle of my first revision pass through Heart of the Nebula, direct sequel to Bringing Stella Home, and…I don’t know exactly how to put this, but the story seems to be simultaneously smoother and more shallow. Plot-wise, everything works great; character-wise, there just doesn’t seem to be as much depth as my… Continue reading Struggling not to settle
Tag: character
Trope Tuesday: Pet the Dog
The basic principle behind this trope is that when you want your readers to feel some kind of sympathy toward a character, have them pet a puppy / puppy equivalent. Often used to show who the good guy is, but can also be used to add depth to a villain. I first learned about this… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Pet the Dog
Goddesses by Linda Nagata
From the book description: Michael Fielding is the newly appointed site director of the Four Villages project in rural India, tasked with guiding the economic development of the region. But a chance encounter with an ailing, homeless, and very young widow plunges him into the maze of an ossified and violent traditional culture, while putting… Continue reading Goddesses by Linda Nagata
The interior designer’s approach to story
I recently read a fascinating post on John Brown’s blog with an interesting exercise for analyzing the kinds of stories you most like to read. By finding out what really turns you on in a story, you can have a much better idea what to write, and how to make your own stories better. He… Continue reading The interior designer’s approach to story
Skye Object 3270a by Linda Nagata
It’s not easy being a teenager in the orbital colony of Silk–especially when all the adults are functionally immortal and anyone under one hundred is considered an adolescent. To make matters worse, Skye fell to the city in an escape pod when she was just a baby, with no idea who she is, where she’s from, or how long… Continue reading Skye Object 3270a by Linda Nagata
The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang
Ana was a washed-up zoologist turned programmer looking for work; Derek was an avatar designer for the Data Earth virtual reality platform. The thing that brought them together: Blue Gamma Inc., manufacturer of autonomous self-aware AI pets known as digients. Like any pet, each digient requires constant attention as they learn and grow. Soon, Ana… Continue reading The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang
Bringing Stella Home is now up on Amazon!
That’s right–after a whole lot of work, my novel is now up on Amazon for $3.95. Check it out! This novel is the first of a much larger series that I have planned. It’s not a series like Ender’s Game or Song of Ice and Fire, though; all of the novels are supposed to stand… Continue reading Bringing Stella Home is now up on Amazon!
T minus 24 hours and counting…
That’s right! After much wrangling, I formatted it this morning and published it to Amazon this afternoon. In less than 24h hours, it should be up for sale! In many ways, Bringing Stella Home is a lot different from Genesis Earth. For one, the scope is much larger, with the rise and fall of galactic… Continue reading T minus 24 hours and counting…
Sholpan, or The Great Novella Experiment
So now that I’m finished with Desert Stars, the next project I’m working on is a companion novella to Bringing Stella Home titled Sholpan. While Bringing Stella Home is about James and his quest to rescue his brother and sister, Sholpan is entirely from Stella’s point of view and traces her rise in Hameji society, from prisoner… Continue reading Sholpan, or The Great Novella Experiment
Guest post: Developing Characters in a Fantasy Setting
Nathan Major is a friend and fellow writing who, like me, has taken the epublishing route for his first novel, Paradise Seekers. I met him through our mutual friend Charlie at Brandon Sanderson’s English 318 class. His book is pretty good; I’m only partway through it right now, but he’s playing with some interesting fantasy… Continue reading Guest post: Developing Characters in a Fantasy Setting