I have a lot of thoughts on the new Star Wars trailer. But first, a little background. Growing up in the 90s, I was a huge Star Wars fan. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Star Wars was my life. I played X-Wing every day, I watched at least one of the original trilogy… Continue reading Thoughts on the new Star Wars trailer
Tag: Thoughts and Reflections
The next big dream
When I graduated from college, my goal for my writing career was this: to make a living telling stories that I love. It seemed, at the time, like an impossible dream–something so far out of my reach that I couldn’t possibly achieve it without years and years of constantly frustrated effort. Well, guess what? For… Continue reading The next big dream
Excited for a new old project
So a couple of weeks ago, I picked up the manuscript for a novel I’d written years ago, looking to see how much work it would take to salvage it. It’s a direct sequel to Bringing Stella Home, with James McCoy (again) as the main character. Long-time readers of this blog may remember it as… Continue reading Excited for a new old project
How going indie is like driving a manual (plus a cover reveal)
A couple of weeks ago, I got a new (to me) car. It’s a 2005 Ford Focus / Saleen: a two-door hatchback that drives like a racing car and gets about thirty miles per gallon (WA-A-AY better than the gas guzzler I was driving before). It’s also a manual transmission, which is perhaps the biggest… Continue reading How going indie is like driving a manual (plus a cover reveal)
Thoughts on writers, reviewers, and stalkers
The bookish side of the English-speaking internet exploded last week with an article in The Guardian about an author who stalked a Goodreads reviewer, showing up unannounced on the reviewer’s doorstep and going to great lengths to expose the reviewer’s identity. The crazy part–or crazier, I guess, since the whole thing is batshit crazy–is that… Continue reading Thoughts on writers, reviewers, and stalkers
What readers want
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what science fiction and fantasy readers want in the books they read. I’m in the middle of writing and publishing a series of novellas and short novels, so it’s definitely on my mind. After publishing twenty books and completing another novella series, I think I have a pretty… Continue reading What readers want
Why writing retreats and seminars make me uneasy
Writing retreats and seminars make me uneasy. I’ve never attended one, mostly because the prices tend to run so high, and that’s part of what makes me so uneasy about them. Yes, writing is a business, and yes, the author deserves to be paid, but paid for what exactly? For telling stories, or for telling… Continue reading Why writing retreats and seminars make me uneasy
Reasons why September is my favorite month of the year
Chilly mornings Campfire smoke Farmer’s markets Crisp Gala apples Home-cooked chili Autumn leaves Labor Day weekend My birthday Start of the school calendar Old friends coming and going Last chance to go mountain climbing First chance to take out winter clothes End of the summer slump Beginning of harvest season Orion and the Pleiades Clear… Continue reading Reasons why September is my favorite month of the year
Thoughts after finishing The Last Full Measure by Jeff Shaara
WOW. This was an amazing book. A highly memorable book. A book I will return to again and again in the future. There comes a moment when reading a truly amazing book when you don’t think that it can possibly get any better. It’s a ten out of ten, easily five stars. And then …… Continue reading Thoughts after finishing The Last Full Measure by Jeff Shaara
Why I couldn’t finish Gone with the Wind
For the past month or so, I’ve been on a Civil War kick. I watched the movie Gettysburg to celebrate July 4th, read Gods and Generals, wrote a short story about a time traveler at Gettysburg, and have been listening to a lot of Civil War music as I write. One of the books I… Continue reading Why I couldn’t finish Gone with the Wind