One of the best known tips for writers is to be well-read. This has been said hundreds of ways by hundreds of authors, poets, and lecturers. Perhaps one of the best known variants comes from Stephen King: ““If you don’t have time to read, you Read More …
Book reviews are the lifeblood of online sales. Without reviews, there’s nothing to separate one independently published title from the millions of other books available to new readers. It requires no extra cost, takes less than five minutes, and will have a lasting positive effect Read More …
Everyone loves getting something right the first time. Like cruising through a series of green lights all in a row, a steady momentum built on repeated success is an intoxicating sensation. There’s also a different–but just as satisfying–feeling that comes from accomplishing something that took Read More …
Those of you who are on my mailing list will already know that I was recently approached by a small press to submit a short story to an anthology focusing on Lovecraftian fiction. As a big fan of H.P. Lovecraft’s original stories, I jumped at Read More …
I recently watched a documentary focusing on the many creative and political problems that went into the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Among the stories of high stakes negotiations and toxic work environments, I was particularly intrigued by the problems that Read More …
I’m not blind, though I sometimes wish I was. I know what’s going on in the world. I see the fear, the anger, the contempt and depression. My friends and family are fighting with each other, trying to reclaim normalcy that will not truly return Read More …
I found my first Clive Cussler novel in a thrift store. I was there with my Mom as an unwilling young teenager, spending my time sifting through hundreds of tattered romance novels trying to find something that might appeal to a reader whose primary fodder Read More …
I’m a member of a number of online writing communities where writers from various genres and backgrounds gather to share successes, talk shop, and sometimes commiserate together about the difficulties that come with our chosen profession. Recently, I saw a post that was a perfect Read More …
Today I’m answering a challenge from fellow fantasy author Aaron Volner to write about a favorite creature from the world of fantasy fiction. After giving it some thought, I decided that I would write about the dragons from the YA fantasy series The Pit Dragon Read More …
Today is my birthday, and for the last few weeks I’ve had people asking me what I want. Honestly, I want what I have. I’m finally a father (twice!), I have a loving family, more good friends than I can count, and I get to Read More …
