And just like that – *poof* – a useful marketing outlet is silenced. I know I’m not the only one to have had this experience. This morning, as I started up my computer, I saw an odd request from Facebook. I knew it was legit, so I followed it. And then, just like that –…
Why does anything appeal to us? I’m sharing my thoughts on the appeal of sci-fi and fantasy. I was not quite five years old. My mom and dad took me to see a movie. The opening music blared, the words crawled up the screen, and then a starship soared in – being fired on by…
My writing plan for 2022 is shifting. And I am still working out how. In 2020, I’d determined it was time to start writing and publishing more. Thus, I published 3 books that year. For 2021, I got super ambitious. I was going to publish 6 novels total. All four that made up the first…
Been many years, for many reasons, since I could say I am going to a con. Several years back, now, there was the annual Steampunk World’s Fair in New Jersey. It was a fun local convention (con) – especially since I was getting into Steampunk at that time. In fact, I was so enamored of…
Character perspective/point of view can make or break a story. The first professional editor I hired changed my writing dramatically. From her, I learned so many different lessons, techniques, and more, which helped me become a competent editor. She showed me how to improve numerous aspects not just of my writing but storytelling. One of…
Yes and no, of course. Web 3.0 and beyond is both fascinating and terrifying. Did you read Ready Player One or see the movie? If not, let me sum up one major aspect of the story. There is a virtual world called The Oasis where people immerse themselves via VR glasses, as well as partial…
Not really. But I feel a bit jealous of their success and see them as competition as such. I just finished reading the first novel of Tim Pratt’s sci-fi series The Axiom. I found The Wrong Stars really hard to put down. The story was engaging, the characters compelling, and it was an excellent read….
Short answer – Yes, I feel a sense of shame about it. But I’m not ashamed at all. Not everyone is built to work 9-5 in an office, plying a trade like being a plumber or carpenter, and other “normal” jobs. Along the same line – not everyone has the desire to be a teacher,…
Yes. I’m learning things that make me rethink my approach to my own work. More than a year ago, I began a new habit. My morning routine changed from spending an hour or two online playing games on Facebook to reading. I get out of bed, feed the cats, start the coffee – then sit…
Experts should not be disregarded because of the work they put in – quite the opposite, in fact. I do not consider myself an expert at anything. Nope, I am not an expert. Experienced? To be sure. Knowledgeable? Absolutely. A master? Maybe, but only because what mastery I have isn’t the end-all-be-all, and I am…
