Rubbed my bleary eyes this morning while sucking down coffee only to blink once, then twice, when I saw that the Cubs lost… wait, the Cubs WON the world series for the first time in 108 years, breaking the Billy Goat Curse (and probably a million others), and the UK courts announced that the government […]
Wait, is the Apocalypse Cancelled? Read More »
I’ve been largely absent from the noise and social hubbub of the world lately, and for good reason. I’ve been fairly burned out. This was clear to me in July when I went out to do a cabin writing retreat to get some work done and found I could barely squeeze out 500 words when
I’ve lived in Dayton, Ohio since 2007. Elections are, understandably, a big deal here. It’s a swing state. The divide here is sharp, and fairly stereotypical. I live very near downtown, where you are highly unlikely to see a sign up for the Republican candidate. We live in a traditionally black neighborhood, and Dayton itself is
The View on the Ground in a Swing State Read More »
In March of this year I got a DM from Cassandra Khaw asking if I’d take a look at her novella, Hammers on Bone. I get a lot of blurb requests these days, so stuff really needs to hit my buttons to keep me reading. I am a fan of Khaw’s short fiction (there’s plenty
Fresh Fiction: Hammers on Bone Read More »
Spoiler-free: I’ve watched the first two episodes of Westworld, and like many of you, I watched in fear and trepidation, because we have seen this show. Remember Dollhouse? I was imagining Dollhouse done by HBO, and I admit I had my hands over my eyes the first time through, hoping they didn’t fuck this up.
Westworld: Who We Are When the Lights Go Out Read More »
In January of 2011, about five years ago now, my first book, God’s War, was finally published after being bought and sold and sold again, since about 2007. That was a long and exhausting time, that publishing carousel. But God’s War will always have a special place in my heart, as selling that series twice
5 Years a Novelist: A Retrospective on the Writing Life Read More »
When you find yourself casting about for ideas, it means it’s time to refill the bucket. So I have been. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of what I’ve been reading the last few weeks. Writing How-To’s I Give You My Body: How I Write Sex Scenes by Diana Gabaldon As those who’ve
More Books I Have Been Reading Read More »
Good morning, America. Are you hungover? Honestly, I think I’ve been hungover since the 2000 election, which was a whopping 16 years ago. Two timelines diverged in a wood, and lo, we took the darker one, and here we are, America, perpetually drunk or hungover. Looking back, it’s easy to see why nobody cared to
America’s Long Hangover Read More »
Plot kicks my ass. It kicks my ass up one end of a story and down another, because honestly, all my characters want to do is snark at each other over tea. Or whisky. Or coffee. Or bug juice. Whatever. Any excuse for them to sit around flinging zingers at each other and discussing what
The Madhatter Teaparty: Rescuing Your Characters from Endless Cups of Tea Read More »
This, from Merrit Tierce, has been making the rounds: I Published My Debut Novel to Critical Acclaim—and Then I Promptly Went Broke My first thought: yeah, well, welcome to the club. Ha ha, just kidding: I kept my day job. I kept my day job – I keep my day job – even though some
I Published My Debut Novel to Critical Acclaim—and Then I Promptly Went Broke Read More »