The email notification pinged softly on my phone as we crossed the North Carolina border. "Your story 'Shakti' is one of the finalists…." “That’s great,” said my Laddie when I read the message aloud. I shrugged and turned back to the cornfields beyond the window, surrendering to the creative malaise that consumed me all that … Continue reading Rejection to Redemption: A Short Story About Persistence in Writing Short Stories
If you’re one of my regular crew, you may have noticed that I’ve been AWOL for the past few weeks. I could, with some measure of truthfulness, attribute it to natural causes like being busy at my Day Job or taking a vacation. But to borrow from Jane Austen, "disguise of every sort is my … Continue reading Decaying Dreams: When Fiction-Writing and Reality Collide
August already! Summertime is flying (good riddance; this Viking girl prefers chilly weather), and so is progress on my third novel. I banged out about 90% of the rough draft in three months. Not bad for an indie author with a demanding full-time day job, huh? Still plenty of work to be done, but it's … Continue reading #WIPSneakPeek: 31 Hints About My New Cyberpunk Novel
Sixty years ago today—July 29, 1958—President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, creating NASA. The U.S. space agency pioneered numerous exploration efforts around our home planet, into our local solar system, and beyond towards the far reaches of the universe. What better way to celebrate NASA’s 60th anniversary than with a journey to the … Continue reading Visit the Moon for 99c: Celebrating NASA’s 60th with a Sci-Fi Book Sale
Running solves most of my problems. Bad day at work? Fight with the family? Mad at the world in general? After half a dozen sweaty miles, I reach a place where I’m better equipped to deal. It’s especially helpful for working through story issues. My feet go on autopilot, carrying me not through neighborhoods and … Continue reading The Accidental Mirror: What Flawed Characters Reveal About Ourselves
