I just got back from a morning walk, and I have to say I hate those bird chirp sounds that come from the crosswalk signals. They are intended to let people (vision impaired or not) know when and when not to cross, but they are simply annoying. Who came up with that idea? An Audubon Society member? I think I'll put a bird sound at crosswalks. You're ( Read more... )

My normal routine before morning writing starts with my briefly reading from a literary work that I think will be inspirational, something from a writer who has set the bar high and therefore will serves as an imaginary writing coach, yelling at me to jump a little higher, dig a little deeper as the words of my story begin to flow. This morning my ( Read more... )

It seems that far too often the antagonists I encounter in novels are flat and one dimensional. How exciting is it for us serious readers when we encounter an antagonist who’s not a typical monster? I recently read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and I loved the way she showed the variety of forms monsters take. So varied were her real monsters, and ( Read more... )

Last post, when I listed some of my recent reads, I forgot to list Kem Nunn's book, Tapping the Source. I read the book with the goal of studying how Kem -- Why didn't my parents give me a cool author name like that? -- used his setting, Huntington Beach, like the rest of us might use characters. It was powerful in a way similar to Cormac McCarthy' ( Read more... )

Reading is the other work I do when I'm not writing. I read to be a better writer, and studying what I read keeps me moving towards the day when people, other than the current few, will be able to read my writing. And they will, of that I am certain ( Read more... )

My son has passed the mid-point of Arundel, and has shared with me his thoughts ( Read more... )

I've given my son a few books to read during the summer, and I'm curious what the feedback will be. When I was in high school I always enjoyed good historical fiction, and my author of choice for that genre was Kenneth Roberts. I used to eat his settings, historical details, and lively characters from the Pre-Revolutionary War period in New England ( Read more... )

Everyone loves a good "Aha!" moment. I'm reaching the end of my manuscript -- this draft placing me nearer to what I hope will be the final -- and I'm doing a lot of polishing of the ole Ahas. I have my reader Ahas, the ones where I hope a boy or girl's eyes will light up. And then I have my main character Ahas, the ones where he, either through ( Read more... )

I've been working on my manuscript and another milestone has been reached. Draft completed. This year it is going out ( Read more... )

I just finished revising my way to the end of my MS. This draft is done. Now I'll take a day or two off, then turn around and re-start the revision process.

I'm very happy with the progress I have made. I haven't been racing through the drafts or leaving paper twisters in my wake. But I have been making very steady progress. I feel the quality of ( Read more... )