These days, when an intelligent and determined person like Greta Thunburg can convey the urgency of climate degradation and hope to lead others to effect change, her actions and message defy societal limitations often imposed on people who manage their … Continue reading THE KITCHEN DAUGHTER
Plenty of reviews favor Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, an apocalyptic novel whose narrative kills off 99% of humanity in a contemporary 21st century setting. I picked it up to read in tandem with Good Morning, Midnight by … Continue reading Notes on “Station Eleven”
[The strange animal noises Ella heard when she first moved into her new, “perfect” apartment have stopped. Her neighbor, Dave, eases her concerns and feeling less anxious, she decides to explore her neighborhood] By the end of the week, I … Continue reading The Horror Story Builds: next segment of “Only Regrets”
Pico Iyer–journalist, essayist, unintentional (?) philosopher–quotes several thinkers in his book Autumn Light, an exploration of losses and other turning points in his life. Referring to Thomas Merton’s ‘Fire Sermon’ in response to death or estrangement among family and friends, … Continue reading On Walks Through Autumns
Recently, a reader asked about my writing process, especially the way I prepare to write. That person felt at a loss about plunging in during, say, those first 15 minutes sitting in front of the computer and before typing an opening … Continue reading The First Fifteen Minutes
I am used to imagining the ways that dragons think and respond to humans, to change, and to challenges. For years, I studied dragon lore and felt the need to write my own story about them, which I did; and while two … Continue reading Did That Dragon Call My Name?
Three writers volunteered to ‘Beta-read’ my first draft of A New ZooCatron, a fantasy novella about cat-like creatures arriving on Earth from deep in the cosmos. One of the readers is truly a rocket scientist and she pointed out the … Continue reading Getting It Right
For those who would like more information about beta readers, here are some references and a Wikipedia definition of the role: Continue reading You Asked about Beta Readers?
Hail to the Betas If you’ve been following my posts, maybe you’ve read all 20 chapters of A New ZooCatron, a novella in progress I serialized on this site. It’s about cats from far out in the cosmos who … Continue reading Hail to the Betas
“Where do you get your ideas? How did you ever dream up that character? I like your protagonist. When is the sequel coming out so I can see what happened to her?” Questions like these often dot conversations I have … Continue reading Latin Roots: Character Sources
