Science Fiction and Fantasy
A famous line from William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet goes as follows: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The implication is that the name does not matter.
But I’ll tell you a little secret.
In the book-writing world, names do matter a great deal. Most authors I know spend an excessive amount of time fretting over the names of characters and places. Don’t even get me going about how much effort goes into the title of books.
Continue reading “What’s in a Name?”
Next to bookstores, I love libraries. They are a great national treasure. Regardless of what kind of book you’re looking for, you will probably find it at your local library.
And in today’s world, it’s easier than ever because most public libraries list their catalogs online for print books and ebooks. As an added bonus, libraries are the one place you can borrow and read all my books for free. All you have to do is request the books if they haven’t purchased them yet.
Continue reading “Our Public Libraries”
I spend a lot of time thinking about otherworldly beings to include in my novels. But I don’t write about imaginary creatures to scare, shock, or show how cleverly the book is written.
The nonhuman entities in my books are there to provide a contrast to the human side of existence.
The themes I often use in my storylines are the power of love, bonds of friendship, and the goodwill people have for one another. Long after you’ve finished reading one of my stories, those are the things I hope you’ll remember most about them.
Continue reading “Double Down on Being Human”
Greetings. Spring has arrived here in New England, and with it the hope of life returning to normal after the past year. The cherry tree in our front yard has bloomed, and the daffodils are flowering.
That’s Missy in the picture. She’s looking at me suspiciously, wondering what I’m doing away from my writing desk.
I hope you had a chance to read my latest book, Elthea’s Paradox. If you have, and you enjoyed it, please consider posting a brief review. Help others decide if the book is right for them by posting a comment or two. Tell others what you liked in the story. I appreciate your assistance.
One of the creative aspects of writing fiction is devising fictitious names for people, places, and things. I often spend a lot of time trying to decide on the right name for a character or race.
Continue reading “A Few Words About Fictitious Names”
Monsters take many different forms. If you’ve read Elthea’s Realm and Elthea’s Gambit, you’ll understand the suffering caused by the Bots in my novels. In case you’re not familiar, the Bots I write about are not benign software programs operating mundane tasks.
In my books, the Bots kill without remorse. They are evil creatures that came to life from today’s computer viruses. We all understand the problems when a virus infects one of our tech devices. Now, imagine that destructive force as a living, breathing entity with magical powers.
I’ve taken what already exists in our world and turned it into something more deadly in my stories. During my time as a corporate marketing manager, I had frequently considered how technology could evolve in beneficial ways for civilizations or become disastrous to all.
Continue reading “When Bots Go Bad”
If you feel like the world has been spinning out of control during these past few months, you’re not alone.
First, we faced the coronavirus and then witnessed the massive protests for racial equality. We haven’t even begun the ruckus that’s sure to unfold as we approach the presidential election here in the U.S.
I’m a news junkie, so I tend to pay attention to events taking place in the world. I try to tune out the noise when it becomes too much by concentrating on my writing. But the evening news has a way of capturing my attention.
In some ways, science fiction and fantasy writers are lucky. We draw upon events in the world as fodder for our plots. We use them to stimulate our imagination, asking what-if questions. And often, we come up with some pretty creative results. So, in a way, I’m really doing research by clicking on that Apple News app while I work.
Continue reading “Global Events Can Spark Your Imagination”
I considered writing something else in this blog post — anything except what’s on everyone’s mind these days. It can be overwhelming listening to the barrage of news, statistics, and commentary about the virus that has spread across the globe.
Right now, however, any other subject feels trivial. We’ve been upended by a small bit of chemistry too tiny to be seen. We are fighting a faceless, unseen enemy intent on destroying us. I’ve read too many science fiction novels where this story doesn’t end well for humanity.
Continue reading “The Fear of COVID-19”
At a recent Writers’ Club meeting, a member complimented me on my skill at storytelling.
I had to think about it. Me? I might call myself a writer, author, indie publisher, or editor. But storyteller?
Best-selling authors receive accolades all the time that are something like, “A brilliant book by a skillful writer.” That’s the praise most authors would be delighted to see or hear. Most of the people who write books probably prefer the title of writer or author.
But the comment about being a storyteller stuck with me.
Continue reading “The Storyteller in Each of Us”
With the holidays upon us, my message for this journal post is a simple one. I offer you my appreciation and gratitude. You make it possible for me to continue my dream of writing.
I’ve discovered that a writer’s life is not always an easy path to follow. It can be a daunting profession, putting words onto a blank page, knowing others will eventually judge the quality and worthiness of the books I write.
Continue reading “A Thankful Post”