Science Fiction and Fantasy
Congratulations! We’ve made it through another winter … almost. I took the above photo in our family room during one of our many snow events this winter.
Although most people are ready for spring, here in the Northeast, we’ve had snowstorms in April. It’s uncommon to have snow that late in the season, but it has happened.
Whatever takes place at this point, it feels good knowing that spring is nearly here.
Continue reading “Regarding Snowstorms and Writing”
I am thrilled to announce the launch of my latest book, Elthea’s Paradox, the third novel in The Story of Elthea’s Realm series. Like all my books, it is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook. You can order any of my books online at major booksellers, including independent bookstores.
If you love reading fantasy adventures, you’ll enjoy Elthea’s Paradox.
A reluctant hero stands against an evil spreading across the land.
Newfound powers awaken within Philip Matherson. But when he needs them most, the spectral energies of Elthea elude him. His worst fears come true as the Bots capture his friends on the utopia team.
Continue reading “Elthea’s Paradox is now available”
The last twelve months have been a strange and difficult year for many people. But 2021 is here, and with it the hope of life returning to normal with more family gatherings, a resumption in travel, and the prospect of renewed friendships in person once again.
You can almost feel the collective longing for this to happen soon.
My daughter recently took the above photo. It’s a view outside our window during a murky, foggy morning. The bright sun rising on the horizon is about to dispel the gloom. I feel the scene is a perfect depiction of where we stand in the world today.
Continue reading “The Promise of a New Year”
Have you ever been stuck in a Groundhog Day movie as you experience the same events over and over again? Lately, I feel that way. It seems as if I’ve been editing and dealing with production and publishing decisions on my latest book, Elthea’s Paradox, forever. The process seems never-ending.
At times, I become impatient that it has taken too long. I want this book to be available so you can be as excited as I am about the story. I also want to begin working on the next book.
But this isn’t about me; it’s about you, the reader. A book, professionally crafted, can become positively magical. Within one simple container, you will find words that will entertain you for many hours. You never know what you will discover.
Continue reading “The Enchantment of a Good Book”
This has been a strange year and, in many ways, a difficult one. Anyone who has written a novel understands how events in the world can detract from the focus needed to craft a story. I felt the need to check news feeds more often during the past twelve months. Throw a U.S. presidential election into the mix, and the impulse can become obsessive.
Somehow during this turbulent year, my next book developed nicely. The storyline gradually took a life of its own, and the characters came alive. Nothing is more exhilarating to an author than knowing a story works and evokes a passionate response from readers.
It’s a magical feeling, believe me.
Continue reading “Writing During a Turbulent Year”
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”
Thanks for taking the time to read my latest journal article. Much of my day now involves writing my next book, and I’m often surprised I haven’t posted in a few weeks.
Today, I reminisce about the power of story, and why I craft the novels I do.
Let me tell you what drove me to become a writer and storyteller. I wasn’t always this way. But even as a child, the love of books was part of my nature.
Continue reading “The Power of Story”
The above picture was taken in my backyard, where the flowers are looking fabulous. As for my writing, I am nearly done editing my third novel, Elthea’s Paradox.
This one has taken me longer than the others. Yet, as a good friend explained, “Once published, nobody will compliment you on how rapidly you finished it. Every book is judged on its quality.”
Editing can be both exciting and frustrating. Exciting because this is the point where I massage the storyline to make it shine and easier to read. No reader wants to trip over sentences throughout a book, and this is where I polish those rough edges. It’s frustrating because, well, good writing is hard. I can spend hours reworking a short passage over and over again.
Continue reading “A Summertime Update”
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”
Words define us and explain the events of our generation. Such is the case with the current Coronavirus.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary recently added the word COVID-19. It took one month from conception to formal recognition, the fastest in the company’s nearly 200-year history. This wasn’t the only new word included in the dictionary because of the virus.
Usually, new words are added only after years of generally accepted use. But now, practically overnight, an entirely new vocabulary has developed.
Life may never be the same because of the virus, and that goes for our language. Here are some of the newest additions to our lexicon.
Continue reading “The Language of a Pandemic”