No, it wasn’t John Wayne. But yes, I am still being faithful to my western theme this morning. “Rawhide” was the launching TV series for Clint Eastwood back in the 60s. But that’s not what this is about. After my rant yesterday about all the things that come between a writer and his work, I … More Rolling, rolling, rolling
John Wayne: The Life and Legend by Scott Eyman. Simon & Schuster, 658 pages. I’ve always liked John Wayne movies, mostly because my father was a big fan when I was a kid. Now that my dad is gone and I am older, I’ve become partial to them again, often to the chagrin of my … More Review: “John Wayne: The Life and Legend” by Scott Eyman
Yesterday was a good day to write. And then there’s today. I was late in getting to the office, with my mind on taking up on writing where I left off. But right away I was contacted with a couple of emergencies dealing with the University’s website. In the middle of this, I remembered that … More Recluse
Even though the title is reference to a famous Gene Autry song from the 30s or 40s, I have been reading a great book about John Wayne that I will be sharing in days to come. But mostly, I am making reference to my latest bout with writer’s block. I have committed to finishing the … More Back in the Saddle Again
“The Sword of Attila: A Novel of the Last Years of Rome” by Michael Curtis Ford. (MacMillan: 432 pages). I have been trying to decide what to say about this book. I came across it a few weeks ago when browsing through historical novels on Rome. Apparently Michael Curtis Ford has written many historical … More Review: “The Sword of Attila” by Michael Curtis Ford
So here I am, sitting in my dark living room at 5 a.m. wondering why I am awake. Actually I woke up before 3:30 and have been trying to sleep since then. I’ve learned, however, that there’s a law of diminishing returns on sleep. After about 45 minutes of sleeplessness, it’s pretty much a lost … More Early Riser
I live with a clock over my head. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. My intention at the beginning of the summer was to come out with three books this summer. Ambitious, but doable. One was a collection of short stories that I had almost completed anyway. The second was a compilation of my counsel on writing … More One Down, Two To Go
Daemon by Daniel Suarez, Penguin Group (2009). 432 pages. Is it wrong for one heterosexual man to fall in love with another hetero man, at least because of his writing? Because I think I’m in love. Daniel Suarez has been hailed as the successor to Michael Crichton, but I think they are wrong. Suarez is … More Review: “Daemon” by Daniel Suarez
I have plans tonight or tomorrow to post another book review, but I wanted to take this opportunity to commemorate another milestone. This marks my 500th blog, dating back to when I first started it in July 2009. A lot has changed since that first blog, a result of advice given to me at a … More 500
When I was in college—many, many, many years ago–I was on fire to become a writer. Then I graduated, got married and started looking for a job. I had in my mind that someday, someday SOON, I would become a writer. And I would be really good. Four years later, I was still waiting for … More One Way. Or Another.
The Great Adventure 