Husband, father, communication professor, frustrated writer and novelist. I love Jesus, my wife and kids (and grandson), kayaking, football and science fiction.
There are several phases I go through when I am writing–actually writing–my rough draft of a book. The first is the honeymoon phase. That’s when you have this “brilliant” idea that is burning a hole in your mind and you can’t wait to share it with the world. It usually last for about the length … More Getting Rid of an Ugly Stepchild
One of the best things about writing a book is that you are your own boss. You sit in a room–or a coffee shop, or outside on a patio, or wherever–and come up with the words and sentences that help others reconstruct the ideas that are festering in your mind. It’s a challenge, but it’s … More The Joys and Travails of Collaboration
I’ve mentioned here before that early on as a writer I was stymied by those “pros” who insisted that unless you write every day–every single day of your life–you couldn’t consider yourself a serious writer. It depressed me for a long time until I came to the conclusion that the only the real thing that … More The Pros and Cons of Immersive Writing
A few days ago, I went to the dentist. I was sitting in the lobby, waiting my turn, with two other men and a woman probably in her 40s. She started talking about her brother being in prison. He was in year seven of a ten-year sentence for shooting a girlfriend in the eye with … More Out of My League
“Only a fool writes for anything but money.” –Samuel Johnson I’ve been writing a long time, and although I’ve never gotten rich from it, I’ve been able to make a career out of it. But if I had a chance to go back and advise my 17-year-old college freshman self on the fine points of … More Money and Writing
The Mercy of Gods: Captives War, Book 1. Orbit Books, 2024, 448 pages. Voted Best Book of 2024. I am a lover of science fiction, and if you haven’t read or seen on TV the classic series The Expanse, you have missed a lot. I picked this book up because (1) it is written by … More Review: “The Mercy of Gods” by James S.A. Corey
Years ago–back in the Stone Age–I decided to write my first novel. And so I had a basic idea and I took that idea, sat down and started writing. Two years later, I had a book, sort of. Actually, it was a mess. I wasted a lot of time because I would start chapters not … More Outline that Puppy!
“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” –Anonymous I really can’t relate to the author or authors who insist that writer’s block doesn’t exist. I know it does, because in my career it has hit me more than once. This last time it hit me pretty hard, and almost took me … More Bully!
“Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?” –John 18:38 KJV I write in a variety of genres, varying from Christian suspense to science fiction. And it’s important to keep the reader entertained. But as I continue to write short stories, screenplays and books, I become more and more convinced that entertainment is not enough, especially … More Tell the Truth…Always
I’m sitting in my hotel room in Cedar City, Utah, getting ready to head back to the Las Vegas Airport and home. It’s been a good weekend. I was asked to come and preach and sing at a very small Seventh-day Adventist Church in this moderate-sized town on the border between high desert and piney … More In the steps of Abraham
