Abaddon’s Gate (Book 3 in The Expanse Series) by James S.A. Corey. Orbit Books. 566 pages. Before I go any further, here’s the Amazon description: For generations, the solar system — Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt — was humanity’s great frontier. Until now. The alien artifact working through its program under the clouds of … More Review: “Abaddon’s Gate” by James S.A. Corey
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. Little, Brown. 310 pages. This is not just a good book. This is an important book. One of the first things I realized in reading this book by Malcolm Gladwell is that his position is diametrically opposite from that of Dr. Ben Carson, who through his campaign … More Review: “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell
My wife says that I’m a very productive person. But I know the truth. I’m just as much a procrastinator as everyone else. Take, for example, my latest project. It’s been on the drawing board for at least two years, if not more. We live in Texas, which means the ground moves, and our foundation … More Getting Things Done
The One In Light: The Prime Insurgency Series, Volume 1 by J.D. Stonebridge. First the good news. This is an interesting concept. I was asked to review a book by a fellow indie author, which I agreed to, and ended up reading what amounts to an episode of a series, rather than an actual book. … More Review: “The One In Light” by J.D. Stonebridge
Don’t get me wrong. Criticism hurts. It probably hurts me more than most people. I have always had a need to seek approval from other people, to feel that people like me. But I also know that I will never improve as a writer unless I know where I make mistakes. After 40 years in … More In Search of Criticism
I can’t find the reference right now, but someone, somewhere wrote–and I quoted it quite recently: “You don’t learn how to write a book. You just learn how to write the book you are writing.” I wish I could remember who said it, and if I am getting the words exactly right, but you get … More It Doesn’t Get Any Easier
Lost Civilizations: 10 Societies that Vanished Without a Trace by Michael Rank. Five Minute Books. 103 pages. In the interest of total transparency, this was another one of those books I picked up (1) because I was researching for a book I was writing and (2) because it was free through Amazon Prime. On the … More Review: “Lost Civilizations” by Michael Rank
In all the recent focus on getting The Key of Solomon started, I almost forgot to tell you about a giveaway for Salome’s Charger happening on Goodreads. In case you didn’t know, Salome’s Charger is the prequel to The Key of Solomon, co-authored by top-notch writer Celeste perrino Walker, and she’s the one giving away … More Heads Up: It’s Giveaway Time
I love it when I am obsessed with a story I’m writing. My wife? Not so much. I call it being in the zone. Obsession leads to loads and loads of productivity. My wife calls it being zombified. That’s the time when she can’t keep an adult conversation going with me because my mind is … More Sacred Hours
I’ve always wondered about those authors who state that the day after they finish writing a novel they sit down at the keyboard and start typing the next one. It goes hand-in-glove with the idea of just sitting down and looking at a blank piece of paper, and letting that lead you into your story. … More Baptism By Immersion
