Today I am a hostage in my own home. There are workmen outside who occasionally have to come in to use the bathroom. So I am hanging in here, ignoring errands that must be attended to eventually and watching them haul pipes and power cords and equipment past my windows. We have known for a … More Clatter Outside, Scatter Inside
There are millions of wanna-be published authors out there. Some of them–a lot of them, actually–actually end up writing some semblance of a book manuscript. And once it is written, there are quite a few that think this: It is the greatest thing that has ever been written. All I have to do it get … More Is Your Writing Starbucks, 7-Eleven or Home Brew?
It’s the end of my first day of summer. I should be totally chill, relaxing, just taking life as easy as I can. Instead, I am up late with insomnia. My wife is snoring in the next room. Even the dogs are snoring in the living room with me. I am sitting in the dark … More Insomnia
Goodbye, Jackson Paul. We hardly knew ye. For those who are unfamiliar with the name Jackson Paul, that’s another good reason why he must die. You see, Jackson Paul is my penname. Or it was. But I discovered that having a penname and self publishing aren’t necessarily conducive to each other. For example, Smashwords is … More The Death of Jackson Paul
We are in the throes of final exams at my school. I gave an exam this morning, and have students turning in final papers for that same class. I am still waiting on four papers that are due today. Tomorrow I have two more tests to proctor, and one on Wednesday. In the middle of … More One down, three to go
Well, it pays to know people apparently. Over lunch, I took a copy of my new book Infinity’s Reach over to Mickey Johnson at the Texas ABC here in Keene. He had been following me with my launch of the book in recent weeks and was eager to read it. I have done book signings once … More Good News
I woke up at 1:30 last night with an idea for a blog. I had a title and everything. I told myself, “Write it down; you’ll forget it otherwise.” And then I thought, I don’t want to get out of bed to write something stupid down. Besides, if I make a mental note of it, … More Stuff I Can’t Remember
If I seem a bit preoccupied these days, it’s because we are entering the last week of classes. Finals start next Monday and run through Wednesday. Then on Sunday, May 5, I will march with the other professors to graduate our seniors who have earned their right to a diploma. One or two won’t march, … More Making Grades
I decided to advertise on Facebook a while ago, and actually did something about it in late March. At the time I wasn’t sure what kind of results I would get, and I told readers I would share my conclusions at some future date. Well, that date has arrived. When I considered Facebook as a … More Facebook Ads: The Jury Has a Verdict
I confess. Every once in a time I find myself guilty of doing the same things I tell my students not to do. Like fretting over things you have no control over. You know the feeling: you work your butt off to get your manuscript finished, send it off in the mail to some potential … More Watching Paint Dry
