My wife and I are finally in the 21st Century. We disconnected our cable and we are totally dependent on the Web for our entertainment. What that ends up is lots of binge watching of series, like our recent rediscovery of the masterful Sanctuary series that we got on Amazon for a small rental fee. … More That Special Someone…Hero or Villain
I’ve been rambling on about my current project, Tesla’s Ghost for quite a while, and I’m pleased to say that I’m coming close to having the first draft completed. It’s not like any story I’ve ever written, and I hope readers get as excited about it when I release it sometime later this year. But … More Tesla’s Ghost: Meet the Family
I am currently writing what I consider the worst book I have ever written. But on the other hand, I am writing it. After all, according to Anne Lamott, writers have to give themselves permission to write a “shitty first draft” (her words, not mine). Because if you don’t give yourself that permission, in many … More Dealing with Ugly Stepchildren and Other Realities of Writing Life
I had a journalism student–who shall remain nameless–quite a few years ago, who was a marginal student. He did just enough to get by. I found myself constantly having to push him to put enough effort into classes just to pass the class, and I worried about what his career would be like when he … More Something To Say
I’m back in the office. My summer is over with, voluntarily. I’m thinking that I could use the extra time to get ready for the class I’ll be teaching this fall, but I’m also hoping that the time in the office will force me to get back into writing Tesla’s Ghost. The other motivator came … More A Rose By Any Other Name
I’ve been asked what the hardest part of writing a novel is, and my answer tends to be directly related to how well my novel-building is going at the time. My dad used to have a saying: “Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you.” Some books come together quickly … More Brick By Brick
It’s the day I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. Actually, it’s a special day for two reasons. One, because the National Football League is having its annual Draft Day where teams go round-robin and choose college players who will be joining their teams as new players. My favorite NFL team is the … More Draft Day
One of the toughest times in my life was when my father was dying of cancer. It also marked a breakthrough in my writing. My father was never the kind of person to express himself, and I always felt at a loss when it came to communication with him. In those last few months, I … More Writing as Therapy
Life & Death by Celeste Perrino-Walker. Farenorth Press. 252 pages. I decided early on when I started this blog that I was going to be completely honest with anyone who was willing to take the time to read my scribblings. So at the very beginning I have to say that I have a vest interest … More Review: “Life and Death” by Celeste Perrino-Walker
Over the years, I have talked to many writing students and would-be writing students about the joys and challenges of writing. When students ask me what I enjoy most about writing, I tell them that I love creating characters and world that didn’t exist before I created them. The more time you spend on them, … More Falling in Love…Again
The Great Adventure 