My father worked as a machinist for General Electric for about 30 years. Several times he had the opportunity to get a promotion and become a supervisor, but turned it down. He had his own shop at GE, and liked to run it his way. He used to tell me to “leave the job at … More Meditation vs. Multitasking
For about a month, we have been noticing that our DSL internet has been getting slower and slower. Over the weekend, it came to a screeching halt. When I called ATT yesterday, I got a tech support recording that tried to walk me through the repair process. The recording and I together came to the … More The Great Disconnect
Three to five hours a day, seven days a week, for ten years. Ten thousand hours. A million words. Any way you slice it, the road to becoming a serious writer is not done overnight. Even those overnight sensations that hit gold on their first trip to the transom have the inevitable task of answering: … More Ten Thousand Hours
I entered into the independent book publishing business with trepidation just about this time last year. This is after the publication of about eight books the old-fashioned, more traditional and more accepted way. And after a year, what’s my prognosis? Great for some, terrible for others. As for me, I follow in my father’s footsteps. … More Indie publishing. Great for some, not so great for others.
I’d like to start off today’s blog by recommending another website: whereiwrite.org. I urge you to visit this website for your own curiosity’s sake and see Kyle Cassidy’s project to report and share the places where several well-known fantasy and science fiction writers crank out their masterpieces. What you will find is that is varies … More Where I Write
I am sitting in my living room in sweats. I haven’t shaven yet this morning, and I might not today. Beside my easy chair are textbooks for classes for the new semester, which starts in about 10 days. On top of that is the paperback I am trying to read as well. It’s quiet: my … More Eye of the Storm
I am in the first official week of Christmas break. Because I am a writer as well as a university professor, one would think I would be throwing myself into another writing project at this point, grateful that I am unencumbered by the many details of being a professor. Well, a couple of problems with … More Physical Therapy for the Soul
The NaNoWriMo Experience continues. When I write my books, there are always sections that I build up in my mind. That does two things; it ups that stakes and challenges me to do better on them, and it also makes it harder for me to write. There are certain chapters in any book that are … More Spectacle in St. Louis
Today is the last day of October, and tomorrow morning marks the beginning of National Novel Writing Month. For those who know NaNoWriMo, you’re know what’s going through my mind right now. Anticipation. Excitement. Wonder if I am making a terrible mistake. It’s a major commitment of time, energy and patience–both of you and those … More Last gasp. NaNoWriMo, here I come!
It’s a good news, bad news scenario. First the good news. I finally am making time for writing–my writing, the stuff that ruminates in the back of my mind when I am busy doing other stuff here at the University. When I am writing articles for Southwestern Spirit magazine, playing webmaster, teaching classes or sitting … More Over the Hump
