This violates all the rules of having a cold, I thought. I should at least be able to concentrate on a silly comic book. But the words on the page swam hazily before me as I sat in the recliner, drinking my coffee on a Saturday morning. I could accept being physically tired as long […]
The Grim Reaper Sticks Out His Tongue at Me Read More »
“If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off.” – Anton Chekhov This rule of story writing, often quoted, is considered elementary. When I learned it in college, it was a revelation. I had always
It Is Time to Start Breaking the Chekhov Rule of Story Writing Read More »
As a toddler, I fully embraced the dream of a magical white Christmas, though it was starkly different from the chronically green SC town where I lived. Christmas cards, songs, and shows transported me. I was enchanted by images of snow-swept hills; old firs weeping with ice-cycles; stately snowmen; and sleepy white-capped cottages draped with
A Holiday Poem on the Persistence of Childhood Illusion Read More »
I sometimes lapse into unwilling envy, and even going into a bookstore is hard for me. I see all the books exploding from the shelves and wonder, is there any room left? And I think of my book at home, on my computer. I feel even less comforted when I consider
Writing: Communication or Competition? Read More »
I had just graduated from college when the serial vacations to Myrtle Beach with my brother began. No more tests or homework. No research papers, no oral presentations, no grade pressure. It was 1994. After sunset my brother and I would wander through Barefoot Landing, a sprawling shopping complex built on a marsh, with
The ambitious five year mission “to seek out new life and civilizations” launched itself into our culture, then ground to a sober halt in 1969 – two years early; the short-sighted network had stripped it from the air. But Star Trek had captured imaginations, where it lived on. Now, in 2013, Farragut Films is reviving
A Fan-Driven Star Trek Web Series Beautifully Captures the Spirit of the Original Read More »
I recently learned a startling piece of information: Apparently, when literary agents like your work, they call you. As a confirmed shy person, I thought, “You mean I will have to talk to her?” It was, I admit, a strange thought to have. What was I expecting, that we would
Writers No Longer Allowed to be Shy Read More »
Forty-nine posts ago I was living in the small SC town where I was born, and I had no idea I would be writing my fiftieth here, in Florida. Although “Passionate Reason” started out with the advice that it would be a good way to promote my novels, it has become much more, traveling through
My last visit in 2011 was a nightmare of throngs and throbbing headaches. But my husband has been looking forward to this all year. Besides, I am a fantasy novelist who likes Game of Thrones and Dr. Horrible; I belong here. And this year I have come prepared. I have a prescription for my chronic
My Quest for Luck at Dragon Con 2013 Read More »
Cars that drive themselves: traffic jams gone forever; no more speeding tickets; drunk driving a thing of the past; no need for red lights; cars that calculate the speediest, safest routes based on cameras and GPS data. This is not science fiction. The technology for this is here. Tested by Google, computer guided cars have already driven themselves through long road trips, and
Dreaming of Self-Driving Cars Read More »
