I have a little problem. My font of English has been permanently defiled. (That’s a Sherlock Holmes reference, for people unfamiliar with the quote. Comes from “His Last Bow.”) My sense of spelling and punctuation was ruined at a very young age thanks to Tolkien, Lewis, and Doyle. I was reading books punctuated in theContinue reading “On Spelling and Punctuation”
Category Archives: Writing
On My Weekend Plans
While the rest of the world holds its collective breath for the oncoming Potterdammerung, here’s what I have on tap this weekend: Revise short story to under 10k words.I took another editing pass through the story earlier this week and brought it under 11k; every pass through the story seems to pull out about 500Continue reading “On My Weekend Plans”
On Precognition
At Shore Leave this weekend I talked with a few people about a novel I’m working on–an historical fantasy mystery. (For something along those lines, look at Keith DeCandido’s Dragon Precinct, though that’s a little more fantasy than what I’m thinking of.) The plot is still a little rough, and I’m hoping, by the endContinue reading “On Precognition”
On Yesterday’s Autographing
Yesterday I was in Exton, Pennsylvania autographing Grand Designs and Constellations. It was the first autographing I’d done outside of Shore Leave, so I was quite excited. I wasn’t expecting any sort of major turnout. Yes, I’d announced it here and on message boards, but that’s not going to translate into people. At worst, I’dContinue reading “On Yesterday’s Autographing”
On a Reminder about Saturday’s Autographing
Just a reminder! As I mentioned early last week, on this Saturday, July 7th, I’ll be autographing Grand Designs (the new Star Trek: Corps of Engineers compilation) and Constellations (last fall’s Star Trek anthology) at the Borders Express in Exton Square Mall in Exton, Pennsylvania from one until three in the afternoon. If you haveContinue reading “On a Reminder about Saturday’s Autographing”
On an Upcoming Autographing
I’m pleased to announce that on Saturday, July 7th, I will be autographing copies of the just-released Star Trek: Corps of Engineers book, Grand Designs at the Borders Express at Exton Square Mall in Exton, Pennsylvania from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. Copies of both Grand Designs and last fall’s StarTrek anthology Constellations willContinue reading “On an Upcoming Autographing”
On Narrative Conventions
About a week ago the Washington Post ran a feature article on Michael Ondaatje, author of The English Patient. He’s released a new novel, Divisadero, and the article examines Ondaatje’s working methods: He begins with fragmentary images or situations — a plane crashing in the desert, say, or a bedridden man talking to a nurseContinue reading “On Narrative Conventions”
On Putting the Ideas Together
I’ve been kicking around an idea for a novel. For about three months now. The concept is rather simple. It’s a mystery. An historical mystery, to be exact. And it’s a concept–and a character–that could sustain a whole series of novels and short stories and draw readers from multiple genres. (Years in sales will doContinue reading “On Putting the Ideas Together”
On Getting Paid
Wow. Big Finish Productions pays fast. Contract came mid-April. Story turned in end-of-April. Check came Thursday. Wow. What a week. New job. Psi Phi Award. Now, payment for a short story. Wow. 🙂
On Putting Things In Order
Two weeks ago I turned in a short story for an anthology releasing next spring. The story, as I turned it in, is rather unconventional. The story I started writing, however, was anything but. The hardest part of writing sometimes is in trusting yourself and in trusting your instincts. I didn’t trust my instincts–they toldContinue reading “On Putting Things In Order”