A couple of years ago, I wrote the first draft of a novel. Not my first attempt at a full-length story, but it was one I felt had the most promise. It took me nearly six months to complete the first draft. There were many bursts of writing, followed by reading and re-reading, then deleting…
Review – Babel-17
Samuel R. Delany is one of the great modern science fiction writers. Oddly enough, he’s another of the greats that I hadn’t read. I’m not sure why. I’ve heard (and read) good things about his stories. He’s one of the many writers I always plan to get to at some point, but I end up…
Review – The Fifth Head of Cerberus [Reviews]
I’ll be honest with you. I don’t get the love for Gene Wolfe’s stories. He’s a good writer and his stories – at least the ones I’ve read – have been engaging, but I wouldn’t rank them up there with the great science-fiction novels. I recently finished reading The Fifth Head of Cerberus, which is…
Cultural Appropriation in Fiction [Writing]
Obviously, cultural appropriation is a touchy subject and I can understand why. There are good arguments as to why it’s inappropriate in certain instances, but alternatively, there are also times when it’s taken too far. In the world of social media, the loudest voices aren’t always on the right side of the debate. From the…
More Acrylic Experimentation [Painting]
I’ve been having fun playing with acrylic paints. I still have a long way to go before I would consider myself a painter, but I’m comfortable in my apprenticeship. I continue to watch videos on different styles and techniques, then spend a week or so playing around to see what I can do with them….
Review – Exhalation: Stories [Books]
I’ve read good things about Ted Chiang. I read that he’s an amazing author, that his stories are incredibly creative, and that he pushes the boundaries of science fiction. I picked up a copy of his most recent collection, Exhalation: Stories, late last year and finally unearthed it from the stack of unread books next…
Remembering Jeff Beck [Music]
I’m embarrassed to admit, up until I was 19 or 20 years old, the only Jeff Beck song I knew was “Freeway Jam“, a great instrumental to listen to when cruising on the highway. However, I was lucky enough to stumble upon his solo album, Blow by Blow, in a used record shop one day….
Review – The Forge of God
The author Greg Bear, who recently passed away, has been on my radar for many years, but for some reason I can’t explain, I’ve never read any of his stories. Of course, I felt obligated to honor his memory by picking up one of his highly-regarded novels, The Forge of God. While it didn’t win…
Know Your True Worth
There’s nothing wrong with sharing motivation, not only to try and get yourself on the right track, but it feels good when you’re able to motivate others. January 1st is the time when many of us set goals for the year. Maybe we want to lose weight, get in shape, learn a new language, finish…
Best Book Lists [Books]
Yes, it’s that time of year. Everyone is publishing lists of the best books of 2022. The lists include the top ten (or more), the best in various genres, best books for women, best for men, best for children, and even celebrity favorites. To me, lists like these are subjective. Everyone has different tastes. To…