Now that the seasons are changing, I thought it would be a good time to update the look of my website. The last theme has been active for just over a year and I was tired of it. I think the site now looks cleaner and more professional. Hope you like it, as well. RB
Acceptance
And on the heels of rejection comes acceptance. I received word that my short story, "Reflections in Blue Water", will be published in the February 2019 edition of the Blue Lake Review. I've always considered "Reflections..." to be one of my outliers. Meaning, it's more of a literary piece and much different from the science… Continue reading Acceptance
Rejection
The hardest part of being a writer, especially a novice writer, is dealing with rejection. It’s something we know we have to face and we try to prepare, but when that response arrives from the editor or publisher or agent, it still hurts. There’s no getting around that. I’ve been writer professionally for almost twenty-five… Continue reading Rejection
Why do we write?
Why do writers write? Other than to get paid, do we really get anything from performing our craft? Is it all about chasing the next paycheck? Is it for that long-shot at fame? Seeing our name in print? Insanity? I believe that most writers get into the game because they have a need to write,… Continue reading Why do we write?
A Writer’s Junk Drawer
Everyone has a junk drawer in their house. It's that spot in the kitchen or laundry room where you toss all those bits and pieces: rubber bands, twist ties, old keys, found buttons, maybe even some loose change. It's a collection of things you don't know what to do with but you don't want to… Continue reading A Writer’s Junk Drawer
Those old, familiar friends…
On average, I’d guess that I tend to read anywhere from ten to twenty books a year. Not a bad number, by any means. But the other day I got to thinking about all the books I’ve read. I mean, the total must be in the thousands, but out of that number, only about a… Continue reading Those old, familiar friends…
Criticism
One skill all writers need to have is the ability to accept constructive criticism with a smile on their face. It wasn't easy for me when I first began showing people my stories and poems. Of course, I was still in high school then and I'm fairly certain teenage angst was partly to blame for… Continue reading Criticism
Inappropriate Fiction
I read a post at Tor.com recently that got me thinking. The post in question - Problematic Classics - discusses how some classic books don't age well, especially when it comes to racism and bigotry. The author writes about the conflict felt when rereading something from childhood and discovering that it's not quite what you… Continue reading Inappropriate Fiction
Neil Peart
One of my early inspirations for writing was Neil Peart, the drummer and lyricist for the band, Rush. I discovered his words when I was a teenager, probably no more than 13 or 14 years old. A guy that sat next to me in one of my classes let me borrow a cassette tape of… Continue reading Neil Peart
Philip Roth
Mr. Roth is one of those authors I've known about but never had the opportunity to read. I had heard of some of his novels: Portnoy's Complaint, American Pastoral, Ghost Writer, along with his most famous (and recurring) character, Zuckerman. I've read of the controversy, the claims of antisemitism, the accusations of misogyny, but as… Continue reading Philip Roth