Not only do I enjoy writing short stories, but I love to read them. To me, reading a good collection of short stories is like opening a treasure chest filled with gems. One of my most recent reads, First Person Peculiar by Mike Resnick, is one of those rare chests that is filled with more…
The Sanitizing of Classic Stories [Books]
If you’ve taken a look at my reading list, you’ve seen that I like to read classics a few times a year. I find that reading these older novels and short stories provides me with perspective and new ideas. They are like snapshots of the time in which they were written, shining a light on…
The Second Draft [Writing]
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…