I was browsing in a local bookstore a few weeks ago when a book cover caught my eye. Or more specifically, it was the technicolor rabbit on the cover that got my attention. I picked up the book and read the inside flap, the back cover, and then flipped to a random page in the…
Category: Publishing
Fear of the Written Word [Books]
Lately, I’ve felt as if the United States has somehow slipped back in time a hundred years or so. It’s like our society has regressed in so many areas, but at the moment I want to look at the latest fad of banning and burning books. Book burning and banning isn’t new. Ever since humanity…
Tokyo Manuscript Writing Cafe [Writing]
I stumbled across an article this past week about a new Manuscript Writing Cafe in Tokyo that sounds fantastic. Unlike your usual cafes where writers have to contend with distractions like loud conversations and the constant traffic of non-writers, this new endeavor strives to make it easier for wordsmiths to meet their daily writing goals….
Review – A Puppet Scorned [Books]
It’s no secret that I love weird fiction. I like stories that go against convention, that are experimental, make me think, and make me look at the world in a different way. So when I was asked if I’d be interested in reviewing Jamie Kort’s short story, “A Puppet Scorned”, I had to say yes….
Review – The Labyrinth [Books]
As I mentioned in a previous post, I really enjoy Simon Stalenhag‘s art and storytelling. The first book of his that I read, The Electric State, was an excellent post-apocalyptic story that he told with both words and images. I found it heartfelt and moving. After having such a great introduction to his work, I…
Review – Broken Stars [Books]
Following on the heels of my recent review of a Japanese science-fiction short story collection, I decided to stay in the same part of the world for my next read. That ended up being Broken Stars, a collection of contemporary Chinese science-fiction. I need to admit that I felt Broken Stars was a stronger collection…
Review – Best Japanese Sci-Fi [Books]
In my never-ending quest to read a wide variety of fiction from around the world, I discovered a great collection of Japanese science fiction: The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories. Well, the cover says it’s a science-fiction collection, but it’s arguably more speculative than science. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I love speculative…
Another Way To Look At Mistakes [Creativity]
I don’t make mistakes when I write. I make spontaneous creative decisions. At least, that’s what I like to tell myself. We all make mistakes when we write or work on a creative project. Typos, grammatical errors, mistyping a character’s name, or even letting the narrative wander off into the weeds. My question is: are…
Review – The Electric State [Books]
I first discovered Simon Stalenhag when I stumbled upon some of his art posted on a message board. It immediately caught my attention. The image was of a young girl and a small robot standing in what looked like an airplane hanger. To one side, sitting in shadow, were the remains of a giant, decaying…
Self-Promotion [Creativity]
My least favorite part of being a writer and creator is self-promotion. It makes me uncomfortable. I’m one of those people who finds it hard to brag and sell myself. I have no problem in selling other people’s work, promoting them and their endeavors, but for myself, well, it’s awkward. I feel that my writing…