I went on hiatus from posting to the blog back in March. Now, summer’s at an end here in the Witch City, so it’s time to get back to blogging with a summer recap. For the past few months, my focus has been on short stories, both reading and writing them!
Most of us create first drafts that need quite a bit of work before they’re doing what they need to do. Maybe you’re the type of writer who never looks back while writing that first draft until you’ve typed the words The End. Or, perhaps you tend to write novels a bit at a time, and you pause to revise as you go. Regardless, there will be a first draft to deal with, and it will inevitably take a few passes to get it right. The key to revising well is to see it as an opportunity, not an ordeal.
I just read a The Martian, a book loved dearly by a LOT of people. I, however, didn’t love it. In my review, I discuss elements of this book that failed me.
My Very First “Writer” Interview!! Over on the website Interviews from the Void, I had the honor of chatting with Arthur McCabe about a whole bunch of interesting writing stuff. It’s a sign of how inept I am at professional marketing and blogging that I only just thought today of mentioning this on my own …
It took two ridiculously long posts to cover all the fun of ReaderCon 2018, but I gotta say, I had an incredible time. If you’re a fan of science fiction and fantasy stories, you have to get to ReaderCon. You won’t be disappointed.
Regardless of the quality of the actual story being told, the writing can either engage us or bore us. Understanding the neuroscience of reading can help you grab readers by the brain and engage them more effectively.
ReaderCon is arguably the most significant annual writing conference in Massachusetts. Happening each July in the town of Quincy, the event attracts an impressive line-up of fantasy, science fiction, and horror authors. It’s a must attend for genre fans, both readers and writers. This year, I’m going, and I can’t wait!
Mackenzi Lee might now just be near the top of my favorite writers. This excellent piece of YA fiction is filled with wonderful characters you can get behind, hauntingly beautiful language, all topped off with social themes that YA readers are hungry to explore!!
I would argue that Thunderhead was an even better book than the first book in this series, and that’s a rare thing to find in the world of trilogies. Fast paced, high-stakes, multiple plot threads and character arcs, and an ending that left me desperate for more!
I saw this book tag on K.L.M. Moore’s site and thought it was pretty cool, so here goes: 1. Ebook or physical books? Physical book. I do own a Kindle paper white, and I have quite a few ebooks loaded onto it, but my brain does a much better job processing, synthesizing, and remembering information …