Gone and back again, reunited with the cats and planning to spend the rest of the day putting my house in order for 2014, in oh so many ways both literal and metaphorical. I hope your celebrations were enjoyable and safe, and you woke this morning feeling good about the year to come. Stolen from […]
This is a story about a story. Â But it’s more than that. Somewhere in early 2012, I’d started working on a story, set in the same universe as my short stories “Crossroads” and “The Devil’s Jack” (forthcoming in DEAD MAN’S HAND). Â But about three thousand words in, I realized that there was more here than
“I am terrified, but I’m not afraid” (a writing year in review) Read More »
As per my challenge,  more than ten of you contributed to the #willwrite2feedothers campaign – raising over $1,100 for food banks, so well done, us! – and therefore I am fulfilling my end of the bargain, with an original short story. It’s…a slightly strange story that may resonate with some folk more than others, but here
In which I keep my promises… Read More »
There are many people who despise mornings, who consider the only 6 allowable is 6pm (and don’t even speak to them of 5!). I may, possibly, pity those people, although I respect their dedication to the slow slothful waking process and emulate it on regular occasion. But to miss the early morning, especially in winter,
a meditation on mornings Read More »
From December 24th to January 5th, Kobo is running a Serious Sale (up to 80% off!) with the coupon code 50COUPON. You MUST enter that code, or you’ll be charged full price! I have, of course, given you a link that starts with my own MILES TO GO. Because the very best present to give is one
Own an e-reader? Want to NOT support either Amazon or B&N? Read More »
First off: merry Christmas, to those who observe! I’ve been away the past few days (for them as noticed), taking a long weekend retreat up at Zen Mountain Monastery, where my sister lives/studies. There was meditation, and talks, and talking (and listening) and hiking and cookie-baking and a lot of sleep (generally asleep by 10pm
Been and Back Again Read More »
Many of us know the healing, invigorating, brain-kicking power of good water pressure and a reliable boiler. Â Need to wake your brain up? Â Stuck on a story point? Â Go stand under some hot water. Sometimes it can kick in without your expecting it, though. For some reason, I started telling this story in the
Well, some of you earned it. The rest of you are freeloading off their #2feedothers good works. But we’ll let that pass. Anyway, it’s hit 3k and may have a while to go yet but I’m thinking it’s Pre-Draft – that is, I know where it starts, where it ends, and have a whole bunch of stuff
so yeah, that story y’all earned… Read More »
Every Tuesday I take a small chunk of something I’m working on – fantasy, mystery, mainstream, whatever… and post it.  No titles, no other info, utterly random. There will be no prizes for nitpicking typos: all teases are from works in progress, which means typos are a natural side-effect of production. ——————– The girl I
Tease Tuesday for December 10th Read More »
Every story opens in its own way, with the slow lead-in or the sudden drop into action, the burst of dialogue or a detailed description of the setting.  But when I write that first line, the very first time I open a file, and type “chapter one?† I always (okay, 98% of the time) start
In The Beginning: Begin, and then Begin Again. Read More »