I believe writing is the art of reality. Writers paint in words. We use the world around us to create, and we create immense worlds. We aren't constrained unless we let ourselves be constrained. We can take as much as we want, or as little, depending on the story that wants to be told. We …
The Mithril Buddies – My Life in a D&D Gaming Group
I don't play Dungeons & Dragons anymore. Not because I don't like the game, but I don't think I will ever find a group as good as my old one. When I was living in Mississippi I got in touch with a group of guys and over the years we built up our group. Every …
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Life is Getting in the Way of Writing
Got a lot to do today. Yesterday was busy, too. More than usual. Classical guitar and photography class took up most of the day yesterday. Today I am meeting my writing buddy at the coffee shop and will push to get this edit done on the new short story. At least whip it in recognizable …
Yes, I am going to write The Great American Hobo Novel
I have finally decided I am going to do this for my next big project. I have been interested in this idea for some time. A bit tongue in cheek, but I have called this idea The Great American Hobo Novel for some time. Mostly as a place holder name. I feel there's a lot …
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Tension and Compromise, the Charybdis and Scylla of Art
Speaking only for myself, but I find it's important to find a workable balance between perfection and compromise. I was responding on a classical guitar forum earlier tonight and it got me to thinking about this problem in more detail. Not only how it affects facets of our lives, but, since this is primarily a …
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Passacaglia and Barre Chords in Classical Guitar
My classical guitar lessons have been going well. I honestly feel I am making good progress. I've memorized the two main sections of "Malagueña" and have to work on the lento (slow) section. The other song I've been working on with my teacher is "Romanza" or "Spanish Ballad". Malagueña is the feminine form of the …
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Chopping Out the Undergrowth of a Story and Revealing Gold
Today I will start the third (and I hope) final big edit of the new Haxan novel, Quaternity. I plan to read the novel out loud, as I mentioned before in this blog, and am eager to see (hear?) how it sounds. I've been a little stuck on another short story I finished editing, though. …
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Conventions I will attend this year, and my other writing plans.
Here is a list of conventions I plan to attend this year, along with some other things I expect to get working in the pipeline: MidSouthCon March 22-24 I used to go to this con all the time in Memphis with the guys in my gaming group. Probably too late for me to get on …
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There might be blood. But then we’d have to swab it up and who wants to do that?
I am finishing the second big edit of Quaternity. This morning I finished fixing some pieces in the story that had been bothering me. I think I might be reaching a point where I am starting to do more harm than good. Too much editing can have a negative impact on a manuscript. I am …
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No Country for Old Men (book and novel review)
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy is a very good novel that, by all rights, should have been great. It tells the story of a drug deal gone bad and how fate impacts different lives, and ends up shattering them. Written in a minimalist style with no quotation marks, commas or apostrophes, this …
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Dialog with Story: Hello, I’m There Again
Me: So I've decided to buckle down and spend the entire year concentrating on my writing. Story: Big whoop. Me: You're not helpful. This is a big decision. I want to see where I am at the end of the year. Story: See my previous statement. If you need me I'll be over here yawning. …
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Big Day of Edits
Late roundup posting but I was busy today. I got up before 3 a.m. and I did 150 pages of edits on the new novel. It went pretty well. The novel isn't perfect. Well, I guess no story is perfect when you get right down to it. Though some classics come awfully close and I …
A Pretty Important Announcement (well, I think it’s important) about My Writing
Because of some stuff that happened I am now able to make a decision about my writing as it pertains to this year. Pretty simple, really. I am going balls out hit-the-firewall-and-push-it-farther for the year. This means many more conventions. Library readings. Postings. Some other new stuff on the horizon, including more stories published by …
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The History and Location of Theater 13 Radio (for those who might wonder!)
Theater 13 Radio comes to you from a desolate graveyard surrounded by thick oak and dead pecan trees. Surrounding this ancient family cemetery is a rusty wrought-iron fence without a gate. Inside the fence stands a lone gray marble mausoleum with a single word carved in the lintel: Â Â ZARELLA It is the last resting …
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Hoover's Corner 