I am working on an espionage novel, trying to get it into shape for submission. That's my big summer project, along with promoting the new novel Haxan. When I am finished with that I will turn my attention to writing a new Haxan novel in the series. I think I have a weighty enough idea …
“Talitha Koum” now appearing in Frontier Tales
Well, the new novel is out. But that's not all going on in the world of Haxan. My new Haxan short story entitled "Talitha Koum" has already engendered controversy among fans. It's published by Frontier Tales and is on their website now. If you like the story please remember to vote for it on their …
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The Eyes of the Valkyrie
Several days ago I finished my new Haxan short story "Remember Me in the Halls of Valhalla" and I think it came out okay. I had a scene where I wanted to show these Valkyries were unlike the common blonde-haired, blue-eyed fantasy figures you often see. These were more like true death-maidens (though still beautiful) …
My New Haxan Story, “Talitha Koum” Published by Frontier Tales
Big breaking news day on the writing front! I also have a brand new Haxan story "Talitha Koum" which has just been published in Frontier Tales Magazine. Click the link to read it, and please vote for my story! This is a different kind of story in the Haxan mythos. In this one Magra Snowberry …
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Reflection on Story Present
I've been struggling with my new story "Remember Me in the Halls of Valhalla" for several weeks now. To put things in perspective I haven't been writing a lot lately. Personal stuff has roared in and stolen much of my time. It happens. But I have kept this story on the front burner in my …
“I’m your huckleberry.”
In an old writing group we had an ongoing joke you never "arrived" until you wrote an Elvis story. Many members did, I did not. The same sort of thing might be said of westerns, but with Doc Holliday. This consumptive blue-eyed killer continues to generate stories, ideas, and unverifiable legends. I got to thinking. …
Woo! My New Story “Talitha Koum” to be Published by Frontier Tales in June
My new Haxan story "Talitha Koum" is scheduled to be published by Frontier Tales in June of this year. I am looking forward to this. It's a "Magra" story more than anything else, and though written from Marwood's perspective, it's mostly about her. We learn more about her early life and especially her mother, Black …
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The Writing Log Jam is Finally Breaking Apart
I've had a bit of a breakthrough on the short story I'm working on. It's called "Remember Me in the Halls of Valhalla". I started this story at the last WorldCon in San Antonio. I knew if I thought about it long enough, and talked to a couple of writers and bounced some ideas, something …
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A Study in Character Motivation Revealed through Style and Voice: “The Bruja and the Ferryman”
Not too long ago I learned I had an upcoming Haxan story in which I used voice and style to reveal character motivation which would be published. I even blogged about it. Well, that dark fantasy story is now live at Frontier Tales and you can read it for free. The story is about Magra …
New Haxan Story “The Weight of Memory”
While I was attending Lone Star Con last week someone asked me if I wrote the Haxan stories in chronological order. I had to admit I did not. I write the stories as they come to me. Sometimes they might be in order, often not. I usually have some idea, however, where they fit along …
So you want to be a writer? Pro-tip: Always Expect the Unexpected.
Relative to my wail of angst yesterday I am taking another look at a project I started and abandoned last year.* It's a short story about a city undergoing a change between magic and the ascendency of science, and meanwhile there are are very terrible Jack the Ripper-type murders being committed. I didn't want this …
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How I Wrote My New Haxan Story “Rado”
I had what I consider an unusual amount of trouble writing this short story. It wasn't the plot but how the voice was developing that I had so much trouble with. I had never written a Haxan story that featured Jake Strop before so maybe that was part of the problem. I didn't want him …
Long Week Finally Has a Good Ending
Yesterday I learned The Western Online accepted a short story of mine. This was a nice end to a pretty awful week and I needed some good news. I'm glad they liked it and I look forward to appearing in their magazine soon. It's a new Haxan story in which I tried to do something …
Writing is the Art of Reality
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 …
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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Catching Up with Me
Next week I will try to post some pictures from the Border Trip I took to research the novel. I don't know what they will add to the context of the process I have already written about, but you might like them. Who knows? I wanted to thank everyone for all the kind words and …
Chicon7: Last Update Post Thing Before I Leave for Dallas
Started a new Haxan short story last night and got about ten pages done. I always do this at a WorldCon, start a new story or poem or whatever. Good to see the streak has continued. This story is a dark fantasy and features Magra Snowberry, one of the principal characters of Haxan. Don't know …
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Rules are made to be broken, except when they’re not.
As a writer, the only time you should break the rules is when you know the rules beforehand. Fortunately, in writing, there are no rules. Which is why you must be extra careful before you go around breaking them and drawing attention to yourself. I know. Sounds screwy and somewhat zen-like. But there's a lot …
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Fishing the Styx: Moby-Dick and Dante’s Inferno, with horror and revenge served cold in Hell….
As a writer I like all my stories. I would not submit them for publication if I felt they had nothing to give readers. But I have to admit there are some stories that are very important to me for one reason or another. "Fishing the Styx" is such a story. I have always loved …
Wuthering: A vengeful take on Wuthering Heights in the violent world of Haxan
Mark here. The world of Haxan gives me a lot of room to retell stories and do variations. The short story "Wuthering" is such an example. I mean, how many settings lend themselves to a retelling of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights? Well, in my opinion, Haxan does. I had fun writing this story because it …
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Hoover's Corner 