The other night, Dean Wesley Smith wrote a good blog post about plot twists. You can read it here, if you’re interested. I’ll warn you though. Dean’s blog is written for other writers, so it may not interest you if … Continue reading →
Great novels, a low price, and a chance to help a good cause (AbleGamers). When I grew up, stories of alien contact were everywhere. Made for TV movies, specials, and the like told me about Area 51, and the Grays, … Continue reading →
Sometimes people ask me, “What’s it like to live in Portland?” Well, if you want to love this city as much as I do, you’ve got to love rain. Today is a good example of that. Light sprinkle as I … Continue reading →
A number of weeks ago, some writer claimed he’d never been influenced by anything written by a woman. I won’t link to it here. Go look it up if you’re interested. I’m more interested in the result. Lists. A lot … Continue reading →
A couple of years ago, I went for a hike with a friend of mine, another author. Really, it was just an excuse to get some exercise while we talked about stories and writing. He’d recently read my short story … Continue reading →
It’s not easy for a creator to go back to a franchise. Especially one beloved by millions. One that has three films that fans watch over and over, buy multiple versions of on DVD for this extra or that extra … Continue reading →
I saw a movie over the weekend. Normally an unremarkable enough feat, but I haven’t been to many lately. This year’s blockbuster season hasn’t set my blood on fire. In fact, the movie I saw wasn’t a blockbuster. It was … Continue reading →
The hero (or heroine) arises out of nowhere, often from humble beginnings. The farm boy. The scullery maid. The bastard. Et cetera. Sometimes the Chosen One, and sometimes just the right person at the right time. Then comes the quest. … Continue reading →
I’ve noticed a tendency in magazine articles (and these days blog posts) when they write about the past. I find that it’s all too commonly presented that we should be embarrassed about things that used to interest us. A couple … Continue reading →
I don’t know why I’m thinking of this. Back when I was in grade school – in the 70s for those of you keeping track – I didn’t fit in with the other kids all that well. I was the … Continue reading →