And How Was Your Day?
This was my Thursday: 1. Woke up to news that the pro-Palestinian encampment at York had been closed by the university, with the complicity of dozens of police officers after…
To Doctor, With Love
WARNING: SPOILERS I must admit, I am very much enjoying the new season of Dr. Who. The most recent episode, "Dot and Bubble," surpassed even my high expectations. There is…
Markets? I’ve Known a Few…
I don't understand markets. Honestly, it's a miracle that I have ever had anything published. As some of you will know, last year I wrote a cycle of short stories…
Frequently Unasked Questions About…Writing (1)
1. How do you deal with writer's block? My experience has been that creativity is like a muscle: the more you exercise it, the easier it is to use. Or,…
Score One For Science Fiction!
I was watching the news when a member of the Screen Actors Guild discussed their strike. One of the points she made was that a studio could use her voice…
Everything’s Connected
I don't always connect new stories to my wider fictional universe. Most of the stories in the Antonio Van derr Wahl/Singularity cycle, for instance, only connect to that universe. In…
The Insatiable Maw Must Be Fed!
Imagine embarking on a weekly writing project. Let's say your goal is to write three pieces a week with an average of 750 words per piece, totaling 2,250 words. First…
Mixed Feelings, As Always
Yesterday, my nephew started singing "When I'm 64." Great choice. Love the Beatles. My birthday is the 8th of July, not the 7th. And I'm only 63 this year, not…
That Was the Day That Was
So, I spent the first few hours completing the first draft of a new novella, "Land of Wonders." It's a kind of surreal urban fantasy with absurdist tendencies. From the…
Happy Birthday to Me
Technically, my birthday isn't for a week and a half, but the universe decided to give me some presents today, and who am I to argue? It started with the…
A Little Heavy-handed Allegory Never Hurt Anybody
WARNING: SPOILERS Last week, I saw the second episode of Star Trek: Brave New Worlds and the premier episode of Marvel's Secret Invasion. I thought there was a similarity in…
American Born Chinese
WARNING: SPOILERS One of the great things about streaming services is that they allow you to try shows and movies you may not have known much about. The possibility of…