Hey Folks, Apparently I visited Dean’s site too early yesterday. After I left he posted a new article. See “Of Interest” below. There’s a lot down there today, and it’s all good. Ted White, one of the great editors of SF and Fantasy, needs help saving his house. If you can help, visit https://www.gofundme.com/44r62-save-my-house. And if you have a Facebook page and/or are in any writers’ groups, please share. (This is also in “Of Interest” below.) … Read more
Hey Folks, A few folks mentioned the picture of my guitar came out huge in the email they received and interrupted the post. That’s just how some email programs deliver photos (instead of running the text along the side). When that happens in the future, you can always see the “real” post at http://harveystanbrough.com/. I’m taking a non-writing day today. Topic: A Lesson Learned I guess this is kind of a topic. I spent a lot … Read more
Hey Folks, No topic today, so just my blathering. Oh, I think I mentioned I bought a new guitar a couple days ago to add to my small collection. (I also have a Martin HD-28 and a custom made, arch-top f-hole tenor Britton guitar, made by my maternal uncle, Roy Britton.) Anyway, if I didn’t mention buying a new one, well, I did. It’s a hollow-body electric Peavey JF-1, a Jack Daniels custom job. If it … Read more
Hey Folks, All the recent talk about people being “offended” and “sensitivity readers” is just annoying. But they aren’t really connected. This is two different mini-topics: perception and censorship. Perception People have every right to perceive anything they see or hear in any way they want. And they have a right to be “offended” if that’s how they want to spend their time. Shrug. Fine by me. However, whether they are offended is a direct function … Read more
Hi Folks, A little rant this time, but a well-reasoned rant. It really is attrocious what Amazon does to authors regarding royalties. This problem came fully home to me awhile back when I uploaded the new version of The Wes Crowley Saga (10 full novels in one book) to Amazon and Smashwords. At Amazon, to get a 70% royalty, a book must be priced between $2.99 and $9.99. All other prices glean the author a 35% … Read more
Hey Folks, The “Of Interest” section most often (like today) has a referral to Dean Wesley Smith’s site, but not always. Sometimes it has other stuff too. A few days ago I posted a link here to an article about “sensitivity readers” now being employed by the traditional publishing houses. This morning I received three emails from subscribers to this Journal giving me that same link. (grin) I urge you to check out “Of Interest” each … Read more
Hey Folks, Likely to be a limited writing day today again, kind of a semi day off. I plan to write, but I’ll let other things take precedence. What does that mean? I want to write, and I will write, but I won’t worry about writing. If/when I get to it, good. No stress. Today, and Writing Rolled out at 3, finally to the novel at 5:30. I wrote off and on over about four hours. … Read more
Hey Folks, Well, I’ll be writing today, but much of it will be in the house and therefore subject to interruption. I’ll be helping with things around here that I didn’t get done during the week (laundry, etc.). I originally planned to go camping in the Lower Box Gila Wilderness (north of Lordsburg, NM) this weekend. But there was a threat of rain, and storms there are as wild and rugged as the place itself. So … Read more
Hey Folks, Wow. Long post today. I pulled out my guitar (Martin HD-28) yesterday when the kid and I got back from town around 4:15. Pulled out a pick and showed my grandson how much I’ve forgotten. (grin) No “Under the Double Eagle,” no “Wildwood Flower,” and no “House of the Rising Sun,” though I did manage to hack my way through a stiff, stuttering version of one instrumental piece called “Pipeline.” (I finally remembered the … Read more
Hey Folks, Welcome to a couple of recent new subscribers. I hope you enjoy following along on this journey and that you take some nuggets from it that will help in your own writing. I won’t mention you by name because this is a secret society of very strange people. (grin) * * * That brough up a memory. While I was still in the Marine Corps and serving in C Battery of Second Light Anti-Aircraft … Read more