Hey Folks, Okay, venting alert. But this also morphs into a kind of topic. Down in the “Of Interest” section, you’ll find that Dean and Kris are bringing Pulphouse magazine back. Stage One of my automatic response was good for them. I was glad to hear it. Still am, actually. An additional publication = another stream of revenue for them. And during Stage Two, which I admit followed closely on the heels of Stage One (because … Read more
Hey Folks, NOTE: I just popped back in at 6:20 to add this and the next two paragraphs to today’s Journal. If you want to learn a TON about writing, please consider buying THE BLACK LIZARD BIG BOOK OF PULPS. You can find it at Amazon, in paper or Kindle, at https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307280489/. This is nothing short of incredible, even if all you read are the foreword and the three introductions. But there are also at least a … Read more
Hey Folks, Well, I finished the novel. A very strange process on this one that I hope I will never repeat. I think taking the day off yesterday helped a lot. I almost took today off too. I was thinking about writing a short story today, but then a transition for the current story came to mind. Kind of a missing link. (grin) I sat down, applied the transition, then just kept typing. And as has … Read more
Hi Folks, This post first was published in a slightly different version on October 10, 2016 over on the Daily Journal. I’m reposting it here because I felt it needed a broader audience and might help some of you. Got a great email from a respected writer friend recently (Thanks, JGV!) regarding my current WIP (back in October, 2015). He wrote What about doing away with the specific dimensions and leaving the images of the structures, … Read more
Hey Folks, I’ve finally seen a pattern developing. Originally, I wanted to rise hyper-early so I could use that quiet time to write. But most early mornings I check email first in case anyone (especially any writer) needs anything. Then I visit Facebook and scroll my notifications for items of interest. (I don’t use the “newsfeed” feature.) I try to at least Like anything friends post, and comment when appropriate. After that, depending on my mood … Read more
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, 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
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