A Difficult Time
I apologize for my absence. I’ve been gone for a while I know, but I have been dealing with a devastating loss, one that has rocked me harder than I ever imagined- because I never imagined it happening. My laptop has died. She’d been sick for a few months. Sometimes it took forever for herContinue reading “A Difficult Time”
COP26: a historic but imperfect accord
“World leaders signed off on a new climate change agreement after two weeks of intense negotiations in Glasgow, Scotland. While some countries committed to more ambitious cuts to heat-trapping pollution, many nations did not agree to reign in emissions fast enough for the world to avoid the worst damage from climate-driven storms, heat waves andContinue reading “COP26: a historic but imperfect accord”
Writing Stuff
The following pages are from a post graduate workshop at Vermont College. The list of recommended reading was something that was cited when I was in the MFA program and Post Graduate workshop. Most of the students in the workshop and program had read most or all. Booth was required reading. We spent the entireContinue reading “Writing Stuff”
Words Do Matter
When I graduated from high school, I planned to be a civil engineer. I wanted to help solve societal problems related to infrastructure and geology. I was good at math and algebra and mechanical drawing. This was long before personal computers. I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, a small liberal arts school. MyContinue reading “Words Do Matter”
Words, Wonderful Words
Words fascinate me. They always have. It might be genetic. My mother also loved words and once, with a smile on her face, told a supervisor she did not respect, he was just a curmudgeon. He, having no clue what the word meant, took it as a compliment and said ‘thank you.’ By the timeContinue reading “Words, Wonderful Words”
Creating the Character “I”
by Loren Rhoads “Witty, touching, beautifully written, and haunting — in every sense of the word — This Morbid Life is an absolute must-read for anyone looking for an unusually bright and revealing journey into the darkest of corners. Highly recommended!” — M.Christian, author of Welcome To Weirdsville One of the things that has interested me for yearsContinue reading “Creating the Character “I””
Thoughts on Columbus and his Day
Once again, people in the United States are squabbling over a made-up, moved-to-create-a-three-day-weekend holiday. Being honest, I must say that when I taught a long weekend in early to mid-October was always welcome, especially because it occurred around the time of my birthday. However, I urge those who are patriotically waving the flag to stopContinue reading “Thoughts on Columbus and his Day”
World building in Science-fiction and Fantasy
“If you write science-fiction or fantasy, world building can make or break your book.” ProWritingAid. World building is harder than you think. It is difficult and takes time. Many details need to come together in a cohesive fashion to produce a believable world. You can be creative and design your own world from scratch orContinue reading “World building in Science-fiction and Fantasy”
Choosing Our Words
As writers, we must choose our words carefully. Not ever reader will comprehend our words in the same way. This is true for writers of every genre, from short pieces of flash fiction contained in a few hundred words or less (Ernest Hemingway’s six-word, heart-wrenching story comes to mind) to multi-volume epic tales spanning hundredsContinue reading “Choosing Our Words”
Using Facebook for Inspiration
I admit it. I’m addicted to Facebook. It’s a terrible time killer and keeps me from doing much more important things—like writing—but I can’t seem to help myself. Acknowledging my addiction is, however, the first step in getting a handle on it. And one of the ways I hope to manage my Facebook addiction isContinue reading “Using Facebook for Inspiration”
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