Book Review: A Quiet Read
Just plowed through this book. Outstanding. I’m a guy who can walk into a cocktail party where the world’s 100 most fascinating people are gathered. Let’s say I know two of them when I arrive – you know who you are. Two hours later (if I last that long) I leave. When I leave, I…Read More
Schlock Mercenary’s version of Hemingway’s Rule #1
If you’re a Sci Fi fan and don’t follow Howard Tayler and his web comic, Schlock Mercenary, you’re missing out on good writing, good stories, and Schlock himself. Schlock Mercenary’s Hemingway Rules
Hemingway’s Rules
Hemingway died in 1961. Nearly fifty years ago. His work is still required in most colleges and high schools. I hated his work when I first read The Old Man and the Sea. Don’t remember when I was forced to read it. Then I grew up and read more and realized how great he was. A…Read More
Blog Dogs
These are the hounds that hang out with us. This is Luna. She’s our Primary Dog. Responsibilities include eating, sleeping, and barking at the UPS guy. She was a rescue dog who’d been at the Humane Society ten months. We adopted her when she was just over a year old. Luna weighs in at 98…Read More
Writing and Critique Groups
It’s hard to get honest feedback. But it’s important. I fall in love with my characters. I know what drives them, what they fear, what they want, and even their favorite ice cream. How much do readers need to know? What’s critical to the story? What’s boring? If only we had a way for writers…Read More
More Gaiman Guidance
Still true. https://t.co/GXOc3wfFVe — Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 12, 2020 My first draft of Solar Prime had 160,000 words. That’s over 500 pages. Bit long for a first novel. The version I turned over to the publisher has 102,000. Hope I made it look like I knew what I was doing!
Pushing Tech
How scientifically accurate does science fiction need to be? When I was looking for an agent, I noticed that many of the agencies would accept science fiction, but only a small subset were interested in “hard science fiction” – stuff that is as technically accurate as the author can make it at the time. The…Read More
Rules for Writing
Neil Gaiman (neilgaiman.com, @neilhimself) is one of my favorite authors. He wrote American Gods, The Graveyard Book, Anasazi Boys, and Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett). I heard an interview with him (maybe about him, and unverified, so consider this as such). In the interview he mentioned that he never shows his first draft to anyone…Read More
Dark matter, dinosaurs, and super-massive black holes
One of the storylines in Solar Prime revolves around the dinosaur extinction event. The quest itself is called KT Crossing in the book. That is a reference to the geological boundary between the Cretaceous (K) and Tertiary (T) periods. Current theory is that a meteoroid hit Earth where the Chicxulub (CHEEK-shuh-loob) crater is today (Yucatan…Read More
Where did it start?
As an Air Force Test Pilot, I spent a lot of time in the Mojave Desert. Close to Barstow, there was a thing called Solar One. A large tower with a circular array of mirrors that focused the reflected sunlight on a central point atop a tower. Originally the project used water/steam to power a…Read More