Category Archives: My Writing

Acceptance Cover And Blurb Revealed

  After much blood, sweat, and tears (so many tears), I’m pleased to reveal the cover of Acceptance, the first story in The Augur’s Rose Series. I drew and painted it in Photoshop CS4 using my Wacom Bamboo tablet. The process included many layers,  various reference photos for the lovely hooded crow (Vidar), and aContinue reading “Acceptance Cover And Blurb Revealed”

Be on the lookout!

November is a hopping month for me, to say the least. Since work on my sci-fi novel is shelved as it sits in the slush pile, I’m stoking the flames of industry to see a few projects to certain levels of completion, including pushing one baby birdy out of the nest. The latter of whichContinue reading “Be on the lookout!”

Post-Gen Con 2016: Reexamining Writing Goals

The Gen Con Writer’s Symposium was amazing. I walked away completely refreshed and with a bumper crop of information and ideas. I cannot recommend enough finding and attending similar events to get the latest information about what is going on in the publishing industry or just to get inspired to take your craft to the nextContinue reading “Post-Gen Con 2016: Reexamining Writing Goals”

Staying Uplifted While Querying

The querying process is one of the hardest steps for a writer to face — even more so than the daunting editing process. A finished manuscript, after all, is our baby, and it’s hard to kick your baby out into the cold cruel world. And trust me, it can be a cruel world. I’ve beenContinue reading “Staying Uplifted While Querying”

Finding the right beginning

Some beginnings come easy; others, well, they bite, claw, and resist like no tomorrow, leaving behind frazzled writers. Take for instance my novel Heritage Lost: It’s beginning stuck from the very beginning, back when I conceptualized the novel in college. It’s sequel, which I’m am beginning, is already on its fourth (I think) beginning. NoneContinue reading “Finding the right beginning”

So Begins The Jump

To borrow a phrase from Nick Fury (and countless other people over the years): This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve queried before, often to no luck. Rejection happens more often than not: The publishing industry is a hard nut to crack. You just have to dust yourself off, get back up, and continue to submit, potentially with a new project.

How does a person get their $*** together?

Utter failure. That is really the only way to describe this year’s NaNoWriMo attempt. Illness struck quickly, taking a week, and then apathy swooped in and killed any desire to continue the trek onward. Really, does the world need my books? Are they really worth anything (not necessarily talking monetary value here)? I’ve been reallyContinue reading “How does a person get their $*** together?”

It’s the final countdown — NaNoWriMo prep

In the background of my head, Europe’s famous riffs loudly declare “It’s the final countdown!” And my countdown is now practically three days — three days and the madness of National Novel Writing Month descends upon me. I’m not ready for this! Frantically, I look at my outline: It only stretches from Chapter One toContinue reading “It’s the final countdown — NaNoWriMo prep”