Words    Words    Words

I’m looking for the ancient Greek for: We can do better. In English, there is some ambiguity there (We meaning us?  We meaning humanity?  My group can do better than your group?).  I don’t know if those ambiguities would translate, but, if so, I want them.  If not, I’ll chose the best meaning for my [...]

[Read more →]

This is a reminder to everyone who might be interested that Fourth Street Fantasy Convention is approaching.  For those who don’t know, this is a small convention (100+ people) heavily oriented toward writing and writers–I sort of made it up back in, I think, the late 80′s so I could hear smart people argue about [...]

[Read more →]

For several days, I’ve been feeling like I should post something, but nothing comes to mind.  What should I talk about? Oh, in case anyone missed it, I did a pod interview.  Tons of fun.

[Read more →]

By Rex Stout   When the doorbell rang at the old brownstone on West 35th Street, I was already in a lousy mood.  We had just finished the Beltham embezzlement case, and it was Friday, and I had wanted to celebrate by spending the weekend with Lily Rowan.  Instead, Wolfe had insisted I finish the paperwork.  I [...]

[Read more →]

I had a friend email me with a cool question: How do you let the reader in on something the first person protagonist doesn’t? I know it’s tricky, and I know it can be done, and I know it’s a rush when you pull it off.  My answer involved set-up: You establish the character as [...]

[Read more →]

I”ve just written a scene for my current project in which my viewpoint character goes on a rant about being at peace with one’s self, expressing disdain for the concept.  I finished it, looked at it, and said, “Wait.  I’ve written this already.” Was that my imagination, or did I actually write that scene?  If [...]

[Read more →]

I’ve sold a short-short called “Mira” to Sword and Sorceress #25, scheduled to be out in November.  Sword and Sorceress was Emma Bull’s first sale, and, as Emma is one of my heroes (no, I’m not kidding), I’ve always wanted to have a story in that anthology.  I’m delighted.   The story came out of a [...]

[Read more →]

I’m on the last chapter of Tiassa, and I want to take a moment to thank Alexx Kay for his timeline, Mark Mandel for Cracks and Shards, and everyone who has been maintaining the Dragaera Wiki; these resources have been especially useful over the last couple of days.

[Read more →]

After several conversations with Reesa, what I think is the last chunk of Tiassa has fallen into place well enough that I can see where I’m going.  I think.  Maybe.  For the moment.  So I believe I’m on track to finish it.   I have noticed that, with each of the last several books, I have [...]

[Read more →]

Among the many and ongoing interesting discussions at our home, we’ve been talking about the concept we’re calling “internal logic” for a character. Internal logic here means that, among other things:  an action that to an outside observer appears irrational, wrong, or evil, from the internal viewpoint of the character will be a justified, logical, [...]

[Read more →]