Whatever holidays you celebrate in this season….or firmly avoid, in this season…I wish you all as pleasant a passage from December to the New Year as possible. We will be having a quiet holiday season, since we can’t drive at night and thus can’t go to the Sing-Along Messiah, or any performances, or attend the Read More…
Once Again…
NewBook I has had a partial read by Agent now, and I called to find out what his reaction was so far (about 1/3 through it.) Still some concerns, things to work on, so I’m back in revision mode sort of, hoping to also get back to work on NewBook II while it still has Read More…
Over in Paksworld
There are presently three excerpts of a “side story” from way back–re-created in the past month, because I lost the original of it. Kieri Phelan’s first independent command with his little contingent of one cohort…and since the rest of the army he’s with is either the Tsaian Royal Guard or feudal levies from Tsaian nobles, Read More…
Who Wants Small Government?
The GOP, especially its MAGA wing, will tell you government is too big, government “overreaches” by making and enforcing laws that restrict freedom (by their definition of freedom, which trust me, I WILL get to.) They want SMALL GOVERNMENT. LOCAL CONTROL. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. FREEDOM. That they also claim to be in favor of law & Read More…
If You Can’t Admit Failure….
….YOU CANNOT ACHIEVE SUCCESS. This is the lesson that Steve McCraw, head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, needs to learn. He made the statement that although the DPS “made some mistakes” the agency as a whole “did not fail” the parents of children killed at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde. “Did not fail” Read More…
Agent Response
Great relief of writer to find that yes, the whole package is back…my agent called Friday and we had a good long talk. The book IS a book. It is a reasonably good book. It could use some work, but he enjoyed it, stayed up late to read it. Also, all the things he talked Read More…
Sometimes the Brain Surprises…
I wrote about this the other day (and then forgot to post it until the day after I wrote it, DUH) over on Paksworld, but it’s a general enough “How WriterBrains Work” story that some of you may be interested, too. As mentioned, I’ve started Book II of the Horngard group, and am presently just Read More…
And the Beat Goes On
The final buffing and polishing (final is an indefinite word since there’s always One More Tyop to find) is now done. So yesterday morning, bright and early, Book II poked its head up out of the debris left over from Book I and said “So let’s get started.” And I said “I need to clean Read More…
Of Purple Paint & Short Stories
Yesterday and today were spent, in part, with cans of Krylon ™ spray paint in the color designated by TX Parks & Wildlife as “NO HUNTING PURPLE”. The idea is that instead of posting “No Hunting” signs (where they inevitably get stolen, shot up, mysteriously blown away) , you simply paint the top of your Read More…
Done-de-done-done
NewBook is done. Three rounds of revision, wrestled to the mat on space, time, person, place, etc. issues. From here on out it’s nitpicking time because it’s DONE. 172,125 words, counting chapter titles, datelines (actually places, mostly), 31 chapters (may need some chapters numbered differently, that’s an editorial decision I’d take advice on.) It’s a Read More…