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Jan 5

32 Comments

IDGaF

Here’s why you should. I see it frequently, if not hear it outright, and although there are times the ability to not GaF is a powerful tool, there are definitely times it is a bad thing. When you get to the point where you stop seeing the people around you as humans, but inanimate objects who are simply obstacles to overcome, you need to GaF. As an author, not giving a damn about readers will get your book outright mocked, if you don’t do everything right. So I decided I needed to make a case against the modern philosophy of IDGaF. It’s self-centered, and self-defeating, when it comes to Indie Publishing. Or trad pub, for that matter. Read more

Jan 4

18 Comments

Why Not Laugh?

Laughter is not the best medicine, but it comes darn close.  It’s the reason we remember particular events. For many, it’s the reflexive means of protecting one’s self- witness the self-deprecating and dark humor many veterans utilize. Clearly there’s money in quality humor, Pandora and Sirius both maintain comedy channels.  But how do we go about humor as writers? Read more

Jan 3

21 Comments

DO NOT WANT

As I type, it is Wednesday evening, and I have finished my first day back at work after almost two weeks of lovely, peaceful time off (well, peaceful with the exception of hauling the Bugger-cat to the specialist vet – he’s gained another 3/4 pound, bringing him up to merely underweight as opposed to emaciated. He should be in the 10lb range. He’s currently just over 8lb. At his worst, he was 5 1/2 lb and barely more than skin and bones).

So, the title of the post sums up my feelings right now. I really did not want to return to the daily grind.

Read more

Jan 2

99 Comments

The ONE Book

I remember being twenty two (shuddup.  Yes, I DO have a good memory) and in awe of the idea of writing my first “real” book, i.e. the first book I intended to submit, I managed to block myself for almost an entire year, in fear of “ruining” it.

Fortunately, later in my career, when I HAD to do six books a year I had not time to consider each of them my precious, and also aware at least two of the houses I was working with at the time would kill them dead before they got to press, if not by bizarre editing (one of them) by refusing to publicize them or even distribute them.  So I just wrote them.  “It doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be done by Wednesday.” Read more

Jan 1

15 Comments

File? What File?

Oh, this file? Well, where did that come from? And this beloved franchise, adored by millions if lately come a bit low? I was, uh, just cleaning it up. Giving it a bit of polish! Yeah, that’s it. Making it look pretty! Well, by pretty, I mean blowing dust into the corners and giving it a creative coat of grime. Making it look even more well-used and loved. Read more

Jan 1

19 Comments

The New Year Brings. . .

I long ago gave up making New Year’s Resolutions. No matter how good my intentions, the resolutions were almost always so far out in left field they were unattainable. So, sooner rather than later, the resolutions were out the door. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still try to set realistic goals for the New Year and move toward reaching them and, judging by some of the posts I’ve seen on social media, I’m not the only one.

Looking at some of the “resolutions” by other writers, Read more

Dec 31

31 Comments

Out with the old…

‘Now the New Year reviving old Desires,

The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires’

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Trans. Edward Fitzgerald)

‘The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not touched by the frost’

The Song of Aragorn, The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien

New Year’s Eve – and I am thankfully not Ambulance call again until tomorrow night. I’ve done a lot of call over the holidays, and was on the last two nights, and had fairly little sleep on both, and busy days between, so this is not me at my ‘scintillating’ best, but I still want to wish all our readers a safe New Year seeing in, and all the creativity, persistence and success for 2019. Where the hell did 2018 go? Read more

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