Steely Dan’s “Bodhisattva”–Things to Come

Whenever I hear it, the song sends me over the 3rd Avenue bridge in 1973 Minneapolis. Music can trigger place memories. “California Dreamin” puts me in Columbus, Georgia, walking past a music store playing the Mamas and the Papas tune. A weekend pass from nearby Ft. Benning, took me there–as does the song. But I […]

Deep, Down and Dirty Writing Secrets Wins Award

  We are all due congratulations and you are due a free download!   DD&D just won the prestigious 16th annual New Mexico/Arizona 2020 Book Awards for eBook nonfiction.   Download FREE on October 1st or 20th from Amazon.   A Treasure Trove of Writing Tips    From the Amazon blurb: Writing advice that gets […]

Talking to Your Characters–a Study Proves It

Majority of authors ‘hear’ their characters speak, finds study Don’t usually do writing tips here–they usually come on the Views blog. But it’s been busy over there, so a change up. Just finished reading this interesting article in The Guardian. It confirms advice from writers to others: Listen to your characters. Talk to them.  Not […]

Deep Down and Dirty Writing Secrets

A Treasure Trove of Writing Tips That’s what this book is. It’s already available in paperback, but let’s skip ahead to Kindle. It will be out on May 1.  You can preorder it right now—for just $2.99.  E J Randolph, fellow writer, invited me and 10 other writers to collaborate on this very helpful book […]

Motivational Mistakes—Publishing Promises

A Cautionary Tale That 2nd short story collection won’t be out for the holidays. Sometime in 2020. Maybe for summer reading—or maybe in the fall. I’ve made much progress, but lots left to do. Also coming in 2020, a month happily lost to a 40th anniversary trip! Life beyond writing Here’s the thing–perhaps a clue […]

Black Friday–Nah, Not For Me

Don’t need new electronics. Don’t need major gifts this year. What I do need is to get some more exercise in the pool. That’s possible today because I have to charge the sensor and reattach it to a new patch to keep checking the old ticker for AFib or some other form of arrhythmia. Nothing […]

The Writer’s Eye–Seeing A Scene Around You

Not a story this time, a writers tip fleshed out. After an early doctor’s appointment, my wife and I stopped for breakfast at a local Arby’s last month. I asked the manager, who happened to be working the counter, “Did you use to work at Wendy’s?” “Yes, for ten years,” she said, “that seemed long […]