Five weird facts – since Ed tagged Pete and Carrie, and Pete tagged Lori and I, here you go: 1) I was born on April Fools Day, was an “accident” and my parents were hoping for a boy, and were going to name me Michael. Not really weird, I guess, but I use it as an excuse…

Writing a novel, then editing, polishing, editing some more: 3-6 months. Writing a query letter good enough to catch an agent’s eye: 2-4 weeks. Researching agents that are legitimate, accepting queries and have made sales this century: 1-4 weeks for round 1. Waiting to hear back from partials and requested pages: 6 – 18 months.…

I’m going out tonight. My sister’s office is having their holiday party at the Yacht Club, and they get to bring significant others – and insignificant others, as in my case 😀  So at the end of my work day today, I’m bringing in the change of clothes sitting in my car, changing, and headin’…

Writing Science Fiction requires a knowledge of bolognium, a word author Larry Niven invented to explain inventions SF authors come up with that don’t or can’t exist. Warp Drives and Worm Holes and Time Shifts Oh My! Your average reader is going to overlook your bolognium if, and only if, it makes perfect sense within…

In order to keep you guessing, and so this won’t take until April 24th since that’s really kind of ridiculous, I’m posting Chapter 3 of: When the Stars Walk Backwards. And since I like to include a little disclaimer with each posting – to save face, as it were – again keep in mind this…

Dialog tags (or dialogue tags if you prefer, I don’t) are considered invisible – that is, if they’re not overused or abused or made to appear ridiculous. And by that I mean, we’re told the reader’s eye seemlessly flys over the term: he said. as if it weren’t even there. Dialog tags keep track of who’s speaking,…