PLOT is not ACTION. It can be easy to confuse the two. I sure have. I’ve heard great and award-winning authors summarize their view of plot as, “The stuff that happens.” Well, yes… a successful plot is the stuff that happens, but stuff happening is not, in itself, plot. I Read more…
This will be cross-posted to Analog’s new blog site. My story in the current issue of Analog has the longest history of any short story I’ve written, and is, like its protagonist, a strange creature of thrown together parts. I’ve wanted to be a science fiction writer as long as Read more…
I’ve got a lot of balls in the air right now. On Saturday, May 19th, I will be at the SFWA Nebula Conference in Pittsburgh, in particular I’ll be at the Clarion All Class Meetup from 3-6pm 😉 On Monday, May 21, I will be talking and reading at the Read more…
I recently volunteered to be a first-round reader at a fiction magazine. A “slush reader.” I think referring to the mountain of submitted stories as “the slush” started when paper submissions were slipped through the transoms of publishing offices, resulting in a slippery pile of envelopes the employees had to Read more…
I had the day off yesterday and since I saw Captain America: Winter Soldier recently, I decided to spend the day looking for Nick Fury’s grave. See, the movie was filmed in Cleveland, and I knew that some scenes were shot not far from Lakeview Cemetery so it made sense Read more…
“Am I a good writer?” I ask my husband, for the eightieth time today. “Yes,” he says, “Reasie sells lots of stories.” “But,” I say, “the editor at [magazine that just gave me a rejection] doesn’t think I’m a good writer.” “Silly sweetie,” Brian says, “Lots of editors love Reasie!” Read more…
Why do we spend so much time speculating about who would win in a fight? Mostly it’s a cherished pastime of super hero fandom, but I’ve seen “Who would win?” arguments pitching Samurai vs. Knights, Caesar Vs. Napoleon, Mr. Darcy Vs. Heathcliff (okay I never saw that one but c’mon! Read more…