Category Archives: On Writing

Book Review: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

When I heard about this book I had to have it.  I’m fascinated by the creative processes of others, one main reason being I have so much trouble with my own.  The temptation to compare is impossible to resist, but … Continue reading

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Book Review: Nebula Awards Showcase 2008 edited by Ben Bova

Having recently read the Nebula Awards volume for 2011, upon opening this volume I was immediately struck by the differences between the two.  The 2011 book is full of stories.  It has all the short story and novelette award nominees, … Continue reading

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The Ongoing Relevance of the Sixties and Seventies

Last night I watched a wonderful film called “Pirate Radio”.  I had seen it in Greece a few years ago; the European title is “The Boat That Rocked”.  It’s the story of a time in England when it was illegal … Continue reading

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The Pursuit of Elusive Literary Fame and Fortune

The quality of a literary work often has nothing to do with how often it is rejected by editors or how many copies it sells.  This thought consoles me in my own pursuit of fame and fortune, especially fortune in … Continue reading

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The New Hack Writers

In bygone days pulp writers would churn out stories and articles by the bundle for magazines that would pay a fraction of a cent per word.  The only alternative to starvation was to write fast and furiously and pay more … Continue reading

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Getting Old: A Journal; Part Two: Good Stuff

I hadn’t intended to write more about getting old, at least not soon, after I had finished the first part of this journal.  Down the road a bit, yes, but not soon.  However, while contemplating it during a walk under … Continue reading

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Getting Old: A Journal; Part One: Scary Stuff

When I was young I took a girl to a party.  I can’t precisely remember my age at the time; my guess is that I was a little over twenty-one.  There was a lot of drinking going on at the … Continue reading

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On Attending ConDor 2013, San Diego’s Yearly Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention: Part Three: Saturday at the Con

Having made the decision to go back to ConDor on Saturday I prepared better.  Knowing that I would go straight through the day and that there were no decent affordable places nearby to have a sandwich for lunch, I fortified … Continue reading

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On Attending ConDor 2013, San Diego’s Yearly Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention: Part Two: Friday at the Con

Having never attended anything similar before, I approached ConDor with trepidation.  Though the website explained all the activities to be found therein, at the same time I was going in blind, without knowing anyone, and realizing that many of the … Continue reading

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On Attending ConDor 2013, San Diego’s Yearly Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention: Part One: Background

I did not come to science fiction as a fan first.  I read some science fiction before I realized I was a writer, but once I received the revelation that writing was my destiny, science fiction as a form of … Continue reading

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