We’ve all read those books. The ones where everything is going swimmingly and then somebody that you’re supposed to care about does something so eye-wateringly dumb that your eyes hurt…Continue readingOMG, Why did she…?
Commencement Address Dear graduating class, I am so very happy to see you. To know that you are out there. That you exist. Because – make no mistake – in…Continue readingBehind the Superstars
ALL fiction is fantasy by definition – but for the purposes of this listicle let me just make it clear that I am using “fantasy” in its more commonly applied…Continue readingOn writing tales of pure wonder
Someone in my hometown is putting together a reading series and sent me an email asking whether I wanted to participate. I said sure, and asked if they had any…Continue readingWhy is ‘genre’ a dirty word?
The Science Fiction Worldcon was in Yokohama, Japan, about a decade ago. I attended, as a panelist and a pro, partly because it was a chance to experience Japan, something…Continue readingA city named Hiroshima
Hatred is one of the purer emotions and it can distill into a poison. Yet the words “I hate” are oddly bereft of a stinger. It is almost a childish…Continue readingWhat do they hate?
The uniqueness of story You hear all kinds of numbers for the plot lines available to authors — 27, 10, 7, 3, 2, 1. Those who favor two – “Someone…Continue readingSomething is wrong
There was a discussion on Facebook about the merits and the level of intensity of care required for various lengths of hair. The consensus was that long hair really REALLY…Continue readingThe Gift of the Spiders
A movie that no writer should see alone Really. REALLY. Trust me on this. particularly since this film, ‘Can you ever forgive me?’, is based on a ‘True story’ – and…Continue readingA writer’s nightmare