Weekly Reading Roundup 20 April 2018 Once again, I'm posting about the reading that really stood out to me during the week. Normally, these are items that I'd have posted on Facebook, but a few weeks ago, I dropped my Facebook account. You see, I became addicted to Facebook - posting, commenting, debating, and watching … Continue reading Weekly Reading Roundup 20 April 2018
Writing
Three Strategies to Defeat Perfectionism in Writing
How Perfectionism Blocks My Writing Letting myself be human has been the most difficult lesson on the road to being a writer. As a perfectionist, I hate making mistakes. As a human, mistakes are unavoidable. The clash between the two makes writing very difficult. In fact, my perfectionism blocks my writing all the damn time. … Continue reading Three Strategies to Defeat Perfectionism in Writing
Good News: Putting the Science in Fiction
I have great news. Writer's Digest revealed the cover of Putting the Science in Fiction yesterday. This anthology collects essays from Dan Koboldt's blog series Science in Sci Fi, and I have two essays in the collection. Both essays have been expanded for this edition. I'm proud of the work that I've done here, and … Continue reading Good News: Putting the Science in Fiction
Reviews Looking Back, Reviews Going Forward
Looking back on 2017, I'm happy with the review section of this blog. Now, happy doesn't mean it's perfect, but overall I think it was the start I needed. As I look forward to 2018, improvements become obvious, and I plan to make this year better. As always, the review policy is applicable for any … Continue reading Reviews Looking Back, Reviews Going Forward
2017 in Retrospect
2017, on a personal level, has been a good but busy year. On a national level, it’s been a disaster, but there are many people talking about that in a much better way than I. It’s a bit early to do a year in review for me. There is a lot of good things happening … Continue reading 2017 in Retrospect
The Dangers of a Shortened Season
Game of Thrones is a favorite show of mine. It is a must watch for me and Sue, and during the week, friends and I will dissect the show and speculate on upcoming episodes or longer story arcs. The political machinations, the emotional beats, the terrific visuals, and the excellent storytelling make for a satisfying … Continue reading The Dangers of a Shortened Season
Scalzi on Writing in the Trump Era
This is my current state when it comes to my blog: The rapid-fire pace of events is such that you (or at least I) end up sitting at the computer sort of paralyzed. In the last few weeks we’ve had (in no particular order) the healthcare vote, hurricane Scaramucci, North Korea and racists marching with … Continue reading Scalzi on Writing in the Trump Era
You Know What They Say About Assumptions – Generation Ships
Generation ships are important to science fiction for the fact that these giant vessels are sent out on a one way voyage into the unknown. The following article is part of a series exploring creative ways to make generation ships viable. Part one was an overall introduction to this series. But before we jump right … Continue reading You Know What They Say About Assumptions – Generation Ships
Generation Ships and Stories
If curiosity drives human exploration, then stories are the both the spark and the fuel of curiosity. Stories are a method of exploration all on their own. They allow us to remember the past but also to extrapolate the future. In the genre of science fiction, stories allow us to postulate a future while commenting … Continue reading Generation Ships and Stories
Review: MJ-12: Inception
The fall of Berlin ended one war but began another. America in its modern form has consistently moved from one conflict into another. However, this new Cold War wouldn’t be fought in the same manner of the recent World War. Instead of marching battalions and deployed tanks, it was fought by information gathering and asset … Continue reading Review: MJ-12: Inception