Say hello to Lucy, patron saint of authors
This is Lucy. She floats on the wall above the sofa, opposite the chair where I sit with laptop perched on my knees as I write.Lucy is named after Lucy of Syracuse, the patron saint of authors. She...
View ArticleThe first 20,000 words: a writer's stumbling block
I remember reading something somewhere that many aspiring writers have no trouble getting the first 20,000 words down on paper but that many cannot seem to move beyond that to a finished product. I...
View ArticleUnusual things found in books: Part Four or Five
Usually, when I write about this topic, (and I don't remember how many times I've done it) I'm referring to odd little bookmarks. This time, however, I thought it would be interesting to include text...
View ArticleNo excuses, just reasons
I wish I could say the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season provided a good excuse for not blogging. That’s not the case and to blame my absence on the holiday would be a big fat lie.Most of my...
View ArticleNeed a Story Idea?
I must say, it’s been a very interesting day. Among the many pieces of totally ignorable emails and several valuable messages were three items in French, one sales pitch for a wrinkle cream that would...
View ArticleStill alive, still kicking, just not here
It's not like a million people read this blog, so I'm surprised to hear from one person, let alone several, who want to know why I'm not writing any longer.The answer has to be in the form of another...
View ArticleNew Directions
Since I've done two or three eBooks on my own, I was had the opportunity a few months back to work on a video poker book. Not unusual since I worked in the gaming publishing industry for many years and...
View ArticleWe did our best!
I picked up a book today titled Stories of Service, which consists of a bunch of articles about and from people who serve others, be they crisis counselors, volunteers, advocates, etc. I bought it...
View ArticleRest in Peace, P.D. James
It's interesting to observe how the death of someone you've never met can profoundly affect your emotions.When I learned about the death of P.D. James, I felt a little bit of my own breath slip out...
View ArticleWho wrote the Bible again?
Since I sell used books via Amazon, I am often looking for stock numbers, condition notes, and other comments about books I plan to list. It's a bit time consuming but at least once a week, I find...
View ArticleThe Writer's Block: Newest Addition to Downtown Vegas
Most tourists don’t come to Las Vegas to shop at a bookstore. Of all my friends and family who have visited me over that last several decades, not a single one, not even the ardent readers, have asked...
View ArticleWriting is the only thing ...
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else.I like this quotation from Gloria Steinem because it fits me perfectly. (I bet it fits a lot of writers...
View ArticleDo we really need editors? Do we really need proofreaders?
Do we really need editors? Do we really need proofreaderes?Before anyone comes after me with hammers raised, I'll answer the questions.Yes. We need both. But, life might be a tad easier for these...
View ArticleHappy New Year
February 19 is the start of the lunar new year, also the start of the new year for many cultures.This is the Year of the Goat for the Chinese New Year. If you were born in one of the following years,...
View ArticleWriters do read...but do they cook?
Writers usually have fairly decent-sized libraries.I was thinking about this as I started packing some of my personal library to make room for some of the books I’m selling on ABE. I’ve read many of...
View ArticleDon't cean up my act
Even a few days after reading about the app, my body is still reacting the way it does when I accidentally bite into a burrito filled with sriracha sauce. Maybe my face did not change to watermelon red...
View ArticleI'm Still Standing
Or rather, I'm still moving.This blog has been temporarily (a long temporarily) on hold. It will be revived in the near future, after I've finished a new venture that's become almost overwhelming.The...
View Article2017 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
I'm working on my 2017 New Year's resolutions. I usually resolve NOT to resolve anything. This allows me to have a totally open mind, or at least I think that's what it does. In reality, it just...
View ArticleWhere or where have 18 months gone?
A year-and-a-half ago, I input my last blog. The subject matter was New Year's resolutions, and I listed five things I planned to do but did not resolve to do. Here's the list I was considering:DRINK...
View Article10 Modern Clichés to Avoid or Stop 'Thinking Outside the Box!'
I recently spent some time cat sitting for a friend. In the process, I managed to get in a few hours of television watching, something that takes up very limited amount of time in my home. After...
View ArticleHow the media shapes YOUR thinking
In a past life, I taught high-school English (for a very short time). My approach wasn't to lecture with facts while bored teens daydreamed about dates and basketball and the latest dance craze. I...
View ArticleHow the media shapes your thinking -- part two
If you think this article is just about your choice of liberal or conservative media, you need to continue reading. There are no politics involved ... at least not directly.Last year, while confined to...
View ArticleWhy I Left Facebook - Almost
I can't remember when I decided to create a Facebook account, but I recall thinking the site would offer a great opportunity to connect with family and friends, and possibly be used as a tool for...
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