Sci-Fi or Fantasy: The Fine Line Between Genres

What is the difference between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Lord of the Rings?

It’s a common enough question (among a few folks, anyway) with a common enough set of answers. To some, there is no difference: both are speculative fiction (i. e. deal with made-up worlds and situations). To other, more devout followers of these genres, the differences are as clear as day. Whatever the level of discussion is, the fact remains that while they do often end up lumped together by fans and publishers alike, there is nevertheless that / separating science fiction from fantasy, suggesting that there are indeed distinctions to be drawn between the two. Hopefully this post will help clarify, if not completely solve, this issue.Continue reading “Sci-Fi or Fantasy: The Fine Line Between Genres”

!!!New Site!!!

I am pleased to announce the launch of a new weblog, Random History 365. It will be dedicated to delivering random historical facts and short summaries about events on the very date that they occurred (or as close to as possible). Some will be special anniversaries, but most will just be dates I happen to know or find interesting. Go check it out if you’re interested!

Plans for November

October was an excellent month! Not only did it see the publication of my debut novel, but also the completion of rough drafting for my 7-story YA anthology (which I subsequently began to type up), as well as the editing and compiling of 6 older stories for a middle-grade anthology that will hopefully be released sometime next spring.

This month I will focus on typing up the rest of the YA anthology, as well as the usual amount of reading and weblogging. Otherwise, it will probably be fairly quiet on the literary front.

Marketing Matters: The Benefits of Live Appearances

Once you’ve got your book, story, et cetera published, it is time to move on to that third phase that relatively few of us introverted writer types bother to think about: marketing.Continue reading “Marketing Matters: The Benefits of Live Appearances”

Ten Problems with the ‘Redwall’ Series by Brian Jacques

On this day in 1986, the very first Redwall book was published by Hutchinson in the UK. To mark the 34th anniversary of this monumental work in the field of middle grade and young adult fiction, I am releasing this list of critiques that I have lovingly assembled over the course of reading this otherwise phenomenal series.Continue reading “Ten Problems with the ‘Redwall’ Series by Brian Jacques”

!!! Book Release: ‘Sauragia’ !!!

After a couple months of being available for pre-order from several retailers, I am pleased to announce the official publication of my first full-length book, Sauragia today! For those of you who have pre-ordered already, my sincerest thanks. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, go check it out here.

The Dilemma of Pen Names

“Ten Famous Authors Who Used Pen Names” https://www.pinterest.com/pin/279293614364373563/

Just about every author considers adopting a pen name at some point in his or her career. Some do it as a matter of course–especially when they wish to remain anonymous. Others cannot imagine why they would want to detach themselves from something they worked so hard on. As I have sometimes wondered whether or not adopting one would be a good idea, I figured it would be nice to devote a short passage this week to explaining what exactly pen names are, why you would want to use them, and how you go about selecting a nom de plume for yourself.Continue reading “The Dilemma of Pen Names”

Reading Between the Lines: Sending a Message to Readers

Everybody’s got a point to make.

That’s how it often seems, anyway. From movies to television, ads to periodicals, there’s almost always some kind of takeaway message. Some are subtle: others much less so. Thus, it is only natural that books should follow the same pattern. Authors have their ideals and opinions too, after all, and while many are not out to make a point, many are. So, the question left open is, if you are among the latter, how strong should your message be?Continue reading “Reading Between the Lines: Sending a Message to Readers”

Plans for October

September was a quiet, but largely successful month. It saw progress on my current anthology, major improvements to my digital store, and other writing and reading accomplishments.

This month will finally see the release of my first novel, which has been on pre-order since mid-August (the 22nd is the last day to receive the 25% discount on e-book edition, for those interested). October will also hopefully see the end to the rough-drafting phase for my anthology, after which I’ll take a couple weeks off to edit another set of short stories that I will compile with the hope of publication next spring.

10 Ways to Improve Your Writing

There’s all kinds of advice out there you could offer to someone who’s looking to get better at writing. Foremost among these are, of course, write and read as much as possible. But these are rather vague suggestions at best, and there are a number of other things you can do as well. So, here you are:Continue reading “10 Ways to Improve Your Writing”