I will be part of Clarion West's Write-a-thon this year, writing every day from June 21 - July 31. My goals are to have several stories completed by the end of this time, ready to be submitted. I'm also raising funds for Clarion West, so if you've enjoyed my fiction in the past consider sponsoring me. I'm eager to meet this challenge, and finish the summer with strong stories! ...
"As The Shore To The Tides, So Blood Calls To Blood" was added to the University of Liverpool's "Resisting Dystopia (Part II)" reading list earlier this week, which I hope will help put my story in front of more new readers. Very exciting. As I came down off the initial thrill, however, I wondered how many fantasy dystopias are out there. For me, the term "dystopia" is one that seems very rooted in science fiction rather than fantasy, but as I asked other people their opinions, a few titles came up. There is, of course, N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth series, as well as the new Dark Crystal series on Netflix, but I'm not certain if there's many more. Given the way our world is headed, I wouldn't be surprised if our own dystopian leanings leak into worlds of our imagination more and more often. ...
Last week, I was invited back to one of my favorite podcasts to discuss my recent story. Last time, I talked about how my experiences as low-level enlisted personnel informed my reading of The Forever War; however, this time, I talked to Connor to discuss my recent story, "As The Shore To The Tides, So Blood Calls To Blood". We talked a bit about inspirations (if I may be permitted a small spoiler, they included games, the Bible, Sumerian myth and Ursula K. Le Guin), the writing process (such as it is for such a slowpoke as me), and whether I'm working on any other stories in this setting (I am). To my delight, Connor loved the story enough to name drop it in his newsletter -- which I've always found to have great insights into whatever he's reading or watching at the moment. Note: This is a patrons-only episode (as was...
My story is now available to read at Beneath Ceaseless Skies. This is my longest works and one of my more complex ones, which I'm very proud to share with everyone. I tried to make this story about brothers, blood magic and bad blood resonate with familiar stories, but weird enough that it feels new. I'd be honored if you gave the story a read. ...
I'm joking about the title of this post, but only halfway, given the news. I'm trying to be as cautious as possible, but I'll not lie: I'm worried for myself, and for how many people will likely die as a result of COVID-19. It's hard to find hope in this moment, pinched between the current crisis and the larger ones looming in the future. I am so very fortunate to have a job that's stable, that will be allowing me to telework until further notice, and that I'm truly blessed in my life, my wife, my home and everything else. Sure, I worked towards this, but I was amazingly lucky to receive everything I now have. I wish more people had that opportunity, that luck. So, I've concentrated on my reading, am trying my hand at some poetry via the Codex online writer's forum, and practicing on my ukelele every other day...