Should you make your own book cover in 2022? My earliest indie short stories came out before I learned how to make a proper book cover. Since then, I’ve learned to create my own book covers for urban fantasy and children’s books. Despite this, I still recommend hiring a cover designer to any author thinking […]
How To Avoid the Worst Indie Book Cover Mistakes Read More »
Turning and turning in a plastic gyre The Garbage Patch grows silently. Things fall apart, degrading into plastic pills and Floating Barbie heads are loosed upon the world. The plastic-dimmed tide concentrates in filter feeders. The innocence of tossing bone over shoulder Should have died with the Neanderthals. The best want more stuff, while the worst Slave
Coming Second (after W.B. Yeats) Read More »
Writers: Experiment with 1, 2, 4, 6, and Increase Productivity This article is inspired by Scott Meyer’s blog post about writing success for screenwriters. In it he advocates “1, 2, 7, 14,” as a structure for becoming a more productive writer. Under his plan you would read one screenplay per week, watch two movies per week,
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I will be reading a published story “Wild Caving” and my poem “Fallow God” from the Urban Green Man Anthology at Can-Con (Spec Fic Convention) in Ottawa, Canada on Oct 5-6. If you plan to attend, I will also be involved in the NaNoWriMo panel. I hope to see you there! EDGE is holding an online book launch
Urban Green Man Online Book Launch, Can-Con Readings and NaNoWriMo Panel Read More »
There’s been a pattern to my recent reviews. The books are tending to be YA more than adult. That’s because I’m starting to think about fall. I’ve just been notified that I’ll have an Intermediate class next year. In the special program where I teach, many of my students will be reading at the high
Clockwork by Philip Pullman Read More »
My friend Roben Goodfellow just got a story published in her very first book! It’s a collection of short stories called Mythspring. The anthology is inspired by Canadian songs and explores myths and legends across several genres. I have to buy it before I can review it, so watch this space for further developments. In
Mythspring and Seasonal Merrymaking Read More »
Robin Maharaj gave an excellent talk on writing short stories yesterday. For those near Toronto, he is accepting manuscripts for evaluation until the end of November. Writers of adult fiction and novel exerpts can send him 25 pages. Aspiring writers spend half an hour with the acclaimed writer-in-residence to receive feedback. Check with the Toronto
Robin Maharaj on the Short Story Read More »
Bruce Holland Rogers has a unique subscription service. He writes short short stories and sends them to his subscribers worldwide. His stories vary from fables in far off lands to slices of contemporary life. He has won awards and keeps an interesting blog about his travels. He is currently living in England. Because the subscription
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I first discovered Gaiman’s work through the excellent British TV series Neverwhere. It’s a compelling fantasy about an ordinary fellow, drawn into a magical world under London’s streets. This nightmarish world is populated by, among others, a minotaur, an angel, energy-draining Goths, street people and a damsel in distress. Half of the intrigue for viewers
Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman Read More »
One of my favorite short story collections is Tom King’s A Short History of Indians in Canada: Stories. I have admired King since listening to his Dead Dog Cafe Comedy Hour on CBC radio. He explores the truth of our shared experiences to make us laugh, and ache. The first story in the collection, in
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