The Power of Symbols

The Power of Symbols

Storytellers have always used symbols. Even the most ancient texts contain rich symbolism. So do tales predating the written word by millennia. At first it seems counterproductive to wrap ideas in layers of metaphor. What's easier: saying, "Being too single-minded can land you in trouble," or writing a 635 page book about a guy chasing a…
September 29, 2015

Geek Gab: Skin Game

This week on Geek Gab, Daddy Warpig, Dorrinal, and I finally get around to discussing Skin Game by Jim Butcher. A lively conversation ensues, covering the origins of the Dresden Files, the geekish splendor in which Mr. Butcher lives, and the current novel's fan favorite villain (warning: possible spoilers). Give the episode…
September 28, 2015
Reply to a Comment on the Previous Post

Reply to a Comment on the Previous Post

Over at Superversive SF, commenter ksterlingh offers constructive criticism of my previous post. Technical difficulties prevent me from responding in Superversive's comments section, so I'll post my reply here. Since the original reply approaches post length itself, I'll address it point-by-point. ksterlingh's comments will appear in italics. My replies will…
September 25, 20152 Comments
Middle Earth 90210: How Tolkien and Howard’s Successors Blew Their Inheritance

Middle Earth 90210: How Tolkien and Howard’s Successors Blew Their Inheritance

As this blog's subtitle implies, I write speculative fiction. So far my works include hard SF, mil-SF, weird fiction, SF/horror, and space opera. Perhaps you noticed the absence of fantasy from that list. The omission seems even stranger when you consider that I'm an incorrigible Tolkien fan. The Hobbit, The…
September 23, 2015
The Long-Awaited Liberation of Rachel Griffin

The Long-Awaited Liberation of Rachel Griffin

It is with great enthusiasm that I report that my esteemed editor, L. Jagi Lamplighter, has regained all rights to her work from her former publisher, Tor Books. Jagi has stated that her rights reversion has been in the works for over a year. It had nothing to do with…
September 22, 2015

Souldancer Deleted Scene

Whenever I revise a novel, scenes--and even whole chapters--end up getting cut. Most of the time, material isn't cut because it's terrible. Quite often, scenes become casualties to continuity changes. Others need to go because they inflate the number of peripheral POV characters, while some otherwise solid scenes must be…
September 21, 2015

Geek Gab: Writing Ain’t Much of a Living

This week's episode of Geek Gab was supposed to be about Skin Game; then Agents of Shield, but we ended up talking about Daddy Warpig's book deal (congratulations!) and Larry Correia's epic fisking of a HuffPo article on self-publishing. Note to aspiring authors: listen to Daddy Warpig's writing advice. Take notes…
September 19, 20153 Comments
Disney’s Competence to Guide Star Wars Undermined in New Novel’s Aftermath

Disney’s Competence to Guide Star Wars Undermined in New Novel’s Aftermath

Unless you've been living on Mars, the buzz surrounding Disney's acquisition of the Star Wars franchise, and their plans to release a whole new series of films, has completely enmeshed you in an inescapable web of hype. The first wave of movie marketing has already arrived in a multimedia blitz incorporating everything…
September 19, 2015
How to build 3D Characters with the Maass Breakout Novel Exercise

How to build 3D Characters with the Maass Breakout Novel Exercise

I've been making final revisions to my next novel, and my editor recommended a few ideas from Writing the Breakout Novel by literary agent extraordinaire Donald Maass. One day, Maass set out to see if best selling novels had any significant common elements. His research consisted of reading 100 novels that had…
September 17, 2015

Eyewitness to PNH Outburst Refutes CHORF Cover Story

This blog's regular readers may recall Tor Science Fiction Manager Patrick Nielsen Hayden's unprofessional outburst in response to my editor's appeal for reconciliation at this year's Hugo Awards. Now, more than three weeks after the fact, Teresa Nielsen Hayden emerges with a markedly (and conveniently) different version of events. Lamplighter's…
September 15, 2015