I’ve been reading The Flame Imperishable as I work out a lot of things in my world. It’s analysis of Thomas Aquinas’ impact on Tolkien, and it’s been helpful to understand why he made his choices, and how. I also dug up the essay On Fairy Stories, by Tolkien –a 27 page footnoted pdf. He […]
Some of you know I’m working with Long-Suffering Editrix® twice a week. Cheryl is a mentor, a coach, a cheerleader, sometimes a mommy and a kick-ass editor. I’m very thankful to have her in my corner. Even when she makes me think too much. Which is often. For instance, my homework this week is to outline […]
One of the wonderful things about writing is the ability to create worlds, a fact Tolkien noted when he wrote his mythology. He referenced this obliquely when speaking of his Valar and their role in creation. But the idea was that this creation was a “concreation” or a “creating with.” And it allows us as […]
A goodie for my Wattpad fans and beta readers. If you remember the scene with Sara and Scott in a cemetery? Well. These are photos of the actual place, St Louis Cemetery. I’ll add more in a bit but I need to edit them. There are many mausoleums like ones pictured, but my favorites are […]
Resource So if you want to get your feet wet in publishing, a cool resource is here. You’ll find places to submit your short stories and some good contests. The list is geared toward SFF authors. I’m going to be working on eight short stories for contests and such, not sure if I’ll submit them. […]
So. Working through my story grid worksheets and various and sundry other editing helps. The videos from the Writing Excuses guru Dan Wells were on my menu this week. I started to watch them months ago and got sidetracked. So this week they got cast to the big screen and dissected with the Man, my […]
UPDATE: Stephen Pressfield has a new War of Art mini course and a new site for the War of Art. Check it out here. It’s kind of funny that I started to write this post when I did. I was going to describe how Resistance, when unable to distract you, derail you or discourage you, […]
You might hear me quote Stephen Pressfield a lot. It’s his fault I’m writing fiction. He’s become something of a virtual mentor to me. Certainly The War of Art and Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t should be required reading for any aspiring author/poet/dancer/artist/musician/entrepreneur. If you’re creating, they will save you much heartbreak. Stephen has […]
I heard someone ranting yesterday on the Twitter… several someones… ranting about “thoughts and prayers.” About how they’re the equivalent of air guitar. An empty gesture. Such a statement says much about the one who said it, but I did relate to his feeling. Many times if we do pray, we’ll feel like it has […]
So, after getting several resources I’ve already discussed (which I’m still using) I also obtained the Story Grid book and am deep into it. It’s perfect. I understand it and it is exactly what I needed. The genre bit was difficult for me at first, I thought they meant sales genre. But no. Click above […]
I’m going to show what I’m doing in my revision process because I think it will be helpful and it will serve as a reference for when I forget what I’m doing. I’m using Revising Your Novel, First Draft to Finished Draft by Janice Hardy. NOTICE: This is NOT The first chapter in the book. […]
I’m busy. Click the little bird. ok, should likely blog this but no time and tldr right? am revising myself before I submit my work to editor (after checking in w wise people) Started here and got to step 5 https://t.co/iMhmSdkDS1 and then got these three books… — ACMiles (@A_CMiles) January 29, 2018
Before I get into this too much I wanna plug my completely talented and amazing friends, W & W Sawday. You may also have noticed me plugging them on Facebook and Twitter. I don’t plug something unless I really like it and I get nothing from promoting them. These guys are undiscovered as of yet […]
Ok so I’m reading out loud to edit Sorrowfish and I’m recording it. I wanted to show you guys what I’m doing in case anyone wants to do the same. I’m using a Mac mini and an ipad for this and am making mp3s.You don’t actually have to make mp3s at all, I’m just making […]
I got in a discussion yesterday about Christianity in fantasy. The blogger I talked to had proposed Tolkien didn’t introduce Christianity in his work and wondered why then it was the default in so many fantasy works. So anyhow, in the course of the discussion I basically concluded that a lot of the early fantasy […]
So we watched Kingsman 2 last night. Aaaaaaand their counterparts are in Kentucky. Making alcohol. So here in no particular order, are my reactions to their use of Kentucky as a locale. 1. It’s bourbon, not whiskey. Jack and coke is from TN, not KY. 2. We don’t wear cowboy hats unless there’s a rodeo […]
We don’t have Fells in Kentucky. We have knobs. I think they’re likely not that different. I love this guy’s blog and pictures of the fells. Good article about the knobs region of Kentucky here. The knobs are forested and that to me is the biggest difference. The lakes and hills I’m seeing in the […]
I’m actually quite sad to see 2017 go. This is the year I wrote my first draft. I shall always remember it fondly. How did I do it? I used tools and toys. I have mixed feelings about them. Paying for these things kind of feels like buying exercise equipment. I have good intentions and […]
People often think of Christianity as a kind of bargain in which God says “If you keep a lot of rules I’ll reward you, and if you don’t, I’ll do the other thing. “ I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time […]
I wrote about 15k words and got about 10k in notes done before holiday projects for the day job struck me down like an avalanche. It certainly felt like an avalanche. Note to self: people who do online retailer support for a living can’t do much else in November. So yeah, I don’t think I’ll […]
The first time I was published was in 2006, in an anthology by Roy H Williams. You can see and download it here:http://www.mondaymorningmemo.com/people-stories/ It sits on my bookshelf. My essay is on page 178. The essay follows. __________________________________________________ Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 01:53:50 -0800 (PST) To: Corrine@WizardAcademy.comSubject: the challenge Doug Adams wrote about a […]
So Dean Koontz had a pep talk today. An excerpt follows but you can read the whole thing here. My second literary agent was a great guy. We became friends. He did good things for my career. Then he began to decline one book pitch after another: “I can’t market this. You’re pitching bestsellers, but […]
So today I wrote words. More than 1667 words, which is important. It’s my first full Nanowrimo. I’ve done several Camp Nanos. This is different. People meet up to write together and try not to distract each other. I find that both mystifying and comforting. Here are things I looked at today for Chapter Two […]
This is my scene map. The thing right now that I’m doing is filling in the “issues” column and then notes from Critters on plot/structure. (This method is explored fully in this book, which I highly recommend) It’s somewhat hellish. There are many issues. Right now they’re ranging from…”Why is this character here?” to…”wow you […]
I kind of think I can’t write anymore until I do what I said I would. I gotta spend about 3 days critting and leaving some reviews. There’s a simple principle. If you want to receive you must give. It’s selfish and manipulative to give because you want to receive. I admit that. But I […]
So yesterday in the midst of my research, I discovered a few amazing things about Stonehenge First thing? It sings. Yes if you google “Sonic stonehenge” (and thrill a bit over the Whovian search parameter) you find quite a bit about it. You can hear some of it here. Untitled from Landscape Perception on Vimeo. […]
Sue Monk Kidd wrote a book called When the Heart Waits that speaks to my soul more with each passing year. I read it in my 30s. In it, she introduced the concept of “remaining in my questions.” As an impetuous Type A who thinks too much, I have lots of questions. John Eldredge talks […]
I’ve been dealing with my second draft and I knew it needed something. I knew it was missing the weight I wanted and I knew I needed massive changes. Overhaul. The Longsuffering Editrix® tried in her ever so subtle way to explain what it was. I didn’t get it. I’m obtuse sometimes. Then I read […]
So I whittled my 135k word book down to 17k for a contest. And to see if I could. It took me three days and I learned much about myself and about my story. Here’s why it helped me. Editing this book is really daunting. It gave me a manageable goal. I have a lot […]
Editing is where books go to die. A new acquaintance on Twitter said this to me. He’s right, and I didn’t laugh. I winced. I’ve had insanity hit me these last weeks with my business and my family. It’s been unbelievable, with my stress levels completely maxed. It’s making it hard to edit, especially when […]
I posted a book quote today that excerpts the chapter wherein the title of the book is explained. It appears in the Lorica as well. I’m still wrestling with this idea, and whether or not it has been adequately explained and demonstrated. So I want to sort through it a bit here, if you’ll bear […]
One of my friends/readers (@FaeraLane on Wattpad) made this for me. I love it and am so touched!
Got my first rejection this week! Woot! that is all.
Sorting through an idea. I am editing my book. Actually I am waiting on a last round of feedback before I rewrite it. I’ve realized I’m basically going to rewrite it at least four times. So yes, I’m going to read it out loud to myself and all but I know there is a fundamental […]
This is a short story I wrote for fun. It isn’t fantasy but it’s a hoot. I hope you enjoy it. The lemon meringue pie at Patti’s in Grand Rivers, Kentucky boasts a height of 4 feet, six inches. It takes two men four days to eat one, and a slice tastes better than ambrosia. […]
I think there’s a little escapist in every writer. What other kind of person willingly dreams while conscious and records it? Then we spend hours refining our thoughts so others can more easily join us in our dreams. A theme of scifi recently has been the problems inherent in “Second Life” type gaming or VR […]
So, all I have read led me to believe I had to give my manuscript, AKA Baby, over to my longsuffering editrix® in order to make edits. She reads. I get feedback. I edit. Not so. Though I have been cautioned with balefire about making structural edits without her, I am able to edit. Pitchwars […]
You know, sometimes you just gotta go for it. I know I finished my first draft literally seven days ago. I know I’ve been in the throes of self-hatred. And you know what we do when stuck in a funk? We jump into a new challenge! So I submitted to Pitchwars like an hour before […]
Blast it all, writers write. My book is likely terrible. I shall love it anyhow and finish my story. I am finished with the wallowing, thank you very much. I am resigned that even if no one likes it or gets it, I’m finishing what I started. I’m off to write the sequel to Sorrowfish. […]
I got three ideas today. The first was about time. Which wouldn’t be super pertinent, except that my expectations about the future shifted, a lot. So that was nice, and makes me feel like I won’t be so rushed on my writing. I’ll have the time to get better, and can take it. The second […]