The Moon Fight

Drew has to battle for the right to be Baba Yaga's apprentice. The rules are simple: give your opponent an emotional experience that changes a long-held belief. But, the rules don't specify "human" emotions... There's a new short story on my Patreon! For the full read, click over and pledge a $1/month. You'll get more … Continue reading The Moon Fight

Retrofitting Structure

This panel was for those of us who write our first drafts without a rigid structure like outlining acts or knowing our plot points ahead of time. There's no right or wrong way to get out a first draft. Once it's out, though, you're going to need to shore up the edges and see where … Continue reading Retrofitting Structure

MisConMT 32 Interlude

This post interrupts our regularly scheduled recipe-sharing about the books that shaped us as we grew up. Hold that thought! Dan and I are headed up to Missoula for a few days of vacation, learning, socializing, and late-but-not-less anniversary fun at the SF&F convention! When I get back, I'll share what I learned with you … Continue reading MisConMT 32 Interlude

Old Friends

For most of the story installments, I've been able to cut the scene where it counts. Not so this time, so know that I know, and I'm sorry. This one lands with a clunk rather than a bell chime. First drafts are wild and unwieldy. The added restriction of trying to make each entry bite-sized … Continue reading Old Friends

“We”

*alarms blare* There are only five more installments of the first draft in public! For those of you out there who talk about writing a book or writing more or whatever - you CAN do it! Small bites. Little steps. One foot in front of the other. Good grief, I could write those all day, … Continue reading “We”

Let Your Fish Get Big

When I took up writing again after my diagnosis, my goal was like a goldfish. It was little and messy and cute, and I was drawn to it by an impulse. I wanted to be published. I wanted my name chiseled into the stone of literature. That sounds big, but it wasn't. I just wanted … Continue reading Let Your Fish Get Big

“Good Enough”

You ever hike and get to the point on an uphill section where you are bent practically to your toes, using your arms to push your thighs, just so you can take one more step? You can't even look up to find the next bend because if you do, you'll fall over and never get … Continue reading “Good Enough”

Sisters

Do you think flowers hurt as much as humans when they're growing? Good grief. I got another slew of rejections. Okay, not a slew. Two. That might not sound like much, but it feels like an avalanche right now. One of those was for a story I think is the best story I've ever written. … Continue reading Sisters

Is It Cheating?

Yesterday, I typed 'the end' on my Language of the Spirit NaNoWriMo project. Huzzah, right? Not really. *sound of dying trumpets* I'm about 7800 words short of the 50K goal. The story's done. Beginning, middle, end. Arcs bent over themselves into a lovely rainbow. Tiny subplots that give depth, not distraction. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ What more, man? I … Continue reading Is It Cheating?

Two Twisty Books

Ever read a book and think...ooh, this is a lot like that other book or...oooh, are these authors twins or what? Sometimes, there is an evil twin. Not today. Today, these two authors clearly were raised beside a babbling brook and fed figs and persimmons in strong sunlight. There might have been a wasp sting … Continue reading Two Twisty Books