Monday Musings 10-28-19

I wrote my very first horror short story and sold it to a podcast. It’s live now and you can find it here: Tales to Terrify. Voice actor Heather Thomas does an amazing job, and even though I wrote it, I’m still creeped out by it! “Goodbye, Charlie” is the last story of episode 404. Please have a listen and let me know what you think.

This weekend I’ll be signing books at RI Comic Con with several local authors. Come visit me at table 613! I’ll also be moderating two panels:

World Building 101 - Saturday at 1:00 pm in room 552a

The Gift of Writer’s Block - Sunday at 3:00 pm in room 552a

I’ve also officially started writing my next book, tentatively titled Dream Walker. It’s a dark urban fantasy - think Jessica Jones meets Dexter - featuring a kick-ass anti-hero and a by-the-book federal agent. Starting a project is both exciting and scary. It’s exciting because it’s something shiny and new and my imagination kicks into overdrive at the beginning of every new project. But it’s also daunting because it feels like a very long way to the finish line. I know there will be those moments of crippling self-doubt when I wonder how I will ever write myself out of the corner I’ve backed into, or why I ever thought this storyline was a good one to begin with. At least now I can call on experience to know those feelings will pass!

Finally, here’s a picture of Yennefer to help start your Monday with a smile. She’s getting bigger, but still a little fluff muffin!

Monday Musings 6-3-19

A couple of months ago, I sold a short story to a podcast. It’s an incredible experience hearing your words read and interpreted by someone else. This narrator is a British actress and singer, and wow, did she do an amazing job! I just finished listening and I can’t stop smiling.

I love writing short fiction for several reasons: I can experiment with voice, point of view, and even different genres. Short stories only take me a couple of weeks to finish, as opposed to months when I’m writing a full length novel. They force me to pay attention to every word since space is limited, but I still have the satisfaction of completing a full story arc. And, as with my longer fiction, I can explore a theme through my writing. Quest Nine asks what we humans are willing to sacrifice in order to save ourselves from extinction. I know, light reading, or listening, as the case may be!

Thank you StarShipSofa, the Hugo award-winning podcast, for producing this story, and Andrea Richardson for her incredible voice acting. Please have a listen! Quest Nine on StarShipSofa