New Year's Resolutions

Hey folks,

I'm not very good with resolutions (We fear change!), but I'm going to 'try to try.'

1. More play, less TV. As Logan gets older, he's becoming more interested in tv shows. And it's soooo easy to just let him watch while I get stuff done. But this isn't a good trend, and I'm going to focus on more play time.

2. Write more. I'm increasing my weekly goal for new pages written. Hopefully this won't result in lesser quality. Hey, Stephen King writes on Christmas, so I can, too. (Note: I did write a little on Christmas this year. Yay?)

3. More conventions. Last year I attended just one fan convention. This year I've got four lined up already, with at least one more to add. The goal here is to get out of my cave and expose myself to more people.. er, expose them to my writing, that is. I'll post a list soon.

4. Make signed copies available to those who live far away. I feel horrible when I'm contacted by readers who would like a signed copy of my book, but they live in different states (or countries). I have a couple ideas how to accomplish this without breaking the bank. I'm going to work on it.

5. Enjoy more, stress less. There's a lot of uncertainty in a writer's life, especially when you're just getting into the business. But you can't let it affect your thinking. You just have to keep producing your best work and let the cards fall where they may.


That's it. I hope everyone has a wonderful 2011. Stay safe.

First Step Completed

Hey folks.

I just (as in thirty seconds ago) finished the outline for my third book, Shadow's Master, sneaking in under my self-imposed Christmas deadline. This 15,000-word document will be my roadmap in the months ahead. I feel very good about it, and I hope you will, too, once you read the results.

Now, off the enjoy my Christmas Eve.

Happy holidays!

Gemmell Nomination

Hey folks,

Just wanted to share that Shadow's Son has been nominated for the prestigious David Gemmell Award in the Morningstar and Legend categories. Here is a link.

Voting begins, I believe, on Dec. 26.

Whose voice is it anyway?

A question from a reader has sparked some thoughts in my head. She asked (to paraphrase) if I believed in the things my characters said. Or, to be blunter, am I speaking my personal views through my characters?

On the face of it, the quick answer is no. For example, the main character of Shadow’s Son is a professional killer who sees little difference between assassination and killing an enemy soldier in war. I disagree; I think there is a world of difference.

But, as I think deeper, I have to acknowledge that my stories – and the characters who inhabit them – do represent a certain worldview particular to me. Just as our actions speak louder than our words, I have to “own” my work. That doesn’t mean I condone violence or murder, or treachery or zealotry, as much as it conveys that I see such things as essential components of our world. We can look away or ignore them (sometimes at our own peril), but that doesn’t make them go away.

But there are more positive aspects to such ownership, as well. Many of my stories include observations about valor, duty, and honor – concepts I very much favor. And there is love, which I enjoy in abundance in my personal life, and I’m sure bleeds over into my writing.

So, if my characters are not mouthpieces for my personal philosophies, they are enablers at the very least, fictional ping-pong paddles volleying my notions back and forth, often without a clear-cut winner. And I think I’m okay with that.

Farewell Party

My wife and I went to a local sports bar to gather with some of the fine people I've worked with at the detention center these past fourteen years. Needless to say, I'm going to miss them a great deal.

But, as they say, it's time to start a new chapter in my life.

Pyr Books 100th Title

In honor of their 100th title, Pyr Books is giving away a FREE epub novelette by world-renown author, James Enge. Check it out here.