Inspiration From Reality Shows
Now that we have Netflix, Tonya (my better half) is watching every episode of Cake Boss. Of course, I’m writing, plotting, and planning my short stories and novels while this goofy show is playing in the background. After episode 16 of season 3, where they travel to Italy, it struck me that some reality shows […] Numbers in Prose
The generally accepted format for numbers in prose differs from technical writing. Most of the time, technical documentation will deal with more numbers, especially measurements and statistical data. When writing a large volume of numbers in this instance, stick with using the Arabic numerals. It keeps the numbers in context, and is easier to compare […] Villains
The protagonist is the one character most writers dwell on. It takes a fine balance between making them likeable and having them seem either arrogant or totally worthless. A good protagonist usually makes or breaks a story, while the antagonist, or villain, is usually tossed in as a reason for the protagonist to exist. This […] The Write Environment
Is it time to consider writing professionally, at least part-time? Writing professionally means writing as though you need to pay the rent – tomorrow. You need to devote time to your craft. You need to develop effective habits. Remember the old adage, Practice Makes Perfect? It’s wrong – practice makes improvement. Developing a good writing […] The Horror Family
One thing that still surprises me is how the horror/dark fiction genre authors treat each other. For the most part, I’ve decided that the genre is really one large family. Perhaps because the genre isn’t as fractured as others, it removes the cliquishness that can pop up in other fields. Science Fiction, for example, has […] KillerCon 4: Mandy DeGeit
I had the good fortune to meet Mandy DeGeit (pronounced de-gate) at KillerCon 4 in Las Vegas. A force of nature in a tank top, she’s one person that does not blend into the background. Mandy, a new author on the dark fiction/horror scene, is currently known as the woman who spoke up after having […] KillerCon 2012 Report
Tonya and I attended KillerCon 4, an annual horror-genre convention held in Las Vegas every September. We stayed at the Stratosphere, where the con unfolded over the long weekend. We drove our little “creeper” van, which probably cost us more than a flight, but we enjoyed each other’s company on the trip. Tonya spotted a […] 
