Scott M. Sandridge at The Fix reviewed Clarkesworld Magazine, #21, which included my story “Clockwork Chickadee.” …don’t let the surface innocence of the story fool you. Kowal delves into shades of gray and exposes the grayness in a fairy-tale style trapping often used (at least in modern times) to compare the usual black-and-white view of […]
The Fix | Clarkesworld Magazine, #21, June 2008 Read More »
I read all my manuscripts out loud. It’s not just spelling errors or missing words that I’m looking for. It’s things like this. Cassie looked ahead, expecting to see the Queen’s Court, but the road through the forest still wove through the trees. No kidding. Really? The forest had trees in it? Wow. Maybe I
Why we proofread before turning in a manuscript Read More »
The Nebula Awards Website is launching soon. (And it is gorgeous.) The website will function as a repository for information about the Nebulas and a showcase for the Weekends. Our target audiences are writers of both SFWA and non-SFWA memberships, readers, and of course, bookstores and librarians. Among the regular features are interviews with Nebula
SFWA seeking guest bloggers for Nebula Awards Website Read More »
The workshop officially starts tomorrow. Today, a friend of mine came in and helped me set up — wait. Let me back up. When I got in last night, I discovered that my parents had already done everything. Beds were made, conference tables were set up in the workshop room. I mean… really. So my
Codex Writers’ Workshop, the prologue Read More »
I somehow forgot to tell you about this, I think. Codex Writer’s Group is an online group for neo-pro writers. To be a member, you have to have made a pro-sale or attended one of the big audition only workshops ((Clarion, Odyssey, OSC’s BootCamp, etc.)) which means that it’s chock-full of some very talented writers.
At LaGuardia on the way to Codex Writers’ Workshop Read More »
Shortbits reviewed Clockwork Chickadee and closed with this line. This is a fun little steampunk parable whose apparent moral lesson (pride comes before the fall) is somewhat subverted by the cold, calculated nature of Chickadee’s schemes. What’s interesting to me is that I thought about putting an actual moral at the end, but decided not
Shortbits reviews Clockwork Chickadee Read More »
I’m stymied by police procedure. I’ve posted a query at Ask-A-Cop, too, but figure you guys are smart and might be able to help. (If you’re in the pool of people reading this or about to read this for me, you’re about to get some serious spoilers, so skip this post) I’m writing an urban
Police Procedure question Read More »
In an earlier comment thread, Lyn asked: So when you say “elevator pitch” do you mean a short summary of your story that’s catchy and to the point? What else should one put into a quick presentation like that? I meant to answer this much, much sooner, so I’m sorry about that. I’ll start by
My take on elevator pitches Read More »
For the last week I’ve been writing 2000 words a day, with the goal of finishing a novel by the 24th. I spent an equal amount of time writing today and wound up with an overall wordcount 90 words shorter than yesterdays. Mind you,today wasn’t a day designated for editing, I just couldn’t get the
Regressive wordcount Read More »
As I stared at Mr. Purvis standing in the door with a pink slip in his hands, I gripped the edge of the counter with both hands to keep from swooning yet again. The revelation that he had been duckwrangler508, my illicit internet romance, had already shocked my system beyond endurance. Now, to see that
Coffee Sensibility: Part V — the steaming conclusion Read More »
Coffee Sensibility: Part IV When my eyes fluttered open, a shock coursed through me that rivaled the strongest cup of Java. I found my head cradled on the lap of my manager, Mr. Purvis, duckwrangler508. Keith. “You?” He regarded me with tender eyes. “Did you never guess?” “Guess? How should I guess when I know
Coffee Sensibility: Part IV Read More »
Lisa Mantchev posted this video of You Think You Can Dance and I clicked on it because usually Lisa is smart about these things. At the 1:34 mark, the male dance did a move that I specifically teach new puppeteers to avoid because it is physically impossible. Let me repeat that. Physically impossible. He stands
Physically impossible Read More »
Having decided that the cellphone story was, in fact, dull, I’m going to reneg on my promise to finish it via email. It fails because my initial idea was for a high adventure serial, but that was in the scenario where I could send 1000 character texts instead of 160. Action sequences build no momentum
Coffee Sensibility: A Story in Five Parts Read More »
The planners of Denvention are really on their game. I’m not sure when I’ve known about my programming so far in advance. Granted, these are preliminary schedules, but here’s the list. Schmoozing 101 – Wed 13:00 Survival Tips for the Beginning Writer – Wed 16:00 How to Give an Effective Reading – Workshop – Fri
My prelimary WorldCon schedule Read More »
I don’t talk about my writing process all that much on this site because every writer has their own way of figuring things out. That and I generally find it dull, but the motorcycle ride yesterday reminded me of a trick that I find handy and you might, too. I spent a lot of time
Writing down the headwork Read More »