Wandering Writer

*Sighs* Hi, again... The last time I ever considered posting here, it was over two years ago. I suppose that could be a sign I should delete this blog... If I'm not using it, what's the point? But hey, it is here, it is a platform like my YouTube channel, and I feel like writing instead of speaking. So here it goes. Another post. I have had an interesting four to six weeks. To be honest, I'm not sure how long it has been. But I know I have kept busy running to this appointment or that errand or seeing that friend or meeting this person... I have taken notes for new stories (two to be exact -- thanks, Nanowrimo). Neither are finished and both are at a stand still while I sort out a third project from even longer ago. Note to self: Finish something before you start ANYTHING else! Not... that... I can control where the muse takes me. If I am going to write about a young woman who takes herself for a walk in the woods and loses herself in the divine, metaphysical aspects of N

I loved this book! The magic system was unique from other books I've read so far. The characters were developed enough that a middle-grade reader will be able to relate while an older reader may be able to better appreciate the "why" behind the character's thoughts and actions. This was a world highly unique, but with classic archetypes. We have Master Rufus, the wise "old man" who mentors our heroes. We have a mysterious, morally ambiguous villain who all that populate this universe fear. Witty humor, fight sequences, magic, furry animals... Everything a kid would want in a book. Then we have the ending. Without giving too much away, the climax is a major twist. In an edge of my seat, "NO WAY!" kind of way. Holly Black and Cassandra Clare are two of my favorite YA authors. Having known each other for ten years, "The Iron Trial" is their first collaboration. Holly is perhaps best known for her middle-grade series, "The Spiderw

Here I am again to give you guys a glimpse into my head. A daunting idea, isn't it? I realize life's many intricacies have kept me from writing regularly, but alas, it has not all been unpleasant. Lately, I read "The Queen of the Damned", book three in the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. As I have been more and more fascinated with her inclusive, intimate, and thought-provoking style, this book did not disappoint me. On the contrary, the further I read her work, the hungrier I become! This is due, in large part, to her very human characters. While the Brat Prince Lestat, Armand, Louis, Marius, and all the rest may be vampires -- a classic archetype of the "horror" genre -- I do not consider this cast unapproachable. Ms. Rice asks tough questions about the nature of man, the spiritual, the secular, and the biggest inquiry of all: Why are we here? Forgive me, I know that is a broad statement, raising more questions in its wake. What I mean to say is, L

So, I've officially pulled another late night, though I thank the gods I did not just sit on my butt and watch YouTube videos all this time. No, I set about doing what I intended and that was... write at least two to three hundred words! Thing is, I started and then I got lost in the story. No complaints here! I do not know about you, if anyone reading this blog is a fellow aspiring author. But I love it when I get swept up in my writing! When I can hear dialogue, see characters interacting; feel, taste, and smell the world around them. To me, it just feels so much more real. Some call it immersion, and I agree with that word. If I'm immersed in a scene, then hopefully, that means a reader will be too. There I was, minding my own business, just typing up the scene as it had played out in my head, stewing and brewing for a couple of days. I had character interaction and back story stuff (a decent blend of the two I feel, though the book is in rough first draft). Witty dialog

Hello, Blogisphere... I admit it has been too long since I wrote down anything of what goes through my head for public view. But as a writer, my ultimate goal in life is to be read! So, let's jump right in, shall we? I'd like to kick off this venture by addressing something close to my heart: Compassion for those we consider family. Now, I am not just referring to blood relatives here, though of course, many are close with their relations and are blessed to be so. I am not one of them; many of mine are dead or no longer speaking to me. But I have not let this pull me down, and that is not really the point. There are many forms of the word, "family", though. I proudly and gratefully count myself among those who have found familial love in the hearts of those I have met in school, at work, and on the street. Life's journey has connected me with a chosen few whose existence is invaluable to me. I am an uncle to their children, bear my soul to them at all hours of