Marrying Sci-Fi and Fantasy

I knew the genre I would be writing in by age six, in 1981, after I'd just unboxed my first He-Man action figure. Masters of the Universe was my introduction to all things fantasy and Sci-Fi. With his furry loincloth and rippling muscles and interchangeable sword, ax, and shield, He-Man set my imagination ablaze. Even... Continue Reading →

Inverted World

My Norwegian friend, who is studying to become a philosophy professor, is currently taking a Science Fiction and Philosophy course, and I am intensely jealous. Where was that class when I attended USF? Despite the anti-philosophy taboo trending or perceived to be trending in fiction these days (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone had to be re-dubbed the Sorcerer's... Continue Reading →

The Quest for Literary Greatness

The greatness of literature cannot be determined solely by literary standards--- T.S. Eliot Was it crazy to believe in this? Many said it was.In her post, Top 10 Ways to get rejected by your dream agent, Barbara Rogan talks about fellow agent Pam van Hylckama Vlieg, who was attacked on her way to her car by... Continue Reading →

Watership Down

Not about naval warfare, as you might think.Did I ever mention that I love rabbits? Bar none, they are the cutest animals on the planet. Kittens? Puppies? Hamsters? Not even close. When I was a kid, a friend bought me a pet rabbit as a birthday gift (didn't go over so well with my mom).... Continue Reading →

Why We Love the Hobbit

I had this post dated since last year to coincide with Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. My intent was to explore people's love for Tolkien and his work, which includes The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, because my job as a writer is to figure out why people enjoy certain stories. Tolkien stands... Continue Reading →

Up ↑