Forward: One day, I was in my mom's attic looking for stories I feared she'd thrown away, and found boxes of ring binders containing fiction I don't remember writing. One binder was entitled, Thangar II: The Omen of Sint. The only thing I remember about Thangar is how I came up with the name. As... Continue Reading →

Recently, a friend showed me an excerpt from a book about words and their meanings. The author was critiquing the biased nature of the dictionary, of all things, using the definition of civilization as an example. Civilization, she argued, should not be generally defined as "advanced" unless the dictionary was (and I paraphrase here) the White, Male, European... Continue Reading →

I was talking to my wife one day about this book list and she made the point that if I were to reread these titles today, they may not make the same impression on me. I cannot deny this. Art speaks to each person based on his or her experiences and change through time as... Continue Reading →

It has been said that by reading an author you can discover the types of books sitting on his or her shelf. The books we read, especially those from teenage and young adulthood, shape our definition of what a great story is and what qualities make those stories. Choosing just five books for my list... Continue Reading →

Only when coming across a true masterpiece can one appreciate the power of the written word. Great books not only entertain but inform and enlighten. The very best books have the power to change your perspective forever. Unfortunately, it is just as hard to come upon a great read as finding something worthwhile on TV.... Continue Reading →

Being a writer, it seems in bad taste to critique other writers. On message boards that critique books, I sometimes give the impression of arrogance, as if I'm suggesting my writing compares more favorably. This is one of those oddities unique to the literary world---you don't see the same reasoning applied to chefs, who often... Continue Reading →