I'm currently reading The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, which is a thick compendium (1020 pages) of leather-bound bookmaking....
And just before that, I finished a "The Hainish novels and stories" anthology by Ursula K. Le Guin. Interesting stuff, anthropological scifi with...
For non-fiction I am currently reading Islamic Empires, which is an examination of Islam over 15 centuries. The author, Justin Marozzi, picks one...
One of the aspects of this series is that the author writes a new trilogy from time to time, with the same characters. So they age and go through...
I'm reading Michael Tolliver Lives. It is set in San Francisco around 2007 and follows the lives of half a dozen characters. This is number 7 in...
People speak of writing as an addiction that you can feed or deny, but I find that if I try to write based on how I feel, I don't get much done....
I solve this dilemma by writing a little bit each day. Sometimes I write more, and sometimes I take a day off. I am able to keep up pretty well.
I change my environment: put on some music and take a half hour break from writing, or take a walk outside. Sometimes I read a passage from a...
It's fun to read these posts and see what others are reading. Today I am lamenting the closure of Borders Books, back when I had a bookstore one...
Try the Xanth novels by Piers Anthony. Funny stuff for young adults, with a gentle and wholesome treatment of sexuality.
I just picked up the library's copy of Power Failure by Ben Bova. Its been a while since I read his stuff, and I'm really looking to digging in.
How do you write, from an outline or gung-ho off the cuff? I would never write a novel without a fairly dense outline. You have to know where...
Your work is accomplished and enjoyable to view. I'd say don't worry about being self-taught; many of today's pros are self-taught.
skip.knox, Thanks for filling me in; I'm sorry to hear about Gardner passing away. I've read his anthology every year for about the last 10...
I'm currently reading an anthology, The Year's Best Science Fiction, edited by Gardner Dozois. 300,000 words in 38 stories ranging from about 10...
I immediately think of the novel Alif the Unseen, about a young computer nerd/hacker in an unidentified Gulf nation in the present time, and his...
I am reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's quite enjoyable, with the language of 18th century Geneva giving it an high-falutin' feel. The...
Both pieces of art are excellent, by which I mean the characters are appealing to the eye. The background about the climate and terrain helps us...
I live in the San Diego area, and there every year the San Diego Book Awards puts out a call for entries. Sci-fi/fantasy/horror is a contest...
I'd also add The Epic of Gilgamesh, which is a fantasy written a few thousand years ago. It's a lot of fun to read and takes you as far back as...
