First, I would like to thank you all. After posting that I was stepping back from blogging to focus on rediscovering my passion for writing fiction, I received a considerable amount of support. There was also concern that I may be giving up. Don’t worry. I am still writing. In fact, I’ve been doing itContinue reading “Leveraging rejection to be a better writer”
Category Archives: Life
Pulling back to move forward
For years, this blog has been my space to share fragments of the worlds I build — glimpses into Lucardia, reflections on the craft, and thoughts from the strange, quiet corners of storytelling. I’ve been grateful for everyone who has followed along, offered encouragement, or simply taken the time to read. Engagement on my websiteContinue reading “Pulling back to move forward”
350 posts and going
When I started this blog, I had no idea what I was doing. I read somewhere that writers were supposed to have one. It felt like part of the job description, some unspoken rule of authorship—if you write books, you also keep a blog. So I started one. I thought readers would somehow find meContinue reading “350 posts and going”
Relativity, Memory, and Twenty Years of Marriage
On a warm fall day, we took the train to Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province in China. It was only the second time I had been there; the first was for a medical checkup. The city bustled, strange and foreign —a blur —as we searched for our destination: the magistrate’s office. We were onContinue reading “Relativity, Memory, and Twenty Years of Marriage”
October 1 approaches: a three year journey
October 1 is coming, and with it the release of Koen: Quills from the Raven’s Nest. I’ve been sitting with this story for almost three years now, and to finally be able to share it feels surreal. It isn’t “just another book” for me—it’s a piece of my life, a rollercoaster, a soul that’s beenContinue reading “October 1 approaches: a three year journey”
Playing with Schrödinger’s cat
There’s a strange pattern in my life: whenever I say something with absolute confidence, I end up being wrong. Not just once or twice — consistently enough that my wife has noticed too. It’s become a running joke between us. I’ll declare something as fact, and the universe seems to grin and say, Oh, really?Continue reading “Playing with Schrödinger’s cat”
Alan Watts and Writing Fantasy
Alan Watts (1915–1973) was a philosopher, writer, and speaker who gained fame for introducing Eastern philosophy to Western culture. His lectures often blended humor with an almost mystical clarity, challenging the way we think about reality. One of his most haunting ideas was that human beings might be “the dreams of gods” — that whatContinue reading “Alan Watts and Writing Fantasy”
Sylvanus makes his entrance
The in-laws are back safe in China, and the house feels quiet again as my wife and I adjust to their absence. They didn’t stay quite as long as last year, but two and a half months is still a long time to share a life so closely. Saying goodbye is always bittersweet. On theContinue reading “Sylvanus makes his entrance”
Discipline, Passion, and the Molasses of Words
Lying in bed last night, I stumbled across a short interview between guitarist-virtuoso Steve Vai and Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame. (It still feels strange to call Billy a legend, since I remember when their first album came out.) The clip was from Billy’s new show, The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan. It remindedContinue reading “Discipline, Passion, and the Molasses of Words”
Self‑Publishing Isn’t a Fairytale — It’s a Fight!
If you think you can self‑publish a book and watch it take off on organic traffic alone like you read about with the self-publishing superstars, here’s a wake‑up call: you can’t. Writing a book is a lot of work, but hitting “publish” is not the victory parade most people imagine. It isn’t the moment theContinue reading “Self‑Publishing Isn’t a Fairytale — It’s a Fight!”
