I know it has been some time since my last post, but I just returned from a much-needed two-week vacation in Naples, Italy. I had planned to schedule some posts before I left, but I simply ran out of time. A week before our departure, I received the line edits and feedback from the editorContinue reading “What Naples Gave Me (Besides Jet Lag and Limoncello)”
Category Archives: Life
Not Just Stars: How a Tiny Click Changes Everything
A special kind of magic lives in the smallest moments—those quick, quiet affirmations that slip in while brushing your teeth or brewing coffee. For authors, one of those moments is the soft chime of a new book rating. This morning, I checked my notifications and saw it: a single five-star rating for The Novice ofContinue reading “Not Just Stars: How a Tiny Click Changes Everything”
Jezelle and the World That Made Her
I’ve been writing for over twenty years. In the last five years, I’ve kicked into overdrive and published multiple novels (10). I’ve built a world—layered, mythic, filled with blood, ghosts, and gods. I redirected from pouring myself into my career and remodeling my house to diverting the flow to writing. Day after day. Year afterContinue reading “Jezelle and the World That Made Her”
A Gentle Invitation to Something Brutal and Beautiful
I don’t love selling. Never have. I’d rather write for weeks in the dark than shove a book into someone’s hand and say, “Hey, buy this. Please.” But I also didn’t spend years building Lucardia to watch it get buried beneath a mountain of AI-generated fantasy and flavor-of-the-month Kindle reads. So here I am, breakingContinue reading “A Gentle Invitation to Something Brutal and Beautiful”
Five Years Later: A Thank You, A Reflection, and a Celebration
Five years ago, I hit “publish” on a story I wasn’t sure anyone would read. It was called the Island of Stone, a quiet horror tale set deep in the woods where shadows whisper and the past never really dies. It wasn’t flashy. It didn’t come with a marketing team or a big budget. ItContinue reading “Five Years Later: A Thank You, A Reflection, and a Celebration”
Can Indie Authors Make Money with Amazon Ads?
If you’re an indie author, you’ve inevitably hit that lull and dove into the pit of sage advice trying to find that nugget that will change everything. For me, I don’t think my low sales have to do with my writing. I’ve been at it for a long time, and although I am not atContinue reading “Can Indie Authors Make Money with Amazon Ads?”
The Boldest Decision I Ever Made (And How It Made Me a Writer)
Twenty years ago, I made a wild, out-of-character decision: I moved to China to teach English. I was a kid with a passport and a loose plan, stepping into a world as unfamiliar as it was exhilarating. That leap opened countless doors for me, but the one that matters most for this space is this:Continue reading “The Boldest Decision I Ever Made (And How It Made Me a Writer)”
Doldroms
Just a quick update this weekend. I’ve finished editing Duke Rhime of the Spire and started querying. I am taking a slow and systematic approach there. There is no particular rush. It is a good book with good market appeal. The Novice of Thanatos is available for preorder and will be released on March 7th.Continue reading “Doldroms”
The Novice of Thanatos is Now Available for Preorder!
It’s finally happening. After months (years, really) of crafting this story—unraveling its secrets, walking its shadowed corridors, and wrestling with its ghosts—I’m thrilled to announce that The Novice of Thanatos, book 1 of my new The Order of Thanatos series, is officially available for preorder! Its full release is on March 7, 2025, and IContinue reading “The Novice of Thanatos is Now Available for Preorder!”
Happy Lunar New Year!
If you don’t know, this past Wednesday was the Lunar New Year, and my wife and I celebrated by eating hot pot. As usual, we ate way too much. It is not a meal conducive to portion control. We dressed in red from head to foot, cleaned, and did not leave the house- all ChineseContinue reading “Happy Lunar New Year!”
