Stepping Beyond Lucardia

I have lived in Lucardia for five years. That is a strange thing to write, because Lucardia is not real. Not in the common sense. You cannot point to it on a map. You cannot buy passage there by ship or rail. You cannot walk its roads unless I build them first. And yet, inContinue reading “Stepping Beyond Lucardia”

Quick update

Yes, I missed my usual Saturday post. My in-laws are visiting again from China this summer, and we took them on a road trip across upstate New York to Cleveland. On Saturday, I was in Rochester, NY, on our way back. It was a 1,700-mile round-trip journey, which is nothing to sneeze at. We sawContinue reading “Quick update”

A return to why I write

I believe in circles—in fact, I’m a bit obsessed. The Oroborus is Emperor Vesper’s heraldry for a reason. I’ve been writing a lot of posts about my quest to define my writing world, and I apologize for bringing you along on this iteration, but perhaps it is helpful. I’ve touched on everything below in theContinue reading “A return to why I write”

Confession of a Milennial writer

As many of you know, I stepped back from blogging to focus on my fiction. It has given me time to rethink and reevaluate. I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching, holding up the mirror and seeing what I see. I’m coming up on the sixth year of this journey. In my last post,Continue reading “Confession of a Milennial writer”

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”

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”

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”

The Silence Between Pages: On Loneliness in My Books

I’ve always been comfortable being alone. Not in a performative, monk-on-a-mountain sort of way—but in the quiet, backyard-on-a-summer-evening kind of way. I’m an introvert by nature. Growing up, there were stretches when there were other kids in the neighborhood and stretches when there weren’t. During the quiet times, I turned inward. I imagined stories, builtContinue reading “The Silence Between Pages: On Loneliness in My Books”

Did I Make the Right Choice?

My wife chose education. She chose the long nights of coursework and spreadsheets, the nerve-rattling presentations, and the empty notebooks slowly filled with formulas, theory, and case studies. She chose the outcome. The goal. The degree. Then the next one. And the next, until she found an end. First, an MBA. Then, a doctorate–the periodContinue reading “Did I Make the Right Choice?”