A Top 10 of 2009 Christmas Shopping Guide

We’re at that time yet again. The year is coming to a close, there are only a handful of shopping days left, and you’re wondering what the heck to buy your science fiction or fantasy obsessed loved one. Well, I’ve got a few suggestions. Some of the following books were released in 2009, some weren’t, […]

Funny Things About Grandfathers

I’ve never talked about some of my grandfather’s exploits on this blog, but one of the things you learn as a writer (or a wannabe writer, for that matter) is that your family, friends, and random acquaintances can act as fantastic inspiration. My grandfather has acted as quite the little inspiration bee in the last […]

Top 7 Movies That Were Better Than the Books

I have a feeling I’m going to get some serious disagreement on a few of these, and that’s fine with me. The reality is that sometimes movies are better than the books they are based on. The following seven are my choices: The Silence of the Lambs (The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris)I […]

5 Ways to Explain Scifi Obsession to Friends

We all have that one friend who doesn’t get science fiction. Some of us have probably gone through the annoying experience of trying to explain it and realized how futile such a thing really is. But maybe we’ve failed because we haven’t bothered to try one of the following five options: –I’m an Alien!Look, your […]

Ten Things No Writer Should Ever Do

There are a lot of things writers shouldn’t do, but there are some things that a writer really shouldn’t do. Here is a list of ten things no writer should ever do: Send a long-winded biography not limited to your writing career.Not only do we (editors) not give a crap, but your query letter or […]

SF/F Link: End of August Catchup!

No need for introductions, except this one. It’s time to dive right in: The Independent lists the 100 favorite fictional characters, as chosen by literary luminaries. It’s an interesting list, if not a little flawed. Imagination Investigation gives us the Reader Contract. Ignore the bit at the end about God and what not, but the […]