Book news, movie reviews, hot takes, etc.
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My Top 3 Halloween Movies and Why
I should be a big fan of Halloween, considering its impact on me. The season is one of the ingredients that got me into fiction writing because in Utah, every elementary school kid is required to write a brief Halloween story every October. But to be perfectly honest, I’m not a very big Halloween person.…
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Rise of Skywalker Farted On My Soul
It’s been almost a year since we experienced Rise of Skywalker. I love Star Wars, but I’ll be the first to say that Star Wars has let us down a time or two. We talk about the prequels and the lackluster spinoff(s), but there’s a whole bunch to unpack. There are plenty of lackluster video…
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Star Wars vs. Lord of the Rings
Purged progress: First revision, 92% I’m right in the middle of the final battle. Seriously, this first revision has been a great chance to tighten up a lot of aspects of Purged, and it’s shaping into something really special. When this book is done, I’m confident that this will be my best work yet–a more…
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Cat Reviews, Vol. 1
Purged progress: First revision, 38% The first revision for Purged is going well. Moving right along. Characters and conflicts and tension are getting tightened up. But that’s not really what you’re here for, is it? In last week’s writing update, I had a picture of a studious cat in the header image. A friend of…
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Writer’s Log #11 – First revision and current reads
Purged progress: First revision, 31% Purged is coming right along! It’s getting tightened up! The characters are becoming more fleshed out! The pacing is getting smoother! The description is more vivid and direct! Huzzah! Rejoice! Have a pint! Or a glass of milk or whatever. I don’t know what you like. I’ve been taking at…
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Writer’s Log #10 – IT HAS BEGUN
Revisions for Purged are under way. Finally. Yikes. I’ve got a lot to catch up on here. I’ve always strived to write on my blog every week, and for the last few weeks I’ve failed miserably. I hope all my readers (all three of you) will forgive me for my absence. First off, I’m almost…
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Writer’s Log #9 – Stories that make us uncomfortable
Everyone loves a happy story, right? Sure, but that’s not always what’s necessary. I didn’t work much at all on Foreordained this week. I know. I slacked again. This has been my first week at my new job, so there’s been some adjusting going on. I made it a goal to wake up early so…
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Writer’s Log #8 – Meh.
Real talk: I haven’t done a lot of writing stuff this week. Lately I’ve been rereading Foreordained, preparing myself to dive into the second draft of Purged. I’ve rediscovered some important plot devices that will be fun to make connections to, and I’ve already handed the first draft to a fan for beta reading. He’s…
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Writer’s Log #7 – Revisiting Foreordained
I’ve been spending this last week rereading Foreordained to get me ready for writing the second draft of Purged. It’s been over six years since Foreordained hit the marketplace. Overall, it’s been very positively received, aside from two or three disgruntled readers on Goodreads. It was my first book, and even as I read it…
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Writer’s Log #6 – Hammerfist Second Edition
It’s been a week since I finished the first draft of Purged and I still feel pretty stoked about it. I want to jump into it right away. I want to paint the picture in every scene. But alas… I must stay my hand. Every writing book I’ve read has told me to take time…