THOUGHTS ON CRITIQUE GROUPS
In a recent blog, I discussed the importance to a novice writer, one with aspirations of becoming professionally published, of not trying to learn the craft in isolation. I strongly recommended interacting with other writers. One of the most common ways of doing this is to become part of a critique group. There are some…
Read MoreTHE BIGGEST MISTAKE BEGINNING WRITERS MAKE
There is an abundance of guidance available–books, blogs, hand-outs–that illuminate the steps or “rules” to becoming a successful writer. Be warned, however, as NYT Best-Selling Author Steve Berry says, “The first rule is, there are no rules.” Similarly, there’s a plethora of material out there for novice writers, whether wannabe novelists or nonfiction authors, that…
Read MoreA ONE IN TWENTY-MILLION CHANCE–The True Story of the First Tornado Forecast–Part III
PART III After General Borum’s statement that Captain Miller and Major Fawbush were “about to set a precedent,” Fawbush composed the forecast–what would now be called a tornado warning (albeit one with a long lead-time)–Miller typed it up and handed it off to Base Operations for dissemination. Both men sensed their careers circling the…
Read MoreA ONE IN TWENTY-MILLION CHANCE–The True Story of the First Tornado Forecast–Part II
PART II On the morning of March 25, 1948, based on their hurried research, Captain Miller and Major Fawbush noted a significant similarity between the weather charts for that day and March 20, the date of the Tinker tornado. The two forecasters prepared a hand-drawn prognostic chart (computerized progs were still far in…
Read MoreA ONE IN TWENTY-MILLION CHANCE–The True Story of the First Tornado Forecast–Part I
In the mid-20th century, tornado forecasting was considered to be beyond the “state of the art,” or in other words, impossible. Twisters were deemed acts of God. And any meteorologist attempting to predict what the Almighty had in mind would have been labeled a fool, a charlatan, or a court jester. Maybe worse. Yet two…
Read MoreMY NAME IS BUZZ. I’M A WEATHERHOLIC.
My name is Buzz. I’m a weatherholic. There, I said it. I’m supposed to be retired. Kicking back. Taking it easy. Writing novels. But no. Every time “big weather” looms, I’m geeking out, studying progs, kibitzing with other “addicts,” and [GULP] making forecasts. Why can’t I get this monkey off my back? Well, I suppose…
Read MoreSOME THOUGHTS ON ATLANTA’S FLURRYJAM 2014
Okay, “Flurryjam” is a bit snarky. It was more than a flurry. In fact, for the South, it was a legit snowstorm: two inches officially. But here’s the thing: Should a two-inch snowstorm–well forecast, I might add–bring absolute gridlock to the ninth largest metro area in the country? Drivers abandoning cars, people trapped in parking…
Read MoreWHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT E-READERS
I’m pretty much enamored with my e-reader, a Nook that I’ve had for a little over three years. I don’t read exclusively on it, but I’d guess 85 to 90 percent of all the books I buy are in e-format. Recently, however, I had a bit of an epiphany. I realized there’s something I don’t…
Read MoreSO JUST WHEN IS “TORNADO SEASON”?
Weather-savvy folks are aware that North Atlantic hurricanes have an officially-defined season: June 1 through November 30. Most, but not all, hurricanes and tropical storms whirl to life within that 6-month period. There is, however, no counterpart for tornadoes. Twisters can and do spin up at any time of year with the threat peaking in…
Read MoreMY CHRISTMAS LIST FOR THRILLER READERS–PART 2
Here’s the second part of a post I began last week in which I listed a few thriller/suspense novels that have stuck with me over the years. In Part 1, I mentioned books authored by Frederick Forsyth, Nelson DeMille, Alan Furst and Robert Wilson. In this blog I’ll talk about Cormac McCarthy, James Lee Burke…
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