Writing
Facebook encourages fooling around?
A New Jersey pastor a few days ago asked his married church members to delete their Facebook accounts because, he said, using that social medium encourages adultery. Facebook, in his opinion, makes it too easy for spouses to reunite with old flames or, presumably, find new ones, thus beginning a slippery slide into fooling around.…
Read MoreHow a novel is born
As near as I can figure out, the gestation period for a novel–at least one of mine–is roughly the same as for a human baby. At times, it seems just as uncomfortable, too. (I’m not speaking from personal experience, just observation.) And by gestation period, I don’t mean writing the book, I mean just coming…
Read MoreBeware of friends in need
Beware of friends in need. Or at least emails purported to be from friends in need. I got the following email this morning (the subject line was “Horrible Situation” followed by about 27 exclamation points): I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, I and my family came down here to Wales,United Kingdom for a…
Read MoreKick me again, Mom
On my trip to Phoenix last week to visit my 94-year-old mom, I had dinner one night with her and a couple of her friends, one of them a 93-year-old former schoolteacher. “I love my new iPod,” the ex-teacher told me. “Oh,” I said, thinking what a hip lady I’m dining with, “what kind of…
Read MoreAn early winter?
Emboldened by my success last year in predicting, very unscientifically, a tough winter in the Southeast, I shall sally forth once again. This time, however, I will cast aside acorns, squirrels and electric blankets–my previous predictors–in favor of (drum roll here)… chipmunks. I spotted one in an oak tree the other day. Now I’ve lived…
Read MoreIt’s appalling, really
It’s appalling, really, that I’ve spent so much time on it–my third manuscript, The Koltsovo Legacy, the one that preceded Eyewall. I was thinking, as I finished my fourth major rewrite of The Koltsovo Legacy recently, that I’d been working on it for maybe three years. Then I went back through my records. Arrrghh. It’s…
Read MoreReview galleys, Dragon Tattoos and Rubicon
For those of you interested in the publishing process, I thought it might be enlightening to track the progress of Eyewall. What’s pictured above is the cover for the review galleys of the novel. It’s NOT the retail cover for the book. That will come later. As my editor, Deb Smith, said, “This is purposefully…
Read MoreThe weather’s gone to the dawgs
Last Saturday was a bad day for dawgs, both Washington and Georgia varieties. (And Michael Vick was nowhere to be seen.) The University of Washington (my Alma Mater) Huskies were left whimpering and whining after being severely whipped (56-21) by a group of bullies from Lincoln, Nebraska. At least the Georgia Dawgs weren’t embarrassed; they…
Read MoreOne way or the other…
Leaves are beginning to litter the ground around my home in Atlanta now. But I’m not sure it’s because of the approach of autumn, only two days away as I write this. I think it’s because of the relentless, desiccating heat. Here we are, two days from the equinox and afternoon temperatures are still topping…
Read MoreMet-O-Meters?
A couple of TV stations in Atlanta have decided it’s necessary to let their viewers know what the weather is going to be like in coming days by “grading” them with a number between 1 and 10 or 1 and 11. (Why 11? Beats me.) I know I’m a grumpy old man (about 8 on…
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