historical fiction writer, amateur photographer, retired computer guru and math geek
The Japanese Imperial Army, 14th Army, Shimbu Group I have just finished sending off a draft of War Sonnets to beta and sensitivity readers. Am I a nervous wreck? You betcha! So to keep myself busy, I hereby introduce you to the Japanese side of the "Men of War Sonnets." Left to right: Corporal/Sergeant Tadashi … Continue reading Meet the Men of “War Sonnets,” Part Two
Don't need flashy wings, a fancy tail, or polka-dotted fur, but, hmmmm, those shells look pretty darn comfy.
Contrary to what you may think, this is not the real “Harry and Sally.” At least, that’s what my best friend in high school and I have always believed. Seriously - “best friends” not “This guy I’ve got a big crush on but he’s not interested.” He was the tall and handsome basketball jock that … Continue reading The Real “Harry and Sally”
United State Army—112th RCT As a writer, it’s important to know everything you can about each of your characters. Most of what you learn will never make it to your story, but digging deep into their personalities may reveal things you hadn’t thought of. Suddenly, that person is more than a name. They feel real, … Continue reading Meet the Men of “War Sonnets”, Part One
Love. Friendship. Weird Birds. Thirty-one-year-old Xiomara (Xo) wants a reset on life. She ditches her job and heads to the small town of Lingen where she accepts a part-time position doing what she loves: drawing and painting local birds for an upcoming field guide. As much as she would like a boyfriend, she feels awkward, … Continue reading Book Review: “The Third Thing”, by Sirkka Smith
So many of my ideas start with a picture in my mind whether I'm working on a novel, or brainstorming a blog post. Sadly, I'm no artist. But Sarah C. Bittel is and I'm excited to announce that we've teamed up to create this periodic comic strip, The Introvert Files. We hope you enjoy it.
I learned something the other day: In the military it is not okay to refer to a subordinate by their first name. It implies an over-friendly superior-subordinate relationship and can actually be a punishable offense. I knew it was common to use last names but I hate doing what’s common and I thought, why can’t … Continue reading Sensitivity
Today's post: a collage of images I use to represent my characters, Leo, Dooley, Woody, Cal, Sergeant Ryan, Lt. Inoue, Kaito, Tadashi, Sachiko, Harry, Russo, and Johnson, and their surroundings. Can you spot the protagonists? Antagonists? There are two of each.
Ender’s Game, the movie based on the novel by Orson Scott Card has been on my watch list for awhile now. But like so many movies that appeal to me, I never got around to seeing it. So when I was on the hunt for books at my favorite used-book store, Thrift Books, I decided … Continue reading Hooked on Ender
