Find yourself in a better story
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Yes, I Am Finite
As a young(er) person I used to think, “Man, if I only had the money I would do this or that, go here or there, do things I can’t do right now.” I still think that, sometimes, but the older I get the more I realize money is not the only, or even the primary,…
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Fantastic Four: I Want a Sequel
We-e-e-e-e-ll . . . If you’ve read anything about the new FANTASTIC FOUR movie at Rotten Tomatoes, or local reviews, or the blogosphere, or, well, anywhere, you probably know it’s a bomb, and I don’t mean “da bomb” in the sense that things used to want to be. Actually, reviewers and fanboys have trashed this…
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Accidental Books & Life on Purpose
When I was young I could write books almost by accident. See, I would have an idea for a scene or a place or a character, and I would play with it in my mind for a while (and usually also with toys or sticks or something — I was a kid, and I “played”…
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Objects of Unknown Origin
In Marvel’s prime time television show Agents of SHIELD, an 084 is an “object of unknown origin,” which in the show’s milieu usually means something alien. (Do you get why I’m posting about this today, huh? Do you? Go check the calendar … now do you? Yes, I know, I’m a nerd.) In the first…
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Ant-Man (And What Life Is Really About)
Since I am doing research for the Marvel book, I happily trotted off to see ANT-MAN in theatres last week. (Yes, it is research. Shush. I have a good job.) Considered the riskiest Marvel film since GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, ANT-MAN is not a big story a la AGE OF ULTRON. Watching it put me…
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That You Should Go and Bring Forth Fruit
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16, KJV) So said Jesus to his disciples, and to us. But WHAT fruit? What is Jesus actually talking about here — bringing other people to…
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Dear Everlasting Cocktail Party
(This post was originally published at the now-defunct Women Alive blog on May 27, 2011. As I wrote just last Tuesday, it’s still relevant.) Dear Friends, Family, List Buddies, Facebook Pals, E-mail Forwarders, Twitterers, Bloggers, Authors, Musicians, Guy Who Posts Interesting YouTube Videos, Journalists, Linkers, Photographers, Book Reviewers . . . Perhaps there’s a shorter…
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Tired, Bored, The Internet: How I Frequently Almost Ruin My Life
I’ve been a freelance writer and editor since I was 21 years old — over a decade now. In that time I’ve edited hundreds of manuscripts, written 20-some books, and indie published more than 30 titles. The most common question people ask me is “How?” One word: FOCUS. I’ve tried to make an art form…
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Rotten Trees and Hypocrisy
The other day, during a light rain, a massive tree on our lawn fell over. (Thanks to Naomi Currey for the pictures!) Despite the fact that it only took a small gust of wind to bring the tree down, it didn’t come as a surprise.…
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Heel Blisters and What I’ve Learned About Pain
A few days ago I returned from my second major hiking trip in the Bruce Peninsula — we covered 22 km of clifftop and woodland trails along Lake Huron this time. Breathtaking. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful places in my life, but this region — especially the parts you can only get to if…