From January 25 to 27, Barnes & Noble is taking 25% off the price of all pre-orders: dead-tree books, audiobooks, and ebooks. This includes my next novel, Dual Memory, available May 16. The coupon code for checkout is PREORDER25 Soon, my novel will have cover art. I’ll explain the delay later. Meanwhile, it’s a good … Continue reading Barnes & Noble pre-order sale, 25% off

Among the many arguments against eating meat, one seems undeniable: Animals don’t want to be eaten. What about plants? Sometimes, plants do want you to eat certain parts of them. Most fruits — apples, watermelons, and avocados — depend on animals to take the fruit, eat it, and deposit the seeds in a place where … Continue reading What do plants think of vegetarianism?

In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants by Matt Candeias My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Plants are nothing like us, which is part of the reason why I like them so much.” That quote comes from Chapter 5, The Fight for Survival, in which author Matt Candeias describes how plants … Continue reading My Goodreads review: “In Defense of Plants”

Because I live in a small apartment crammed with books and plants, I have very little room for holiday decorations, so each year one of the houseplants volunteers to play the role of Christmas tree. This year the Dracaena sanderiana saw it as an opportunity to live out its secret aspiration to be a real … Continue reading Behold the tree!

Air Plant, Tillandsia ionantha, with some succulents in the background Crown of Thorns, Euphorbia milii Crown of Thorns, Euphorbia milii, different variety False Shamrock, Oxalis regnellii, with some Coleus in the background Purple Shamrock, Oxalis triangularis Moth orchid, Phalaenopsis, with important plans Basil, Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora Coleus, Plectranthus scutellarioides cultivar Coleus, Plectranthus scutellarioides ‘Stained glass’ Silver … Continue reading I have flowers in December

If you’re telling a tale — a novel, a movie, or a short story — where do you start? The opening needs to make the reader, viewer, or listener want to keep going. Often stories start with action or dialogue, especially in movies and television, although written fiction has more options. You can use questions … Continue reading How to begin a story

This weekend I’ll be at Windycon, a science fiction convention in Lombard, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago (hence the name). It’s the Windy City’s longest-running SF con, usually with about 1,000 members. Events are mostly centered around science fiction and fantasy literary themes, but lovers of games, costumes, art, music, and media will find plenty … Continue reading My Windycon schedule

How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One by Stanley Fish My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’ve been writing professionally for fifty years, so you might think I know how to write a sentence. Yes I do, obviously, but there’s always more to perfect. This book is to writing like practicing scales … Continue reading Goodreads review: “How to Write a Sentence” by Stanley Fish

The science fiction and fantasy community made a commitment to be more inclusive of works from around the world, including translations. How is that working out? I explore the results in an article called “Speculative Fiction: The Future Happens Everywhere,” in the latest issue of Source, the journal of the Literary Division of the American … Continue reading Speculative Fiction: The Future Happens Everywhere

This is a storm sewer grate near my home that says: DUMP NO WASTE! DRAINS TO WATERWAYS East Jordan Ironworks - Made in USA (It also depicts some trout.) Everyone has a right to clean water, and in case you need them, here are suggestions about how to protect the water you drink.