steampunkenglish

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World Dracula Day, Folk Horror, and Renn Faire After Party

World Dracula Day (bleh bleh)

May 26 is indeed World Dracula Day. For those of you not in the know, this is the publication date (May 26, 1897) of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula. In the over 100 years since this character's introduction, the Count and vampires in general have been swooping around most of Western society's corporate psyche in one way or another. I'm not sure if Stoker had any idea that his story of supernatural betrayal, invasion, and ultimate heroics would catch on and still be popular after so long, but here we are in 2023 still talking about the character and still writing stories that link back to the world he created.

If you celebrate, as I do, please lift a glass...but not of wine because we do not drink...wine to Stoker and to Count Dracula!

Folk Horror and a Bit of Self-Promotion

Since we're on a bit of a horror bend today, I'm also going to talk a little about a specific niche of horror and do some promotion for a new anthology produced by Pavane Press and edited by Cliff Biggers and Charles Rutledge.

Some of you may be familiar with the above image. It's from the original Wicker Man (1973). If you haven't seen this movie, get thee to your Amazon Prime or Roku Channel and view it henceforth. Do not watch the abomination that is the Nicholas Cage version from 2006 unless you enjoy watching Nicholas Cage screaming in that weird way he does in his horror movies. The 1973 version is an excellent introduction to the folk horror genre, which is having a resurgence in the horror community both for written works and on film. Midsommar is another good example although, like a lot of folk horror films, has mixed reviews (I liked it. It disturbed the hell out of me, but I liked it.).

I enjoy folk horror because my own horror stories brush close to it. Elements of this sub-genre include a sense of isolation, communities with rituals, an outside element coming into the closed community, and an event of some sort. I feel like Southern Gothic horror is a kissing cousin to this sub-genre. I love exploring all of these things because I feel like we experience these things or are only one or two steps away from these elements here in the South, especially if we live on the edges of rural communities (and a lot of us still do).

If you are curious or if you already have a love for this sub-genre, let me recommend the brand new anthology, Lonely Hollows.

Cliff and Charles gathered 15 of some of the best horror authors in the business and asked that we write folk horror stories. Some of these names you may recognize, like James A. Moore, Jeff Strand, Leanna Renee Hieber, and Amanda DeWees. Others of us are newer voices, including me and Darrell Z. Grizzle. The cover art is by Lynne Hansen, whose cover art is well-known and loved in the horror community. My story, "Renewal," involves werewolves, a community cult, and one young man with a very large decision that needs making.

You can get this in paperback, hardback, or on Kindle. I will be at the Crazy Book Lady bookstore on Saturday, June 10 as well. I hope to have paperbacks there, ready to sell and sign! It's an awesome anthology. Renn Faire After Party

We had a fantastic two days at the Georgia Renaissance Festival last weekend despite the fact that it was overcast both days (that seemed to make it better). There were eight authors at three tables, and I think we all did pretty well. I sold nine books, which I consider a complete win. I also got to hang out with a bunch of folks who were just awesome, including Sarah Sover, Sarah Madsen, Milton Davis, Nancy Dunne, Jen Guberman, and Sherrilyn Kenyon (yes, THAT Sherrilyn Kenyon).

I'm hoping we do this again next year because as much as it was work (and it was), I had a blast. Patrons were really excited to see us (especially Sherrilyn) and a lot of them expressed that they wanted to see more books and authors on site.

I also learned how to use TikTok finally and have opened an account. You can find me at @steampunkenglish1883. So that was my weekend! I can't wait until my next event. #writing #writinglife #georgiarenaissancefestival #folkhorror #booktok #lonelyhollows #southerngothichorror #hwaatlantamember #falstaffbooks #fantasy

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Busy Friday

Hey, y'all! I'm late today because today have been focused on getting ready for this weekend. I will be at the Georgia Renaissance Festival tomorrow, May 20, and Sunday, May 21, selling books with a pack of other indie writers! Come on out and buy our books!

Our tents will be just down the hill from the Peacock Tea Room and Vegetable Justice and right near the King's Food Court. Hopefully, the weather will hold all day tomorrow and the temperature will stay moderate.

Anyway, dress up, come on out, eat a turkey leg, and we'll see you there!

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Sleepy Luna.

#catsoftumblr #happycaterday

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Boosting the Signal and Other Fun Late Spring Happenings!

Lonely Hollows

First, I want to do a HUGE shout-out for the new folk horror anthology, Lonely Hollows, which is now up for preorder on Amazon Kindle for $7.99! Publication date is May 24, 2023 (not sure why I'm repeating this since you can see this in the reposted post from @dzgrizzle's "Ghosts in the Kudzu." The fantastic cover (by Lynne Hansen--yes, THAT Lynne Hansen) is just a hint of the kind of folk horror you'll find inside from some of the best horror authors around! My story of family, tradition, and werewolves, "Renewal," is featured as well as @dzgrizzle's gay folk horror tale. I feel honored to be a part of this book. Pre-order a copy today!

League of Monsters

My second HUGE shout-out goes to Mechanoid Press and the Kickstarter for its upcoming League of Monsters anthology! The basic premise (which is explained in fuller detail on the Kickstarter page) is that a wealthy, benefactor has gathered various famous (or infamous) monsters in the 1950s to face the rise of a Nazi organization called the Last Reich. This organization is determined to gather every occult object they can find in order to rise to power once more. It is up to our band of creatures to use their powers and intelligence to hold back this ultimate force of evil. Bobby Nash, Russel Nohelty, and Teel James Glenn anchor this anthology. I feel very blessed to also have my story "Return to Eyeog ul-eg" included as well.

While we more than met our initial goal of $1000 to fund the anthology, we are about $155 from meeting our first stretch goal of $1500. If we meet this goal, our editor, James Palmer, is going to write an original League of Monsters story, "Date Night of the Living Dead," featuring our favorite almost love birds, Dr. Stephanie and Nate the Wolfman, and some Last Reich zombies. Should be great fun!

Anyway, if you would like to help fund this fun little romp and get a chance to read about monsters punching Nazis (I mean, who wouldn't?!), click the link above and support our venture!

More about the publication date when it's announced!

Georgia Renaissance Festival Book Sale (I'm not sure what we're actually calling this event). Saturday and Sunday, May 20-21

For my three readers who might be local to the Atlanta area and still need copies of my book or want me to sign books you own (I'll sign any book you want me to sign...seriously, but I'd rather you purchase one of mine), I will have a table and a tent and a boat load of paperbacks and hardbacks for sale on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21. There will be a bunch of fantasy writers all set up under tents between Fool's Knoll Stage and the King's Food Court. It should be a fun weekend. Come see me! Come see my fellow writers! Buy our books! The official theme for the weekend at the festival is Wizarding Weekend.

#writinglife #writer #georgiarenaissancefestival #lonelyhollows #leagueofmonsters #booksigning #writingfriends #folkhorror #classichorror #classicadventure

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I Missed Last Friday, Sorry

What Happened Last Week

You may have noticed my absence on this forum last week (all five or six of you who follow me regularly--by the way, thank you). I hit that portion of the semester known by all as finals. Last week, I was finishing my grading so that this week, finals week, I could focus on test proctoring, answering last-minute emails of drama, and planning for next term. This Friday, I'm waiting on one last student to complete a final (technical difficulties) so that I can post grades for my last class. Once that's done, I can relax a little (or so I tell myself).

I was also recovering from JordanCon, which was beyond fantastic! I had a wonderful time and sold books at the Falstaff table (as usual). I got to room with Tamsin Silver, who is just the best roomie ever. It's always good to get to know people who love history and historical figures as much as you do.

I got to hang out with so many people I love that weekend that it's hard to name everyone. If you haven't come to JordanCon in Atlanta yet, you should give it a try. It's a small con and there are a lot of writers and small publishers who attend. This makes it a great place to network and just meet people. Even if you only go to a few of the sessions or workshops, the con is worth it because of that. I kind of consider it my genesis con because that's where I met my publisher.

What I Plan to Do on Summer Break

I'm not getting a huge summer break. I'll get about a week where I can take a few days off from the day job (not enough hours this time--do not get me started on how I feel about using vacation hours for summer break when there are no students on campus anyway). Still, I do have some plans during this time of no students and no classes:

I am going to work in earnest on the second Kate and Shadow novel, which still is untitled (maybe #supersecretsecondkateandshadownovel?). I am getting a grip on the real evil in this novel and it's going to make things difficult for our heroine. I've been flailing around trying to figure out how this will work, but I think I've got it, so we'll see.

I will be at the Georgia Renaissance Festival May 20 and 21 with a bunch of other authors (some Falstaff, some not) to sell books. There will be hardcovers as well as paperbacks of Children of Menlo Park. There may also be copies of a certain anthology I have a story in at my table if it releases in time (I'm hoping).

I'm going to help my dad plant our annual vegetable/flower garden in the front yard. It's going to be bigger than ever this year. There will be photographs, and you all will have to just endure that. I'm also going to help him finish laying gravel under the back porch. And yes, my dad is 83 but can still outwork you and me and three other people.

I plan to take lots of walks and possibly a day trip somewhere fun. We shall see.

The rest of the summer is looking to be interesting and full. Stay tuned!

#childrenofmenlopark #writinglife #dayjob #summerbreak #georgiarenaissancefestival #jordancon

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Live from JordanCon!

Sunrise in Dunwoody, Georgia

My con season has officially begun! I am spending the weekend at JordanCon in Dunwoody, Georgia. I am not a guest of the con, but I am an attendee and will be at the Falstaff Books table sometimes for those who want to stop by and say hi.

I got in last night and this morning I do what I've done pretty much since I started going to cons about seven years ago. I got up before sunrise, got dressed, and headed down to the lobby of the hotel with my laptop. I know a lot of you are going to think I'm out of my mind but this is prime writing time. No one is there to bother you. The lights are dimmed. If the hotel is set up right and the windows are large you can write and watch the sunrise. Today was like that. I wrote some more on my new novel and watched the sunrise over Perimeter Center. The only downside to all of this is that it's FREEZING in this hotel. I guess we can't have all the things.

Why I Write at Convention

I'm not saying everyone should write at con. I know a lot of writers who don't. They have good reasons for not doing so. A lot of them have packed schedules at cons. They are running the con or they are booked for the duration of the con with signings, sessions, workshops, or other things. They are exhausted and want to sleep when they can. Makes perfect sense. For me, I find that the change of venue helps. Sitting in a different space with different energy than my desk at home frees my mind a bit. I can also latch into the creative flow of the other writers at con and that helps me as well. There's easy access to coffee and once my friends finally wake up, I can go to breakfast and start my day.

Doing this keeps me somewhat on track and reminds me that this part of the work is as important as the promotional, social part of the work.

Anyway, have a great weekend!

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Check Out Amy Ravenel's New Blog!

Hey, y'all! I know it's not Friday, but my friend, Amy Ravenel, the writer-librarian, has a brand new blog: https://www.tumblr.com/amyravenel/714764473899040768/hello-i-thought-id-kick-this-off-with-an?source=share

Y'all should check it out and give her some follows!

#writers #supernaturalromance #newblog

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Treat Yo' Self

Okay, so I sort of stole from Parks and Rec here, but Donna Meagle is right! As writers, we gotta treat ourselves. What does that mean?

If you follow a lot of writers or go to conventions and go to a lot of panels and sessions with writers, you're eventually going to hear two things:

Someone ask a writer where all their ideas come from.

What the writer is currently reading and/or if the writer feels that reading is an important aspect of their craft.

As long as I have engaged with writers, I've only heard one, maybe two writers say that reading is not important to them. That was an immediate red flag for me, and I wondered about those two people. A lot.

Most writers I know are book dragons (or if they are older, like me, they have evolved to the book wyrm level). If they appear in a Zoom gathering, you can see shelves of their own books PLUS books they are reading, or have read, or have just purchased from their friends at con. If they are with other authors, more than likely, they will end up ordering books while they are talking because another author will mention a book that piques their interest (guilty as charged).

It's not just a Treat

Reading is not just a treat or a way to wind down for writers. We do read for fun (for me, there are certain series I read for pure pleasure and because they make me laugh. I often save them for Audible purchases so I can listen in the car), but we also read for research for our own work and to learn craft. Want to learn how to write good dialogue? Read authors who write good dialogue. Want to learn how to write good fight scenes? Start reading good action writers. I also read to know my fellow authors better. It's not a competitive thing. It's because I like knowing how their storytelling ticks and how they tick. I can connect with them better when I know their work. I can also promote and cheer them on better when I read their stories and books. Sometimes, I become a fan and prattle on and on about their characters (or I develop a crush on one of them...yeah, that happens because I'm that weird woman who still does that).

Reading Is Fundamental

The old thing we heard as kids (at least if you were a kid in the 70s you heard this a lot): reading is fundamental. It's a building block for being a storyteller and wordsmith. If you aren't doing it, you're starving yourself.

So treat yo' self. Pick up that book. Enjoy the story. Absorb the things you think can be useful. Then do it again. Have a great week!

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Craft, Crafting, and the Merge of Multiple Lines of Artistic Pursuit

What I've Done on My Spring Break

This week I've been at home enjoying Spring Break like every other person who is attached in some way to the academic community. Some of my friends and colleagues have taken lovely trips, visiting friends or finding beaches. I stayed home with my cats.

I also crafted and went outside as much as the somewhat cranky weather here in Georgia would allow me to do.

Handcrafts are as important to me as my writing in a lot of ways. They sustain me. They challenge me. They allow me to explore and learn new things and develop new skills.

So I crocheted baskets and got out my sewing machine to try my hand at making something that I may wear if it turns out nice. f

One of the things I have noticed about a lot of my writer friends is that they often are like me. They do more than just write. Some play and sing in bands, others sew and create complete cosplay outfits from scratch, still others 3D print dragons and sell them, and still others are like me and do fiber crafting of all types.

How Does Crafting Connect with Writing Craft?

The silver thread through all of this is the drive to create, make, and build. That drive doesn't stop with telling stories though. I'm pretty much a tiny bundle of "Oh hai, let's build something cool!" If you provide me with materials and some instructions, I'm probably going to make an attempt to do something with those resources, even if it ends up looking like something a 3rd grader put together during art hour.

I'm not saying that every writer is like this. There are probably plenty of writers who don't have side crafting going on. Hollywood would have us believe that all writers do is sit in our houses or coffeeshops and get neurotic about not meeting deadlines (okay, I am neurotic about that, but when I get too neurotic, I usually go pick up my crochet needle and crank out about 15 bookmarks or make baskets or something) or plot the murder of our agents. I'm also not looking down on those writers who don't craft. Every person has a different thing and a different approach to creativity.

What I am saying is that often, at least in my experience, crafting has opened my own creativity and taught me techniques I apply to my writing.

Techniques I Have Gained from Hand-Crafting

Breaking things down into smaller pieces: Every project starts off seeming HUGE! You look at the picture on a pattern or the photograph of that cake on the cookbook page and it seems impossible. That's the finished product. What we forget is that those products come from a series of small steps taken in order that lead to that final product. Our culture doesn't allow us to understand this. We are a final product people. Everything is a series of smaller steps. Crafting allows us to learn this fact over and over again.

Allowing for mistakes: I am a perfectionist. I want things to be perfect the first time. This is a problem for a novelist. It means there is little room for accepting that the story might not work well during the first draft or even the tenth draft. It also makes it hard to hear when someone else says, "You know, this story is happening in a white room..." (This really happened to me with a story I wrote and LOVE with my whole heart. It was made harder by the fact that the person who said this is someone I respect and also love with my whole heart AND was completely right). Handcrafting forces you to be honest and accept that you are not going to be a master right away--and that's okay. I started knitting eleven years ago. It was a huge learning curve, but it taught me that those mistakes I made were not a big deal. I could tear them out and try again. Writing is the same. I can tear those mistakes out and try again. That white room got torn out and filled with pine trees, a lake that smelled funny, a small brick church, and a rotting, green dock. Substitute perfection for a polishing rag.

Being open to instruction and guidance: Crafting has taught me that there are others who know more than me. When I need and want to know more, I have to go ask. This is another thing I struggle with. Ask the questions. Go find the experts. Don't assume to know the answers. One of the things I love, love, love about crochet and knitting is that there is always one more thing to know. During the pandemic, I decided that I wanted to learn a new crochet technique. I settled on mosaic crochet. I couldn't go take classes, so I used ye old YouTube and found an expert from Iceland, Tinna Thorudottir Thorvaldar(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCLETbuS9Y_v1o2BpSjj-oA). I also found she had a Facebook group. I learned, asked questions, and started working mosaic pretty regularly. Now it's my favorite style of crochet. I often am reminded as I do this work that asking questions and taking the advice of others is important.

Expand Your Creativity

My message this week is this: expand your creativity. Don't be afraid to spread yourself out a bit and find other creative things to do. Crafting can be a great way to feed yourself creatively and open yourself and your writing. You don't have to master the craft or sell anything. You just have to find joy and maybe gain some insights along the way. Or maybe just make a few fun things along the way.

Y'all have a great week!

#creativity #writingcraft #writing #writerslife

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I kicked off Spring Break by breaking out some cotton yarn and crocheting some baskets. I made this one this morning. This may become a gift for a friend. I'm not sure yet.

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Sharing this post from my friend, @dzgrizzle and supporting this day here at Haunted in Broad Daylight. I love y'all.

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Finding Time, Making Time: Writing in Spite of Time Constraint

I've Got a Lot on My Plate

Those of you who know me, know that I stay pretty busy. I have a full-time job, am involved with lots of projects, and have lots of side projects. I'm learning (late in life) that this is part of my own neurodivergency (I'm not going to even try to self-diagnose here, but I have some deep suspicions about my personal wiring and why I do what I do). Sometimes, I'm a writing machine. Other times, I'm overwhelmed and just want go hide under my blanket with my Ninja-cat and crochet.

Despite this, I've managed to write a novel and a ton of short stories that are pretty darn good and have gotten some attention. This work has started a small, but growing second career as a professional writer. My childhood dream is coming true! Huzzah!

And it's terrifying because there's a part of my brain (remember that neurodivergent part?) that's panicking because it's not sure I can keep up with all that now.

Structure and Why I Try to Ask It of Myself

When I started writing in earnest, I learned that I write best early in the morning (yes, I'm one of those people). I love the quiet before anyone else is awake. If you look outside, the sky is a perfect shade of azure at about 4:30 or 5, and the shift from that to pink and purple and gold is one of the most sublime things in the world. Mostly, I just love having the space and time that's just mine (and the cats'). This has been somewhat diminished by the fact that I now live in a house where someone else also is up at the same time as I get up (my mom), but I am managing to carve out that same solitude the best I can.

I work hard to use the early morning to sit with the writing as much as I can. I write a scene. I work with characters. Sometimes I struggle or time gets away from me, especially on days I have to drive to teach face-to-face classes. On those days, sometimes, I don't get words in.

Currently, I'm using structured sprints with a group of trusted friends to help me get words on the days when I can sit and focus. That helps. It's not the most ideal, but on those mornings when I'm not sure, it's good to have that extra structure. Each day is a new possibility. Asking for help and using help is okay. I had to learn that.

I'm one of those folks where structure is important. If left without structure, I'm going to go wander off and eat ice cream and wear the same clothes for days. I know this, so I create structures for myself.

I write in the mornings for 30 minutes to an hour if at all possible. If I'm not writing, I'm usually reading. I dress like I'm ready for the day even if I'm not going anywhere. That keeps me from loafing. I keep myself accountable in some way. I post about my writing on social media. I talk to my writer friends. I write even if I'm at a convention to stay on track.

Part of this is just my way of taking care of myself, but part of this is also because of the inner terror that if I don't, I'll lose my momentum and never get another chance at this thing I've started again. I'm deeply motivated by my inner terror.

What Works for Me Might Not Work for You

Another thing that scares me is when people say, "Maybe I should start doing what you're doing." Doing what I do does not mean you are going to end up with the same results I've had. What if you get up early every morning, post your numbers on social media every morning, and knock yourself out doing what I do, and then you end up not writing the same or not getting published or not getting the things you want? Did I sell you the wrong thing? I don't want anyone to think that "This is the way."

This is my way.

This is A way.

Every writer is on their own journey. Every artist is on their own journey. I have to remind myself of this when I get a twinge of wanting something another artist has or the wish that I was farther along in my journey. This is my journey. This is YOUR journey. Each one is different.

We can learn from each other, but there are no guarantees. Getting up early isn't the key. Getting in the chair and putting words on the page is. I have friends who write only on weekends. I have a friend who wrote a novel at the Dunkin' Donuts late at night while I was sleeping, and emailed me chapters that I read over breakfast.

Find your structure. Use that structure. Write.

What Am I Currently Doing?

I started my second Kate and Shadow novel in earnest about a month and a half ago. This one is not coming as fast as the first, primarily because I had two halves of a story before I even started that first novel. This is completely different, so I'm approaching it differently. My writing structure is different too.

This time, I'm juggling a different schedule where I have to be more mentally present at work. I'm also in a different environment at home. I'm writing with a lot more interruptions because I live with two people who have no idea about writing boundaries. I've also continued to fight migraines, which have gotten better in some ways, and worse in others (thank goodness for better meds) In spite of this, I was able to write more short stories over the last two and a half years than probably ever before. This means that a lot of these problems are me problems that I can overcome.

I'm continuing to create structures and work as much as I can. The system helps me fight the bits of executive dysfunction that I have (once again, this is something that is not officially diagnosed, but I know what I know about myself). They don't always help me win, but I do get stories out and writing on the page, and that is a good thing for me and for my readers.

My goals for this year are to complete the Kate and Shadow novel and to write a few shorts on the side (because whether I want to admit it or not, I LOVE writing short fiction). I'm also excited because I have a few stories coming out in anthologies soon, so more fun is ahead. Getting stories out there means more people get to experience my weird little worlds and weird characters.

Y'all have a great week!

#writing #structure #writingtime #writersjourney #shortfiction

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Check Out the Latest from dzgrizzle!

My pal, Darrell posted something new in his blog, Ghosts in the Kudzu! https://www.tumblr.com/dzgrizzle/713244922657079296/writing-update-spring-2023?source=share

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Working Writer or Working Writer: Let's Work Through This a Bit

Are You a Working Writer?

This question always comes back at me when I rewatch the early episodes of the old Columbo series. Yes, I know I'm old. Shut up. The creators of this show had a thing about successful writers and would often cast them as the murderer (the first episode of the series--not the original pilot "Prescription: Murder," which is excellent FYI--but the one with Jack Cassidy). These are successful writers of the early 70s. I'm not sure what was going on with publishing at this point in time, but apparently, there were writers who were earning enough on books to have huge houses with massive windows and gardens, nice sports cars, and spending accounts to go to fancy restaurants wearing stylish clothes. They also didn't have second jobs. Those were the days.

What's funny is that vision of the author is ingrained in our society. That's what people think of even now. You publish a book, and you join a secret society where you get things like advances and you can do things like quit your day job.

It can happen, I suppose, but it only happens to a slim percentage of the population of writers. I can literally think of maybe one or two writers I know who have gone on that track. Seriously.

The rest of us are working, and by that, I mean we either work a day job (or a night job for those of my friends who are vampire-types), or we are running a small business (some of my small or medium publisher friends).

So, the question "are you a working writer" is kind of convoluted. I AM a working writer. I have a day job, but I also work as a writer.

When Do You Plan to Write Full-Time?

This is the dream, right? To get up each morning and not have to worry about the day job or bills or insurance or retirement. All you have to do is write and the rest takes care of itself. Ha!

I just finished reading Lucy Worsley's biography of Agatha Christie (Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman--I enjoyed it a great deal). What I learned was that even if you come from a moneyed background like Dame Agatha, even if you end up with some really good book deals and even if you manage to have your books turned in to movies and television series, you can struggle with making ends meet and have to work. She had tax problems almost her entire career that were caused by a change in US law and then a drawn out argument concerning how she would be taxed. She also loved to shop. Dame Agatha held several outside jobs over her lifetime. This work allowed her to continue to produce her writing.

My point is this: sometimes--most of the time--we must have a job to support our craft, and that job is not our craft.

I have embraced the idea that I will probably have to continue working while I also continue to produce more stories and novels. I like eating. I like to make sure my cats eat. I enjoy the comfort of having good insurance and being able to save money to maybe purchase a new car one day (my PT Cruiser is not going to last forever). My day job gives me a good cushion. There's no shame in wanting financial security.

James Moore, author of some great horror and dark fantasy novels and short stories (https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/james-a-moore/) gave me a piece of advice a while back that made a hell of a lot of sense: "Work so you can focus on your craft." (I'm putting quotes around this, but I'm not sure if this is exactly what he said. If he didn't, it was pretty damned close). He also told me to "Sit my ass down and write." When he tells you something, you do it. Seriously.

What he says makes sense. Give yourself security. That security means that you can then focus on creating. That's not selling out. That's taking care of yourself and whoever else is in the boat with you including your craft. If the craft ends up adding to that security along the way, huzzah! Just don't expect that Jack Cassidy lifestyle to roll your way (Spoilers: You learn that his character is in over his head, which is why he murders his writing partner who is about to leave him).

Until next week, my friends! Keep an eye out for random photos from this weekend. I'm doing some fun stuff with @dzgrizzle in Carrollton, GA! #writing #horrorwriting #agathachristie #columbo #jackcassidy #ptcruiser #writingcraft #workingwriter #jamesmoore

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Syllabus: Wait...This Isn't a Class...

A Few Rules and Regs to Start Off With

One thing I didn't mention in my introduction at the top of the blog is that by day, I teach at a local tech college. No, I'm not going to tell you which one. In this post, I will tell you a few things you need to know about how this blog will work, what I'll probably write about, when I'll write about those things, and how to best engage with me on this platform. If there you find that you don't like what I have to say here, then I'm sure there are many, many other blogs you can find on this platform that will better suit your needs.

How This Blog Works

It's pretty straightforward. I write, post, share. You browse, read, enjoy. There is a place at the top of the page where you can ask writing questions. Once I get some of those questions, I'll answer them with posts. Maybe they won't be long-winded, but as I am a writer who loves to talk about craft and help other writers, there's a pretty strong chance that they will be long-winded and detailed. I may even invite friends to pop in and add their two-cents.

What I Plan to Write About in this Space

The Craft of Writing

My Adventures at Conventions with My Friends

My Cats (there will be photos...get over it)

Baking

Things That Make Me Curious

Other Writers

YarnCraft

Gaming

Movies (I May Invite Friends to Join My Discussions)

More Writing

I May or May not Mention Appearances at Conventions and Signings

What Ever I Feel Like because This Is MY Blog

Schedule

Right now, posts will happen once a week, most likely on Friday mornings. That may change depending on my schedule. I'll announce if I change things up. That's only fair, right?

Rules of Engagement

Eventually, (sooner than later, I hope) some of you may want to engage by commenting or sending questions. I do have an "Ask Writing Questions" button at the top of my blog. Those sorts of questions are appreciated. Comments are appreciated. Harassment, inappropriate comments, spam, trolling, and other nonsense will not be tolerated. Do not doubt that I will boot you off my blog and block you faster than you can summon the spirit of Freddie Mercury. This is a safe space where she/he/they and those of all races/creeds/ and national origins can talk craft and embrace as much kindness as we can muster. Don't like it--go somewhere else.

Finally, follow me and share my blog with your friends. I'll check out your blog and do the same. I may even mention you once I get to know you and love what you are sharing. I love supporting creativity. Can't wait to get this started.

J

#writingcraft #lgbtq+friendly #newblog #fantasy #gaslampfantasy #horror #movies #gaming

[steampunkenglish]

<taps mic>Is This Thing Working?!

Okay, so I wasn't going to start anything new, but then I saw my friend Darrell's Tumblr, and got a bug up my nose to join in the fun. Here I am.

My goal is to focus on talking about writing, but I know I'll end up talking about my cats and sharing photos of places I see and go. Y'all will just have to put up with all that. I'm a complicated mess of horror writer, adventure/fantasy writer, crafter, and curiosity seeker. If that's too much for you, find a different blog.

In the meantime, check out Darrell's blog. I'll be back soon. J