It’s the very definition of a blessing and curse — Every so often, usually when I’m avoiding things like doing laundry or scooping the cat box, I will look at the stats from my two-and-a-half years here to see what stories were the most “successful.” I put the word in quotes because it means different things to different people and…

We are opening up for new writers as well — Roughly two years ago, Eric Pierce, Danielle Loewen, and I set out to give the redheaded stepchild that is fiction on this site a more welcoming place to live by founding the Fictions publication. …

Yet one more potential novel excerpt — Welcome once again to the ongoing serialization of a potential novel in my Last Word series. I really should be editing book four of the series, but notorious recluse and world famous cartographer Simon Dillon has me so hooked on the serialization idea that work on that has again been…

It’s easier than you think — A few months ago, I wrote two articles focused on the wonderful hobby/lifelong pursuit that is book collecting. The first focused on how to get started collecting books and the second offered five thoughts on building an awesome personal library. I was encouraged by the response to both stories; it…

His own words show an inner conflict — For over 150 years, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln has been referred to as the Great Emancipator, and with good reason. The Emancipation Proclamation he issued on January 1, 1863, may be the third-most significant document in the history of the United States, after only the Declaration of Independence and the…

The madness continues — When I was in the Army a lifetime ago, I was stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia; roughly 40 miles away in Savannah was Hunter Army Airfield, then the home of the 2nd Ranger Battalion. We often crossed paths with the Rangers while drinking on River Street in Savannah and there…

It’s more crucial now than ever — Every year I encourage people to celebrate Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read that has been held at the end of September or beginning of October every year since 1982. This year’s Banned Books Week happens from October 1st to October 7th, and the theme…

Hear me out — I am drawing a line in the sand with regard to my reading habits. Starting today, I will only read new novels by authors I know personally, and I came to this decision for several reasons. First of all, my to-be-read pile is already so high that if it ever…

Our answer says more about us than about him — Last week I published my first Throwback Thursday article in a few months, and I fully intended to not do another one until October. I like the idea of giving an older story another shot at life (however briefly), but it’s best to do it judiciously. …