{Just in time for Halloween, this article has been reprinted from The Fictorians, Oct 23, 2015.} As a writer who gravitates to the dark and desolate and desperate, I often inject a syringe full of horror into my stories. “You got your horror in my fantasy!” “Oh, yeah? You got your fantasy in my horror!” This month, I’m going to talk about a technique that the best horror writers and filmmakers use masterfully—leaving things off-screen. So before this wild assertion spurs someone to argue with me, someone whose tastes prefer everything upfront and in one’s face, let me say thatContinue readingThe Horror You Can’t See

It’s strange how a writing career propagates in waves. Just by timing and random chance, I have a whole raft of short stories coming out now and in the near future. “The Metal of a Man” appears in this month’s Electric Spec magazine. What does an aging cyborg do when he knows that parts of his body will outlive him? “Aisa’s Beast” appearing in Legends of the Dragon, Vol. 1. (Trade paperback edition available soon.) A strange, subterranean creature is drawn to a gaudy pageant of strange mortals called Dragon Con, where he is enslaved by a cruel Faerie princess. “For theContinue readingShort Stories Galore

I am terribly remiss. My neglect for this blog is something I often lament. I never post here often enough. I harangue myself with guilt. And I still post here but rarely. Why? Because I’m writing for elsewheres, other blogs, and I only have so much time. Yes, I’m well aware that the sense of this is … wonky. So I thought I would share here links to stuff that I’ve been writing for the Fictorians, a group of fellow writers that talks often about the writing life. I hope you’ll check some of these out, as well as theContinue readingA Compilation of Elsewheres

A climax sixteen years in the making… Coming in e-book formats on June 24th, 2015. (Print versions coming in late July.) Available for pre-order now on: Kindle Nook Kobo Apple A CLASH OF HONOR, LOVE, AND AMBITION In thirteenth-century Japan, the ronin Ken’ishi’s fondest wish has been granted—he has found service with a powerful samurai lord. But the underworld crime boss known as Green Tiger lurks in the shadows of Lord Tsunetomo’s retinue, and Ken’ishi’s honor is tested when learns his new master is married to Kazuko, the only woman he has ever loved. His unknown lineage holds dangerous secretsContinue readingSpirit of the Ronin — Pre-order now!

I’m delighted to announce that in the run-up to the release of Spirit of the Ronin this summer, Sword of the Ronin is appearing in a bundle of ebooks with some amazing indie authors. This bundle is called FIST FULL OF STEEL, and here’s the best part: you can name your price! Urban fantasy? Check. Historical fantasy? Check. Thriller? Check. Historical adventure? Check. Space opera? Check. Epic fantasy? Check. This is a great way for you to support independent artists like myself and these fine folks. Please give this a look. This smokin’ deal disappears on April 5, 2015.

If you’ve decided to build a house or renovate and it’s your first experience, you may feel a bit lost and not know where to begin. You’ll quickly discover that there are many decisions to make and a lot of paperwork to navigate through. You have to choose a builder, an architect, and find out about getting your plans approved. So what’s the first step? Your budget A good starting point is looking at how much you have to spend. You should first consider your current financial commitments. If there is cost blow-out or your circumstances suddenly change, will youContinue readingA Heartstopping New Project

Jay Lake passed away today. It was no surprise to anyone aware of who he was. His long, losing struggle with cancer was well known throughout the universe of speculative fiction writers and readers, and I am among many thousands who will mourn his passing as a friend, a colleague, one of the best men they have ever known. He suffered from cancer for a long time and he even needed home care assistance from https://homecareassistance.com/st-louis/. At my very first big SF convention, Denvention 3, otherwise known as World Con 2008, I met a host of amazing, talented writers, mostContinue readingFarewell and Adieu, Jay Lake