Lyrics for Life
I could cite Simon & Garfunkle, Johnny Clegg or a bunch of Beatles song lyrics, but I’m going to go with the Boss and two lines from Jungleland.
music, Social Discourse, society, Writing Prompt
Creativity
Science Fiction, Tau Ceti, Writing
Tau Ceti: Final Chapter Titles?
With thirty-eight chapters and a prologue, TAU CETI is an epic tale, with this final draft starting at 159,000 words.
Africa, education, Namibia, Nomad, teaching, Writing Prompt
Keeping Promises to Yourself
I decided that my way to Africa was as a teacher. It took two years to get everything sorted. And longer to get there. I was facing two big hurdles: I’d never taught, and I’d never lived in another culture.
critical thinking, education, society, Writing Prompt
Nature vs Nurture
The WordPress/JetPack writing prompt for today is:
Do you think we’re shaped more by our experiences or by who we are? And my answer, without taking an easy out, is both.
critical thinking, Namibia, society, Writing Prompt
Future Technology
I’ve been thinking Sam Neill thoughts since learning of his passing. This has led me back to “Until The End of The World” (1991). The film is a good example of a William Gibson’s quote that I like, “The future is already here, it’s just not distributed evenly.”
Tau Ceti, writer's life, Writing
TAU CETI: Michelle’s Lost Prologue
TAU CETI has had two different prologues over the course of its existence. Neither are in the final edit of the book. This is the second prologue, told from Michelle’s perspective, a flash forward from very near the end of the story.
Creativity, writer's life, Writing
The SpeckLit Years
There have been two important people on my path to writing short fiction. I’ve talked about one of them, Janet Reid, many times. The other person, I don’t know as much about: Alex F. Fayle.
Family, Tau Ceti, writer's life
TAU CETI: The UNIQUE FIRST EDITION from 2014
My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014. As much as she had become a fan of my writing, I knew there was a good chance that by the time I actually finished and published TAU CETI, it would be too late for her to appreciate or understand.
Creativity, Tau Ceti, writer's life, Writing
Strategies to Fix a Broken Story
There’s four different ideas that I’ve picked up in writing courses, in interactions with other writers, and on the advice of a literary agent.
Creativity, writer's life, Writing
Author Brand Identity (Updated 2026)
It’s hard to disagree with someone more successful than you. So maybe you need to figure out why you disagree.