TAU CETI: The Playlist
Over the years writing TAU CETI, I’ve had a short playlist of songs that I felt either captured a theme of the story or the mood of a particular scene.
Books, Tau Ceti, writer's life, Writing
writer’s life
Tau Ceti, writer's life
TAU CETI: Dr. Valesco’s lost prologue
TAU CETI has had two different prologues over the course of its existence. This is the first prologue, Dr. Velasco’s very vague origin story. It is quite short.
Tau Ceti, writer's life, Writing
Dramatis personae: The Characters of TAU CETI
TAU CETI is a big, complex story with a large cast of characters. This non-exhaustive list gives all of the important characters.
writer's life
Is Six Books the Goldilocks Zone for Authors?
There’s a discussion evolving about the optimal length of a book series over at SFF Chronicles website. Do readers grow tired of a series after six books? If you write from passion will readers stay with you for however long you take?
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, Deacon Carver, 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.
Cover Art, Creativity, Tau Ceti, writer's life
The Evolution of a Cover
I am a creative person. I’ve always had creative impulses, and I continually tinker with my creations.