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I picked up a copy of “The Grand Design” by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow several weeks ago and read it in a few days.  It’s not a big book as far as size goes (198 pages), though it does have some heavy philosophy in it.  It stuck with me and I thought I’d attempt a…

Do you use redundancies in your writing?  I do. A redundancy is defined (in my dictionary, at least) as “superfluous repetition,” or “the part of a message that can be eliminated without loss of essential information” (Merriam-Webster).  Also, “the use of surplus words.”  (Same dictionary, different edition.)  I’ve noticed in my writing I have a…

Do you like to read?  I do. As I mentioned last week, I’ve gotten settled in Albuquerque, and I can now finally get back to life as usual after the hassle of moving.  But with the toning down of the turmoil of settling in, I realized that something was missing–something that’s been a big part of my…

     Well, here I am in Albuquerque.      I arrived late in October, and have spent the last several weeks getting settled into my new (I use the term “new” loosely) apartment.  That also explains why I haven’t updated this blog in a while.  Now it’s time to get back to work.      I headed out from Winston-Salem in the…

An article appeared on Space.com a few days ago about a newly discovered planet, Gliese 581g.  If you’re not familiar with new planets, this planet (called an extrasolar planet because it’s outside our solar system and revolves around another star) was reported on September 29 as the first “earth-sized” planet ever found that resides in the habitable zone,…

What is imagination?  Got any ideas? A dictionary definition of imagination might be the power to create something in one’s mind; or to form a mental image of something not present to the senses; or the ability to create something new, never before seen or heard or felt.  Now, all of that is good and important, certainly, but there’s more to…

Do you use Facebook?  Do you send emails?  Do you Tweet?  [God save us all from that word.]  Do you blog, or comment on someone else’s blog?  Do you leave comments about news stories on news websites?  If so, you’re a writer.  Maybe not a great writer, but a writer nonetheless. You’re not going to win…

Do you like the exclamation point?  I do. As a beginning writer, I’ve heard several admonitions about using exclamation points.  Elmore Leonard says you’re allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.  I’ve also heard “one or two per 100 pages,” and I’m sure there are others, but I tend to discount…

One of the most common maxims doled out to new writers (like me) is the tried, true and worn dictum, “Show; don’t tell.”  Personally, I don’t care much for it. In its defense, it has a lot in its favor.  It’s used to warn new writers not to simply tell the reader that a certain character or…

I really like my garbage can, don’t you?  The person who invented the garbage can should get a Nobel prize.  It’s always there when I  need it, stashed comfortably beneath my sink.  If I have some tiny bit of something I don’t know what to do with, I can always rely on my garbage can to accept it…

I just got back from Bubonicon 42, the science fiction convention sponsored by the New Mexico Science Fiction Conference, held in Albuquerque August 27-29.  Interesting convention (usually abbreviated as “con”).  The theme of this year’s Con was “Life, the Universe, and Everything,” a quote from Douglas Adams’ book, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”  That’s because the…

Do you believe in inspiration?  I do. I’m using “inspiration” to mean a thought coming to you suddenly, appearing fully formed in your brain without having to think about it or do anything to put it there.  In that sense, it happens to me all the time.  But first, a caveat.  I suspect we tend to think…