From Pirates to Pellucidar
Before I ever discovered Pellucidar, I was into pirates. In fact, one of my first memories is of reading my favorite book, Look Out for… The post From Pirates to…
writing
Musings on Grammar, Usage and Garner’s
Be honest with me: how serious are you about the serial comma? Do you wade into discussions on language forums and social media brandishing citations from your favourite authorities? Do…
My three favorite reads last year
This was a fun little exercise – pick your three favorite reads from the last year. It’s on a book and author discovery site called… The post My three favorite…
Earth’s Gravity, But Not the Kind You Think
If you’re not already familiar with Earth, by David Brin, then in a weird way, I envy you. You have got some great science fiction… The post Earth’s Gravity, But…
Formidable! My Night at the Moulin Rouge
If you’ve seen the movie Moulin Rouge (2001), then no doubt you’re expecting an extravagant, musical story about this evening. Let me set you straight:… The post Formidable! My Night…
Musings on Haiku
I can’t recall just when I first encountered haiku, that subtle, concise and often baffling Japanese poetry, but I suspect it was sometime in the late 1960s, not long after…
Creativity, A Short and Cheerful Guide
“Anyone can be creative!” This happy idea is the central thesis of John Cleese’s pithy treatise on how to be creative. The book really is… The post Creativity, A Short…
Street Writing Snippet #1
Angelique imagines herself howling. It seems like something she would like to do. Some people imitate what they believe are Iroquois war cries. She is not sure how you could…
Ars Poetica
Horace’s Ars Poetica, or the Art of Poetry, was written as a 476-line poem in a letter to his friend, the Roman senator Lucius Calpurnius Piso (Lucius) and his two…
Protected: The Blue Finger of Fate
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. The post Protected: The Blue Finger of Fate appeared first on mark a. rayner.
Advice for Writers: 15 Cheeky Quotes
Here’s fifteen of my favorite bits of advice for writers, from a collection of writers I admire. You’ll note there’s not a single bit of… The post Advice for Writers:…
Non-Euclidean Emergency Medicine Show
This is a straightforward, if non-Euclidean, scene I cut from my fourth draft of Alpha Max. I thought it was fun, but it didn’t move the plot along much and…
Bad Chemicals & Babel Fish: My Favourite Humorous Science Fiction Books
Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. This may be a controversial choice to top a list of humorous science fiction books, but I have… The post Bad Chemicals &…
How to Beat Writer’s Block: An Author’s Tale
Once upon a time, I lived in Prague, in a part of town known as Smichov, long before I had to learn how to beat… Continue ReadingHow to Beat Writer’s…
Robertson Davies and Alice Walker: A Review By Someone Who Has Never Read A Single Word They Have Written
Such a delightfully warm and witty man, Robertson Davies seems most definitely to be. He looks so severe, when you first look at his face, but then he speaks, and…
Musings on Downsizing, No. 1
Downsizing seems to be all the rage among people our age. It’s so popular, it might be classified as a sport or a game for seniors. Assuming someone could codify…
Biggest laughs…
I’m not entirely sure I agree with my literary patronus on this one, but there is something to be learned from the quote. I DO… Continue ReadingBiggest laughs… The post…
All hail the talented editor!
One of the great joys of writing at a professional level (however you define that) is getting to work with a talented editor. I’ve been… The post All hail the…