by mike | Aug 8, 2022 | Adventure fantasy, Books, Ghosts, Humor, Science Fiction, Sword & Planet, Uncategorized |
My second Sword & Planet spoof, The Horrors of Harrmel, continues the misadventures of erstwhile earthling Bernie Smith and his bride, Thanna Dora, “the most amazing woman on two worlds.” Bernie got zapped out of an Iowa cornfield by a shaft of light and deposited...
by mike | Jun 13, 2022 | Books, Horror, Horror Movies, Movies, Publishing, Science Fiction, Uncategorized, Writing |
A magazine called Astounding Science Fiction, later renamed Analog Science Fact and Fiction, was highly influential in bringing the sci-fi genre into the mainstream many decades past. One of its editors, John W. Campbell, also wrote for the magazine, and in 1938 he...
by mike | Jun 6, 2022 | Books, Curious Possessions, Epic Fantasy, Humor, Life, Uncategorized |
With over two centuries in the rearview mirror—okay, seven-plus decades—I’ve had plenty of time to collect a whole lot of neat stuff. Here is a look at some more “Curious Possessions” floating around my domicile. ...
by mike | May 9, 2022 | Books, Editing, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writers' Conferences, Writing |
I had a “gimmick”—for want of a better word—that I used when facilitating novel-writing workshops and classes at writers’ conferences and other venues. While discussing the fear of having their work rejected by publishers—something many wannabe authors deal with—I...
by mike | Apr 18, 2022 | Books, Humor, Science Fiction, Sword & Planet, Sword & Sorcery, Uncategorized |
Indeed he is, still the reluctant hero in my recently published novel, The Horrors of Harrmel. Bernie first appeared in my 2016 Sword & Planet spoof, The Wizard from Harrmel, where he was zapped up from an Iowa cornfield and deposited on the deadly planet of...
by mike | Feb 7, 2022 | Books, Fantasy, Humor, Publishing, Research, Science Fiction, Sword & Planet, Uncategorized, Writing |
When the pandemic drove us indoors in early 2020 (and wiped out the NCAA basketball tournament; I’m still not over that one…), I found a number of ways to keep busy. At that point I hadn’t written a new book in years, but circumstances being what they were, I decided...