Ducking out of the rain through an emerald green door, William Kaur crossed his bakery's darkened service area to a warmly lit office. It was as dry and cozy as he left it where his young manager was hunched over the second desk by the back wall. The other employees had already gone home. The manager, Maxwell, looked up. "Any … Continue reading Bakeries’ Doors
I've found a nerdier repository for name ideas than sites like www.behindthename.com. Character Naming Resource For Nerds Peer-reviewed research articles. Real people have the coolest, most unpredictable last names that I may never discover while searching name websites. How I Find Names I might be writing at my little table (which is perpetually covered in articles from … Continue reading Character Name Harvest
AN ELECTRIC BLUE 1971 Dodge Demon rumbled into the driveway of a creaky old two-story house. After killing the engine, Dean Ransom climbed out of the American muscle car with a laden brown paper grocery sack and made his way to the front door of the house, oblivious of the opaque face watching him from … Continue reading A Beautiful Blue
The Imaginary Night Zoo, vol. 1 will be ready by November as planned (an exact date has yet to be set; I'll give a heads up when I know). Having someone else edit (Villainy) hasn't been as scary as I thought it'd be. It's actually given me ideas. So! While I could settle with what I … Continue reading Fall 2016 Story Updates
LEE SURIAH rushed through the harbor town from guide office to guide office, desperate to recruit help. His quick footsteps echoed off narrow brick roads and cozy buildings, shuttered and dark, shingles dripping from a recent sun shower. Rounding a corner, he broke into a walk and fumbled to a stop, almost slipping in a … Continue reading One Last Run
3rd-person is my bread and butter but 1st-person is tons of fun. How 1st-Person is Like Theatre I know the script, I'm aware of other characters' intentions, I can recite my lines in my sleep but when the curtain goes up I must react organically to the other players in that moment despite how I may have rehearsed. In doing so the scene flows naturally … Continue reading 1st-Person Theatre
Villainy (the story) began in January 2014 when my best friend, Megan, sent me a writing prompt: "What does your villain do on Tuesday nights?" Immediately a nameless villain with ridiculously normal Tuesday nights was born. And he became a part of an outrageous clash of cliché vs anti-cliché forces, one of two nameless characters I referred to only as "Hero" and … Continue reading How I Embraced Villainy
One of my top reasons to be in a bookstore (not the library) is to analyze current fiction. One of my favorite topics of study: story beginnings. The Art of Storytelling I base how and what I write on what moves me. If I adore a certain character in a show, I figure out why. If I want … Continue reading Bookstore Recon
"Across a stretch of meadow hurried a swordsman. The meadow wasn't a lush and green place, bursting with bright grasses and curious deer with flicking ears, nor were there happy birds' songs or the humming of insects hidden deep among a sea of wildflowers. Nearing winter, no animals visited and travelers no longer passed through on horseback or with … Continue reading Our Battles
Mr. Les Brown, an incredible motivational speaker, is a master. His theme: achieving dreams. I like to listen to him when my feet get stuck in school or projects (but it's also cool to listen when I'm already motivated, then I feel vaguely superhuman.) Here's part of one of my favorite talks: "When you want something out of life, you've got to … Continue reading Willing to be Unreasonable
Duri Rolvsson 