Author Archives: dorianhart

I am, I confess, something of a hypocrite. As a self-published author, I naturally harbor a constant hope that readers will be willing to take a chance on books like mine. On the other hand, being a slow reader with … Continue reading →

Only once before, I think, have I finished a 500+ page book and discovered I could not easily describe what it was about. (That was David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest.) But it has just happened again, with the odd faerie-tale Little, … Continue reading →

I’d like to talk a bit about Beta Readers. A Beta Reader is someone willing to read a draft version of a book and offer their opinions to the author. While it’s a bonus to find a Reader who is … Continue reading →

I’ve started listening to the first book in Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy, Sanderson being a conspicuous gap in my coverage of modern fantasy. I noticed early on his use of the word “ashmount” to describe what I assume are volcanoes, … Continue reading →

“Show, don’t tell.” If you’re a writer or have ever taken a writing class, you’ve heard this advice, probably many times over.  Readers want drama, not dry explanations. Give them something they can visualize!  Don’t say “Joe became angry.”  Say … Continue reading →

Today I finished a book. I do this occasionally and usually with little fanfare, but this was a special one. The book was Robin Hobb’s “Fool’s Fate,” and in completing it I ended a 4500 page journey through one of … Continue reading →

On a regular basis I am asked some variant of the question, “How is your book doing?”  Here, let me answer that.  Warning: numbers! Today is May 14, 2016. The Ventifact Colossus has been out for just over four months.  … Continue reading →