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.  In that time it has sold 513.91 copies. If you’re reading this blog, chances are... Continue Reading →

You are probably familiar with Randall Munroe of XKCD fame.  One of his most famous strips is this: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png (image © Randall Munroe) I am usually good about not falling into this trap, but sometimes the bait is too tempting, and I blow an hour or two futilely trying to educate someone – usually with... Continue Reading →

If you search the Internet on the topic, you will discover the notion, ascribed variously to John D. McDonald, Ray Bradbury, David Eddings, and others, that a writer’s first million words are garbage.  Eddings phrases the idea thusly: “My advice to the young writer is likely to be unpalatable in an age of instant successes... Continue Reading →

I was chatting with my friend Ed the other day on the topic of reviews. Having just self-published a novel, it’s been a topic much on my mind. At some point in the discussion, we swapped links of the most scornful reviews of our previous works. A couple of years back I published an interactive novella,... Continue Reading →

Today I took a big first step. Specifically, I forced my finger to stop shaking, and pressed it down upon the Enter key, thus clicking the button that told Amazon to expose my book, The Ventifact Colossus, to the public.  The moment I did that, my brain divided itself into three distinct entities: Stupidly Optimistic Brain:... Continue Reading →

It’s five thirty on Saturday evening, and Kira is hanging upside-down and backward over the edge of the sofa. This is entirely typical. I’m sitting nearby with a book on my lap, relaxing by the lights of the Christmas tree in the corner. I’ve been chipping away at this book for a few weeks now... Continue Reading →

A strange and fortuitous chain of events has led to me being interviewed by Edge magazine about my career as a game designer.  Please do not download or disseminate this PDF; it was was provided to me as a courtesy by Edge, so I could share it with my friends and family.  Thanks! Edge Interview