Category: Journal
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Writer’s Corner: The Genre Which Can Not Be Named
Part I — Epic Mystery There is a quiet moment every writer faces—the moment you scan the genre lists and realize that more than one could apply, yet none quite name what you have written. So what do you do now? I am in the process of querying, which means facing the strange ritual of…
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The Carian Codex: Fact or Fiction (The Star-Taker/Astrolabe)
An astrolabe surfaced—cast in orichalcum with a level of precision no early civilization should possess. It was engineered to align with specific celestial markers, not as a symbol but as a working device. If this astrolabe exists, then a forgotten civilization once stood before us—capable of seafaring, metallurgy, and astronomical design long before our accepted…
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The Carian Codex: Fact or Fiction? (Göbekli Tepe)
High on the plains of southeastern Türkiye lies Göbekli Tepe, a 10,000-year-old observatory older than Stonehenge or the pyramids (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Göbekli_Tepe). Its towering T-shaped pillars rise from a hill still mostly buried—archaeologists estimate that barely five percent of the site has been excavated. ✍️ A dramatic entrance is always key—hook your readers from the very first.…
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Writing Isn’t Easy: A Pantser’s Journey (Part 4: Editing)
Writing a novel, for many of us, is about discovery. If you’re a pantser like I am, the early drafts are more excavation than architecture—following characters through dark passageways, unearthing truths you didn’t know you were looking for. But once the bones of the story are exposed, another kind of work begins: the long, deliberate…
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The Carian Codex – Update
Unearthing the Past: The Great Carian Codex Rewrite Rewriting The Carian Codex has been an exhilarating and transformative journey. Inspired by thoughtful feedback and a renewed focus on reader engagement, this adventure mystery is evolving into a richer, more captivating story. It embraces the core of the genre: awesome escapades, vivid settings, and characters you…
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What’s Important in an Adventure Mystery?
In a contemporary historical adventure mystery, what is the important part of the story – the characters, the adventure or the mystery? Some have said, only the characters matter. What about the adventure or the mystery? What do you think? To me, it is the adventure and mystery – it is how your characters participate…
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Blowing It All Up: A Radical Re-Edit
The Carian Codex: Status – Extensive Editing to Begin Writers often talk about editing like it’s a delicate surgery, a careful stitch here, a subtle trim there. But sometimes, you look at your work and realize that what’s needed isn’t a delicate touch — it’s a controlled demolition. And friends, that’s exactly what I’m doing.…
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Ancient Omens
Starting on my second novel “Ancient Omens” in a series. The Keeper Odyssey series bridges the thrill of adventure and mystery in a contemporary setting based on historical mysteries with the expansive world-building more typical of Fantasy, creating a coherent and layered narrative from book to book. While The Carian Codex (95K) is an excellent…
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Storytelling: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (2010s-Now)
The Future of Storytelling: AI Enters the Scene The emergence of artificial intelligence has sparked a revolution in the way stories are created and shared. No longer are humans the sole creators of written content—AI has stepped in, offering tools like GPT-3 and the more recent ChatGPT-4, which allow users to generate stories, refine ideas,…
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Storytelling: The Rise of E-Books (Late 1990s-Now)
E-Books and the Digital Publishing Boom The invention of the e-book revolutionized how people access and consume stories. With digital devices like the Amazon Kindle, readers could carry entire libraries in their pockets, while authors could bypass traditional publishers to reach audiences directly. This digital shift has reshaped the landscape of publishing, but it has…