Two stacks of books. One has fancy, glided hardcovers and the other generic paperbacks.

Good Books vs Good Stories

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Which would you rather read, a good book or a good story? The difference between the two has arisen a few times over the past couple of years as I’ve learned more about writing and publishing novels—and, of course, reading them. But which is more important? Which is better? A …

Four book covers from the series Adventures of a Jump Space Accountant by Andrew Moriarty

Book Series Review: Adventures of a Jump Space Accountant

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Wait! Did you say a Jump Space… Accountant? What is this? Something like, “Have actuarial table, will travel?” Well, not exactly. If you are into hard science fiction with a twist, check out this delightful series by Andrew Moriarty. Follow the adventures of Jake Stewart as he deftly slings data, …

Chronic Bilocation Syndrome

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One by one, the pieces fall away, dissolving faster the more I try to hold them. A house. It’s….  remember… gone. A game? Who was playing? And a… no. Think.

Something Eternal

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The viewing window curved inwards with a foreign planet beyond filling near to the edges. Teal waterways, too many to count, separated what must be thousands of islands along its surface, while white wispy clouds ever-so-casually drifted to an unseen current, giving the planet depth.

Woman's face hidden by lace veil and ornate eye mask

Pen Names: Veils and Masks

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How many writers use pen names, and why? Our Speculative Fiction Writers Association member directory shows about FORTY members who do, or about thirty-four percent! Member Examples One of our members (“Q2”) doesn’t want the readers of their fiction stories to stumble across the videos that Q2 produces in their …

Hollow Heaven

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Taking a courier package cross-sector? Dumb. Climbing an open comms tower in summer heat to shave an hour? Suicidal. But the bonus was 257 credits! That would pay my rent.

The Egg

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Gillian’s fame began as a kid, when she buried that egg.

She’s a great little sister, but you’ll see her craziness.  Like when she shredded fresh beets from our garden into the clothes washer

Two arms stretching across with fingers barely touching

Empathy & Character

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Empathy is not agreement. Empathy is “get”-ment. Empathy is a deep understanding of another person’s perspective and/or experience. But empathy does not start with understanding, it starts with a guess. Here, we’re gonna get into how to apply empathy to a character. On Empathy The essential question of empathy is: …

A writer with a hat, brain illuminated with sparkling ideas, hand writing in a book.

Creative Writers Are Special

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Creative writers aren’t just storytellers—they’re cognitive architects, emotional cartographers, and ethical explorers. In a world increasingly shaped by mechanization and artificial intelligence, their work remains irreplaceable. This post explores the neuroscience behind creativity, the myths we’ve outgrown, and the unique power of speculative fiction writers to surprise, reveal, and transform. …

A hooded nan lowering a white mask to show half his face

Addressing Imposter Syndrome

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Let’s start with how awesome it is that we have a term to name the feeling and/or belief that we are not good enough. That term: Imposter Syndrome. Here, we’re gonna get into what it is and explore some ideas on how to address it. Definition Imposter Syndrome is a …