Unsolicited Advice

So, for all you folks who are submitting stories to BWS, no, scratch that, anywhere*, please remember something:
There’s plenty of objectification of women in the real world and in fiction. I am sick to the back teeth of reading submissions where the women in the story exist only to be beautiful, or worse, where the [...]

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Subbed!

Subbed FG because I was too excited not to. I really, really like this book. Have a snibblet:

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Snippit

I’ve been complaining a lot about the revisions, but the fact is I’m pretty pleased with how they’re coming. Have a look.
When the rider came up alongside him, Hikage was walking with his hands in his sleeves and humming the chorus of the Magpie and the Fox, which he thought was the probably the perfect [...]

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Handbook

I’ve been talking a lot about my pulpy noir fantasy mystery novel Handbook these days, I figure I should probably post a snippit of it. So here you go.
BTW: There’s a single but major spoiler in this. Just so as you know.

Normally Jao would never ask a favour. Inevitably, the person who helped you will [...]

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What Editing Does

Here’s a great example of why writers should always do exactly what their editors tell them:
Editing Round 1:
Pale lamps of Veteran’s walk cast a phosphorescent light and illuminated the fog so it seemed to swirl like milk. He didn’t need to see to know the paths, the memories here were strong. He followed them like [...]

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Edits

Just got edits for Tenth Man and am suddenly very, very pleased I’m not deep in a project right now because man there’s a lot of work to do.  Still, it ought to be interesting work.  Not only will I be going through a book I wrote two or more years ago, but I’ll get [...]

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From Van, With Thanks

So I need to say thanks to my Vancouver friends who were essentially my slaves all weekend and never once complained. The trip consisted of my being immature for about fourty eight hours, one drunken shopping fest, an attempt to see Dark Knight and, you guys, dining at Aurora on Main without a reservation. [...]

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‘Handbook’ snippit

For those of you interested, or for those of you who were promised a beta copy which I then failed to deliver (flailed on delivery?), here’s a snippit of Handbook for your reading pleasure.  Commentary, complaints, suggestions and snide remarks are all welcome*.
The weak sunlight is cutting through the shutters when Jao wakes the next [...]

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And now, the news

The skeleton of the new novel is done, I finished it today at 3. Sits at 35,000 words and just covers the full narrative arc, major moments, plot from start to finish. Requires fleshing out and it’s very likely I will go through and change the tense of the whole thing. I [...]

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Tears shed

I’ve spent all day at the computer. Yesterday too, and the day before. I’m deeply involved in the story that’s coming out, in the characters and what’s happening around them.
Usually I get emotional with my characters; when they’re angry my heart rate goes up, when they’re sad I feel a little glum myself. [...]

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