-
Writing Tips: Lines and Characters
I got asked to do a guest blog by Cedar Sanderson for her website. After reading it, she decided to promote this to The Mad Genius Club, where it is now crossposted. So, without further ado: Lines of Departure This blog post actually got started in a conversation about wasp spray. Yes, that’s right,…
-
We Interrupt This Program
Hello readers! With the semester underway, I’ve decided I need to throttle down on this freak show a bit. Ergo, Warship Wednesday and Metal Monday will now alternate weeks effective this Monday. Still expect 1-3 posts a week, however–but not 2-4. 😀 We now return you to your Friday night.
-
"I Can't Believe I Wrote That…"–James Channels Sir John Hackett and Tom Clancy (The Vladivostok Thing Part I)
So back in the dark ages, when the Bear roamed the Earth and the world stood on the brink of nuclear annihilation, Tom Clancy came out with a book called Red Storm Rising. I’m not ashamed to say, I read the (hard)covers off that thing. Tanks, fighters, bombers, anti-ship missiles…this was like a dream for…
-
Young's Ten Tips
Susanne Lambdin and I do a regular panel we call “Strategy and Tactics of Novel Writing.” Inevitably we figure some poor sods come in thinking we’re going to talk military stuff. For you folks, we are sorry. For everyone else, don’t be fooled–we really do talk about how to write a novel. We usually start…
-
On Being A Shaman
So several of my friends accuse me regularly of writing what they call “crack fic.” Sometimes this is an exercise to shut the muses up temporarily, as there’s a riot going on while I’m trying to edit. Other times, someone will just throw me a prompt and it’s “Hi yo, Silver, away…”As always, all things…
-
Warship Wednesday–Ark Royal Class
Welcome Chris Nuttall readers. Please check out the front page: https://vergassy.com The Ark Royal-class are the largest and most modern supercarriers in the Confederation Navy. First projected to carry a full air group of 3 fighter and 3 attack squadrons, the air group’s composition was changed in 3051 to 2 fighter, 2 attack, and 2…
-
Writing Tips: Cover me!
In case anyone hasn’t noticed, I can be bad about updating this blog. (*simultaneously from the peanut gallery* “Noooooo, really?!”) I will try to be better about that, especially given the fact for some reason people keep putting me on panels. (Con Organizers: “Uh, James, people also put bears on unicycles. We’re not saying there…
-
Random Confession
So, every so often I will reveal something about myself my readers may not otherwise know. Today’s confession: I like ABBA. I mean, not like “Commander Lewis, OMG the only thing I have on Mars is disco!”-level, but I am an unabashed fan. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUrzicaiRLU&w=420&h=315] The better half, fellow author Anita C. Young…
-
Warship Wednesday–Carriers
CARRIERS (CV) Confederation Fleet carriers are commonly known as “The Fist of the Fleet.” Typically carrying 3-5 squadrons of Starfighters, usually escorted by an additional capital ship or formed into strike groups of 2-3 “flattops,” modern supercarriers are capable of laying waste to entire star systems by themselves. All carriers are horrifically vulnerable during their…
