June 21, 2012 in General Topics
Lately I’ve spent a lot of time mapping out the currently-unnamed sequel to The Tyrant Strategy: Revenant Man. It’s reminded me that outlines can be very vital, but aren’t without their own challenges. So, here’s some thoughts on the good and bad aspects of this always-underappreciated component of fiction writing.
I’ll also share some strategies that really helped. Read the rest of this entry →
June 7, 2012 in General Topics
It is a fact that history is often made by those who never wanted to get wrapped up in the course of human events. But snared by circumstance, fate, divine providence, or whatever else one might call it, ordinary people have shaped eras that at first seemed far beyond their influence. Many of mankind’s most incredible figures started their lives defined by situations wholly out of their control. Consider Julius Caesar, whose life was nearly snuffed out in adolescence by a Roman dictator.
And consider Reed Barowe. He’s an agent in the Serpican Police, and beyond good at what he does. He’s augmented biologically and cybernetically, but he’d far prefer remaining in the shadows of the subjugated Earth forming the backdrop of my upcoming novel The Tyrant Strategy: Revenant Man. So of course, I though he’d be a terrific character to force some of those external stresses upon. The fact that he is an “agent” is a little bit of semantic fun. Read the rest of this entry →
April 24, 2012 in General Topics
Let’s talk target markets, by talking about The Tyrant Strategy. 
When I was conceptualizing this trilogy of fiction books (Part 1 coming this fall, kids!), I realized early on that I wanted to write for people who didn’t know they liked science fiction. I wanted an accessible military sci-fi epic with an emphasis on characters.
I wanted some extraordinary characters, but also ample heapings of regular folks that were meshed inextricably, and at times unwillingly, into the process of history being made — of the world changing. And these characters came from all walks of life. What’s crazy is how readily these characters overlap with my target audience. Read the rest of this entry →
March 16, 2012 in General Topics
Alright folks, here’s the deal. In addition to The Tyrant Strategy series getting launched in late summer \ early fall, I’m also going to be publishing a short fiction collection.
And I need your help naming it. For your ten seconds of time, I offer you a $20 gift card from Target if I use your suggestion.
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March 14, 2012 in General Topics
A story goes that Ray Kroc, the man that made McDonald’s a giant, was asked how he made so much money making hamburgers. He answered the question with his own, asking if anyone thought they made better hamburgers than he did. They said yes. Kroc replied with an important point: he wasn’t in the hamburger business. His strategy was simply using burger sales to pay the mortgage on much juicier commodities — prime real estate locations.
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