KillZone Blog

The Journal, Saturday, November 17

Hey Folks, Got to the Hovel at 3, then decided to republish Dean’s post from yesterday as a guest post (with permission) over on the main site. So I did that. Then I created another post on the big site (the “Advice” I posted here on 11/15). I also decided to work on the site a bit. For one thing, I removed the Become A Patron page from my website. There, I offered a lot of bonuses for patrons, but nobody took me up on it. (I do have a list of a few regular donors, for whom I am … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, November 15

Hey Folks, My new all-time favorite quote: “The faster I write, the better my output. If I’m going slow, I’m in trouble. It means I’m pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.” ~ Raymond Chandler Hey, even if you don’t believe me or Dean, you have to believe Raymond Chandler, don’t you? The above is not because Raymond Chandler was an experienced fictionist who knew all the “tricks.” (There are none.) It’s because he learned to trust his subconscious and allow the characters to tell the story. After all, they’re the ones who are living it. (grin) To … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, November 14

Hey Folks, Welcome to a new subcriber from Germany. I hope you’ll find something of value here. My characters will definitely wrap up the story in my 35th novel today. Somehow, 35 seems like a milestone to me. I’m not sure why. My new short-term goal now is to write at least 50 novels. We’ll see. *** I mentioned this a long while back, but if you haven’t subscribed to the newsletter from CrimeReads.com, you’re missing a bet. The focus at CrimeReads is recommending books on crime (duh), but they regularly interview writers about their process, about various genre touchstones, … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, November 13

Hey Folks, I have no expectation that the story in this novel will end today. But barring any unforeseen omplications in my own life, it will end tomorrow. I have to go to the doc in Tucson at mid-morning for a routine check on my new pacer-defibrillator (read “make sure I didn’t screw up the doc’s work”). I guess that was in my mind as I slept. I rolled out at 1:30 and was in the Hovel before 2. I used up the first hour with nonsense, as I am wont to do, and turned to the novel a little … Read more

The Journal, Monday, November 12

Hey Folks, Not a great deal to talk about today. I’m annoyed because my Internet was out for about 4 hours. That happens a lot. Funny, they still charge us for that time. Makes me glad I’m a writer. I can escape to a world where you actually get the service you pay for, people take responsibility for their own actions, and politicians who lose concede gracefully instead of stamping their feet, holding their breath ’til they turn blue, and bring in dozens of lawyers to find “misplaced” ballots. Sigh. Topic: To Create A New Text-Only Hyperlink Recently a friend … Read more

The Journal, Sunday, November 11

Hey Folks, Happy Veterans’ Day. Or as we in the Corps used to call it, Marine Corps Hangover Day. (grin) In truth, this is also (and was first) Armistice Day. It commemorates the end of the war to end all wars. Which later became known as World War I. The Armistice was signed officially at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Maybe that’s one reason Ambrose Bierce, in his The Devil’s Dictionary, defines November as “the eleventh twelfth of a weariness.” *** As a personal aside — and I’m speaking here only for myself, not … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, November 8

Hey Folks, There’s a lot to explore in “Of Interest” today. I’ll begin with a new favorite quote: “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” ~ Ray Bradbury *** I have a slightly altered routine that I have to get used to. I’m leaving the writing computer in the Hovel now, hooked up to the big monitor, instead of carrying it back and forth to my office in the house. So I have to remember to carry a flash drive back and forth with me. Each day I’ll transfer the … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, November 7

Hey Folks, Be sure to read through the “Hovel” stuff today. There’s a little topic hidden there. While looking through items for the “Of Interest” section today, I came across the item listed below. I listed it because I found a flaw that cracks me up. Many of you know I admire John Gilstrap for his knowledge of weapons and the advice he freely shares. That’s why so many of his Kill Zone blog posts make it into my “Of Interest” section. But today he pulled a real boner. The irony of the his own comments hit my sense-of-humor nerve. … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, November 6

Hey Folks, RAmbling a little today, but it might be good. I never know. (grin) The polling places opened out here right at 6, and my wife and I drove down to vote. Feels good. I hope those of you who are citizens of this nation voted as well. Finally out to the Hovel at 7. I updated my reverse outline (much more on this later), then wrote around 1000 words, then headed up to the house. Back to the Hovel at 9:30. I started writing, but hit a minor snag. The WIP takes place in France (at least so … Read more

The Journal, Monday, November 5

Hey Folks, Yesterday evening, I saw a great little post in one of the blogs I subscribe to, and it led me to write the topic below. You can read the original post. It’s in “Of Interest” today. *** Food for thought: “The first page sells this book. The last page sells your next book.” ~ Mickey Spillane Topic: NaNoWriMo: Just Stop Already. Or Go Do It. I Don’t Care. Sounds callous, doesn’t it? Sorry. I only say I don’t care because I’ll be too busy writing instead of and seeking or checking with online partners and concentrating on doing … Read more