Kristine Kathryn Rusch

The Journal, Thursday, December 6

Hey Folks, Tomorrow is Pearl Harbor Day, though I think, sadly, it’s no longer taught in schools. Here’s a quote for the day: The carrier Enterprise sailed into Pearl Harbor the day after the attack. Surveying the wreckage from the bridge, Adm. William Halsey could not hide his anger. “When this war is over the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell.” For an excellent article about that fateful day, see https://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-japan-failed-pearl-harbor-18638. *** Wow. Remember I released Book 2 of the Nick Spalding series, Transitions, back in November? One of my donors, a voracious reader, sent me an email … Read more

The Journal, Monday, December 3

Hey Folks, Another good quote: “I am what I am. To look for reasons is beside the point.” — Joan Didion And another one from Chandler: “I have a sense of exile from thought, a nostalgia of the quiet room and balanced mind. I am a writer, and there comes a time when that which I write has to belong to me, has to be written alone and in silence, with no one looking over my shoulder, no one telling me a better way to write it. It doesn’t have to be great writing, it doesn’t even have to be … Read more

The Journal, Sunday, December 2

Hey Folks, This morning (to my delight) I was pleased to note James Scott Bell mentioned yours truly in the Kill Zone blog (in “Of Interest”). The article is all about Heinlein’s Rules (Heinlein’s Business Habits for Writers). Of course, I replied. Couldn’t help myself. (grin) Not a lot else to talk about this morning. It’s Sunday, and the outside temperature is perfect. It’s in the mid-40s, so cold enough to stand-up your nerve endings and make you feel very much alive, but not so cold that a grave, by comparison, might feel warm. Yet another quote: “Had my books … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, November 29

Hey Folks, Well, yesterday was a very productive day, though not in writing. The trip to Sierra Vista took only a couple of hours. When I got back I activated my new phone, which is about the size of the flight deck on a small aircraft carrier. (grin) Then I played around with it for a little while. Afterward I read over the very valuable comments of my first reader on Nick 4 (Consequences) and applied most of them. Finally I uploaded the document to D2D, Amazon and Smashwords. It’s available at all three places for pre-ordering, and it will … Read more

The Journal, Monday, November 26

Hey Folks, I thought I’d found a new writers resource in an “author and writing teacher” named Marilynn Byerly. So I went to her blog. No books were listed, so I did a search for her name on Amazon. I found only 6 novels listed. That kind of put a damper on things. I returned to her blog and read a few articles. Frankly, I was hoping lightning would strike and that I would find it a valuable resource. Umm, nope. Just regurgitation of the same old stuff I’ve heard for years in public school, stale writers’ groups, etc. Nor … Read more

The Journal, Sunday, November 25

Hey Folks, I was in touch with Dean. He assured me he’s dealing with a problem he’s never encountered before as he attempts his challenge to write 10 novels in 100 days while coming off a major life roll and tries to get into shape. I’m not ashamed to admit I was probably wrong in my musings yesterday about his dilemma. It isn’t difficult to be humble in the presence of greatness. He and Kris are working through the problem. I have no doubt they’ll succeed in discovering and overcoming whatever it is. He also assured me he’ll keep us … Read more

The Journal, Friday, November 23

Hey Folks, Another short day, probably. No worries. I was in the Hovel by 3, though after the gorging yesterday around noon, I wasn’t in much of a mood to do anything productive. (grin) But I do mean “gorge,” at least for me. We ate Thanksgiving dinner around noon yesterday, and after that had a couple of hours to settle over some TV. (I still can’t get back into the NFL after all the flap, so that was off the table.) We watched a few episodes of a Brit mystery/comedy, and then I got up to get dessert. Understand, as … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, November 22

Hey Folks, Probably a short day today, but I decided to get some writing done. To the Hovel at 4, where I spent a little time looking for items for “Of Interest.” There isn’t a lot today. Got a good session done, then a break up to the house to see when my wife wanted me to start cooking my part of The Meal. (grin) Back to the Hovel and the novel, with apologies to my wife who’s already slaving away. Just difficult to leave the novel when it’s flowing so well. Two more good sessions, and it’s back to … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, November 20

Hey Folks, I apologize in advance for the long post today. I hope you get something out of it. I hadn’t planned to write a topic today either, but then I wandered across PJ Parrish’s post “When Should A Story End?” (“Of Interest”) and came across this doozy: “…writers should strive to make each plot point arise organically from character.” Later, she talks about a character living an “unauthentic” life. I don’t wonder. Topic: Let Your Characters Live Their Own Lives I’ve seen too many Nationwide Insurance commercials lately. My first thought as I read the excerpt above was “Tiny … Read more

The Journal, Monday, November 19

Hey Folks, Feeling fine this morning. Also, the second book in the Nick Spalding series launched this morning. You can see the cover and read the description at http://harveystanbrough.com/transitions/. The universal link for all retailers is https://www.books2read.com/u/38r5WO. The next two books in the series will launch, respectively, on December 15 and January 15. If you (or someone you know) enjoy rich settings in action-adventure romantic-suspense novels and being immersed in the characters, you will enjoy this series. *** To the Hovel at 3 and spent the first hour+ dinging around the Internet and updating my publisher website. (Much more to … Read more