Revisiting Other World

Last week I had the opportunity to serve as a guest speaker for the St. Martins University writer’s retreat. In addition to speaking on the state of contemporary publishing, I was invited to do a short reading from one of my stories. Usually in this situation, I’d pick up The Beast Hunter and read the prologue which was originally the short story that inspired the rest of the book. However, I’d just returned from an incredibly successful weekend at the Brass Screw Confederacy in Port Townsend and I was out of copies of my steampunk monster hunting novel.

I considered reading something from my collection of fantasy short stories, but in the end I picked up a copy of Lost Under Two Moons, my survivalist sci-fi novel and first published title. I was a little nervous about reading it out loud, since it’s written in a journal format and therefor has a first-person POV which can be awkward reading out loud. Still, I gave it a shot, reading the first entry and half of the second one, ending at what I thought was a pretty good cliffhanger. I finished the reading and my presentation, then invited my students to chat with me and check out my books. As soon as it was over, I had a lady in the first row jump up, grab a copy of Lost Under Two Moons, and ask to buy it.

Later in the week, I was attending another event with some of the students when one of them asked to buy a copy of my first novel. We started to chat as I autographed the book, and he eventually asked me a question that I’ve heard dozens of times: “Which of your books is your favorite?” My usual response is that you can’t ask a parent which child they prefer, but lately I’ve started giving a different answer, at least to the people that aren’t looking for me to choose which book of mine they should buy.

The truth is that I’ve always seen my two novels as aspects of myself. The Beast Hunter represents those times when things are going right. While Keltin Moore has many problems in his life, he also has a clear purpose, a variety of skills, and a tight network of friends that will always support him. On the other hand, Lost Under Two Moons represents those times when things don’t go right. Richard Parks’ struggle for survival is marred by failed ideas, unexpected challenges, and things going wrong when they should have worked. Maybe that’s why I tend to focus on The Beast Hunter more when I’m doing readings or talking to fans.

Still, by taking a second look at this novel, I’ve rediscovered some of the more uplifting messages it has. Richard’s flashes of inspiration are followed by driving determination, a will to succeed and survive. He makes mistakes, but he continues on. He faces tragedy, but he appreciates the moments of beauty and peace that he finds. I’m glad that I took the time to revisit my story a little, and I’m definitely planning on using these insights as I continue to work on its sequel.


If you’re interested in checking out Lost Under Two Moons, it’s currently available for just $0.99 on the Kindle. This special offer will end this Sunday.

Lost Under Two Moons Amazon Page

Success at the 2016 Brass Screw Confederacy

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Brass Screw Confederacy, a steampunk-themed festival in the picturesque town of Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. This was my second year attending the three-day event, although this time I spent most of my time in the Bazaar of the Bizarre at the Clockwork Dragon vendor table rather than wandering around town. Still, I got to see some wonderful costumes and did get out a little to give two presentations and an author reading.

My first presentation was called the Roots of Steampunk, focusing on the influence of Victorian Era technology and literature on modern steampunk. There were a lot of people in the audience that were new to this intriguing sub-genre, and I was glad to hear that my presentation served as a useful introduction to the weird and wonderful goings-on around them. My second presentation, Writing Steampunk, outlined some of the unique challenges and benefits of setting your story in a work of steam and clockwork. I also discussed what specific things a dedicated fan would expect to see in a story claiming to be steampunk, which many of the attending writers were very grateful for.

Here I am dressed as Keltin Moore
at the Clockwork Dragon table

As much fun as it was to give my presentations, I found my greatest success at the Clockwork Dragon vendor table. Joined by fellow authors Nikki McCormack and Lee French, we talked with dozens of terrific people, answering questions and trying to help them find a book that they would love. We had a great time, and by Sunday we had completely sold out of The Beast Hunter. This was a milestone for me, and while I was sorry for those people who arrived too late to receive a copy, it was definitely a problem that any author would be happy to have.

While I wish I had been able to attend more of the festivities and events, I enjoyed my time in Port Townsend and look forward to returning the the Brass Screw again next year. If you'd like to see my presentations or purchase one of my books (including The Beast Hunter) I'll be at Westercon in Portland July 1-4.

Top Ten Questions a Creative Writing Instructor Doesn't Want to Hear

10. What if I want to annoy my reader? (I've actually been asked this one)

9. How can I make my advertising brochures more exciting?

8. Why don't you provide snacks?

7. Could you stop talking? You're distracting me from your slides.

6. I brought my novel. Could you take a look at it?

5. How can you be a fantasy author if you haven't read my favorite fantasy novel?

4. You don't have handouts? Could I have your presentation notes then?

3. How do I know you won't steal my story ideas?

2. Can I get a discount for your book for attending your class?

1. Do you know my friend? She's a writer.

The Dangers of Origin Stories

With the current trend of reboots, adaptations, and re-imaginings in movies and television, we’re seeing more and more origin stories involving characters that we already know. While many of these stories are perfectly serviceable, seeing so many of them at once provides an opportunity to examine some of the potential issues that might come from telling the story of how a beloved character (or group of characters) became the way they are.

Origin Stories are Formulaic

These types of stories tend to have a very predictable structure. Hero starts out in a life that’s normal but also flawed in some way; something terrible happens (this is usually followed by gaining super-powers if it’s a superhero story); the hero has a transition-period including initial shock and followed by a training montage; tries to quit; has a change of heart; beats his first villain and sets things up for a sequel. This is a perfectly acceptable character arc and can be done very well, but it can also feel forced and contrived if each stage of the formula isn’t properly driven by the motivations of the characters involved. It’s also hard to distinguish one story from another after a while if they all follow the same structure.

The Discovery Period is Often Boring

How often can we see a hero freak out and say “this is crazy/a dream/not happening/etc.” before we start rolling our eyes? Of course, it would be unrealistic for our hero to have his first encounter with a supernatural element (superpowers, a magical world, aliens, etc.) without being surprised, but the portrayal of his gradual acceptance of the fantastic almost always takes longer than the amount of time the audience needs to accept it. Unlike our hero, as fans of speculative fiction, we’re used to seeing dragons and women who can turn their body into water, so while it might be logical for the hero to have a transitional period from his old world to the new, there’s also the risk of losing an audience that’s tired of watching their hero cluelessly floundering around.

Forced Training Montages

Because origin stories always have an initial villain for the hero to defeat, there has to be a growing period where the hero develops the skills necessary for the climax to happen. Unfortunately, nearly every origin story takes place over a very short time, resulting in a training sequence that takes the hero from goofy fumblings to CGI-assisted awesomeness in the course of just a few days. There are a few exceptions to this (Batman Begins comes to mind) which show the gradual development of a characters’ iconic skills and equipment, but this essential period of growth is usually glossed over in favor of contrived love stories and grieving over dead parents.

The Good Stuff Comes Later

The origin story rarely has a hero facing his greatest nemesis or even assuming his “final form” of coolness. This makes sense, as the storytellers are typically trying to establish a franchise with multiple sequels. But the problem with starting out with an intentionally weaker story is that you may lose your audience at Episode One, with no chance of continuing the franchise until the next reboot/origin story. Nobody cares how cool the third installment would have been if the first installment failed.


Again, I’m not saying that all origin stories are bad, but there are potential hazards in writing them, just as there are with any other type of story. If you’re an author working on the first installment of a series, my advice is to be mindful of your audience, and remember that your top priority should be telling a good story in the first installment, or else the follow-ups may never happen.