Of The Old Well by H. M. Snow I wish I could remember how long I’ve been down here. When I lift my hand to touch the mud-crusted wall, I feel deep gouges in a row. So many tally-marks to count the days, but I can’t tell how many. My fingers are numb, coated with... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: Brewing a Book, or Back to the Beginning
I'm not allowed to drink coffee for health reasons, so I only have this knowledge second-hand. A friend told me recently that you can get a smoother, richer flavor if you cold-brew the coffee rather than boil it. Cold-brew methods take longer, I'm told, but my friend assured me that the results were worth the... Continue Reading →
Slowly I Turned: Distrait
Trouble, trouble, trouble: the famous Edna St Vincent Millay quote does come to mind. The same worries, the same distractions, the same outcome: a withering of creativity. I'm reading now, not for the enjoyment of reading as much as for the temporary escape it provides. Writing stories would be a better escape, if I could... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: Drowning in Privilege
I've been extremely sporadic in updating my blog during the summer so far. I admit it, and I regret none of it. If I must go for two months without pay from my day job, then you'd better believe I'll use those two months to indulge my creative side as much as is humanly possible.... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: Beyond the Pale
It won’t be much by way of confession if I say I have a weakness for old-fashioned—dare I say archaic—words and phrases. Language seems to have lost all elegance over the past century or so. So most people don’t use the phrase “beyond the pale,” let alone know what it originally meant. The Pale: a... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: Comedy is Serious Work
Writing a comedic novel is more complicated than I had expected. This is the first time I’ve tried, mind you, so I didn’t know what to expect when I began. I’ve read and enjoyed some very comical writers—P.G. Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett being two of my favorite—but they do make it seem very easy. And... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: Nomad’s Land
Peregrination seems to be written into my genetic code. My family moved a lot when I was little, and in the past thirteen years I have moved six times. I suppose this is only to be expected. One doesn’t become a writer for the sake of money (normally there isn’t any) but for the love... Continue Reading →
Howling At The Moon
[Deep breath.] WhenwillIhavetimetoworkontheideasthatI’vestockpiledImeanIhavesomanyprojectsbutIdon’thave thetimetodevotetothem,letalonetheenergy,becauseIhaveadayjobthatstretchesmytemperament beyondrecognitionwithcoworkersforwhom,shortofdivineintervention,Ifeellittlebutantipathy, andeventhoughIhavedivineinterventiontogetmethroughtheday,Istillcomehomecompletely wipedoutattheendofeveryworkdayandthatshootsholesinthetimeIdohaveforworkingonmywriting, notthatitmattersbecauseIdon’thavethefirstideahowtosellmyworkeffectivelysothatIcancreatea footholdformyself,whichiswhatitwilltakebecausewhatIwritedoesn’tquitefitthebasicpigeonholesofits genrewhichisalsothestoryofmylife,really,andI’veneverbeenabletoshakefreeofthatperpetualoddness that,true,somepeoplelearntoenjoyanyway,meincluded,butthefrustrationstillsometimesbuildsup becauseaslongasI’maliteraryoddityI’llneverbeabletoestablishacareerthatenablesmetodedicatemy timetodoingwhatIlove(writing,ofcourse)whilestillmakingaliving,andthatdiscouragesmenoend, whenwritingissupposedtocheermeupafteraharddayamongequallydifficultpeople. [Deep breath.] Okay. Rant completed. I feel a little better now. Back to spring cleaning.
“Slowly I Turned”: I Dream of Bacon
Once upon a time, when my doctor decided to try out a certain medication on me, she warned me of potential side effects. One of them: unusually vivid dreams. Naturally, my inward reaction was, How will I know the difference? Virtually all my dreams are unusually vivid. In fact, I know I’m under too much... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: How to Recognize Love from a Very Long Distance
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP * THE FOLLOWING IS A TEST OF THE MORAL EMERGENCY SYSTEM. THIS IS NOT A RHETORICAL QUERY. IF THIS WERE A REAL RHETORICAL QUERY, THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WOULD NOT REQUIRE ANSWERS.* BEEEEEEEEEEEP * “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: Flashbacks, or Candy Doesn’t Need To Have A Point
Today I spent some time looking at my big-picture timetable for some of my current writing projects. I don’t remember if I’ve given the matter serious consideration before; it’s so terribly easy to let the struggle for a daily rhythm become all-important. I have other issues with big-picture planning that tend to deter me, but... Continue Reading →
Routine, Resolutions, & Resolve
I’m back! Well, I say that, but I have been sitting here at the computer for some time now without any sense of direction for this post. I’m only here, frankly, because I set a schedule for writing here. This past holiday season reminded me that I need the structure of routine. It provides an... Continue Reading →
Perfect Opportunity: Free e-book!
Your attention, please! For five days in a row-- Friday, January 27 through Tuesday, January 31--the Kindle store will offer the first volume of my new Makkarios series free. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce your friends to a great new book (if I do say so myself). Download a copy for yourself; gift... Continue Reading →
“Slowly I Turned”: The World Turned On Its Head
One each appointed day (multiples of seven, if you hadn’t noticed), I’ve been trying to cultivate the habit of coming home from work, turning on my computer, and putting together each post for this blog before I do anything else. Today, I had such a soul-sucking day that I just couldn’t write. Sometimes when this... Continue Reading →
The Bivalve Outside Its Natural Habitat
Keeping things short today, because I think I know how to get my current project from point E to point F, which has been the subject of considerable thought lately. What’s hindering me today? My own personality and temperament, in many ways. I always suspected that I was my own biggest hindrance, and now I’m... Continue Reading →
H. M. Snow, Fantasy Novelist 