• My Choice to Publish a Book Without an Agent

    Literary agents play an essential role in the world of publishing, providing a bridge between authors and publishing houses. I have all the respect in the world for the talented literary agents who turn writers’ dreams into tangible realities. But, while they have proven to be indispensable for many, some authors choose to forgo an…

  • Where Am I Going With This?

    My mind tends to wander more than most. At least, that’s why I’ve been told. Sometimes, this is a good thing, as I then discover trains of thought that haven’t left the station yet. Other times, I just derail. Also, what’s up with all these train metaphors? Anyway, where am I going with this? It’s…

  • The Renaissance of Antiheroes

    In our culture, we now value anti-heroes more than super-heroes. Honestly, I think perhaps that our culture might be correct in idolizing imperfect people who perform heroic acts for less than heroic reasons, much like real life. Every time I have sat down to write a story about heroes, it never comes out well. On…

  • Do You Want to Be a Thought Leader?

    When I first became serious about writing online, both in personal blogging and in freelance web writing, I read a lot about thought leadership. But, what baffled me was, despite everyone talking about becoming a thought leader, no one really talked about how one actually becomes a thought leader in your certain area of expertise.…

  • It’s Not the Volume That Matters But the Frequency

    In December of 2021, I penned and posted a piece titled “The Crossroads at Panic Street and Heartbreak Avenue.” I have no idea how I came up with that title. It was later published as a part of my short essay collection, Cloud Pieces. The state of the world has only gotten worse since then.…

  • What Must Be Laid Bare

    When we are young, do we really know who our heroes are? Our innocence shields us from the truth of sin; we don’t yet fathom the subterfuge of what is today commonly called “adulting”. So much of what we learn as kids turns out to be hollow promises and flat out lies. I often lay…

  • Taking Flight

    Taking Flight

    Years ago, I was assigned an essay about what my superpower would be if I could have just one. I don’t recall if it was for a college scholarship or something, but interestingly enough, my answer remains the same as it did back in 2005. If I could have one superpower, it would be the…

  • Smarter Than the Average Homosapien

    Here’s a rather interesting excerpt from my journal from my later college years. It was a very miserable time in my life, and yet, many of these insights still ring true for me… I may be smarter than the average homosapien, but I don’t consider myself one with big ideas or especially rare insights into…

  • Girl in the Middle

    Girl in the Middle

    I’m not overly fond of Funko Pop vinyl figurines in general. But Emily already had one of the Joker, so I bought one of Harley Quinn, naturally. On a trip to Oneonta, New York, I got the Luke and Baby Yoda (Grogu) figure to complete a trio on our shelf on the porch. I’m obsessed…

  • Noughts and Crosses and Kitties

    As Emily got the brand-new Leica SL3-S camera yesterday, she gave me her Leica Q3. Naturally, I wanted to take something really cool with it, and I had an idea of having my vinyl kitties from Sailor Moon – Luna, Artemis, and Diana – doing various activities. Tom suggested tic-tac-toe, and I immediately gravitated to…