Latest Posts

by M. Bijman September 16, 2018

Author interview Backstories Discussion of writing style

The Creative Process & Publishing II – Literary Agents

Step 2: Find a literary agent In my previous post, I went into why and how writers connect with publishersContinue Reading

by M. Bijman September 7, 2018

Author interview Backstories Current events Publishing technologies

The Creative Process & Publishing I – How to get published

There are thousands of aspiring authors, thousands of unpublished books, and millions of readers who have not connected with particularContinue Reading

by M. Bijman September 4, 2018

Backstories Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Mysteries and Thrillers Review of modern fiction Review of Mysteries and Thrillers Review of new book

A precisely-crafted Alternative History – Break in Communication, by Jon Gliddon

What is the connection between Mining Engineering and writing fiction? None. In fact, the minds of Mining Engineers often workContinue Reading

by M. Bijman August 27, 2018

Backstories Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of classical fiction Review of classical novel Review of new non-fiction

Are you pondering what I’m pondering? – The lost, Icelandic version of “Dracula”

This is the Icelandic version of Bram Stoker’s famous Victorian Gothic novel, Dracula. Powers of Darkness, called Makt Myrkranna, “the powerContinue Reading

by M. Bijman August 17, 2018

Discussion of writing style Review of literary fiction Review of modern fiction Review of new book Review of new novel romance Romances and Love Stories

It’s not about mixed doubles at all – The Only Story, by Julian Barnes

Julian Barnes’ latest novel is called The Only Story and, despite the subject (the “scandalous” love affair between a manContinue Reading

by M. Bijman August 13, 2018

Poetry

Today’s Loose Rhymes – emails and airplanes

I’ve been putting my poems on my poem-page on this website, mostly for my own amusement. I’ve noticed that justContinue Reading

by M. Bijman August 10, 2018

Backstories Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of science fiction

The scripts work – does the novel? Night Vale – A Novel, by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

Can the same subjects, settings and characters be successfully used in a podcast, and in published script format, and in aContinue Reading

by M. Bijman August 3, 2018

Discussion of writing style Humor Humour Review of essay collection

Why would you feed human offcuts to that turtle? Calypso, by David Sedaris

I did not, until now, understand why David Sedaris is regarded as one of the best essayist and satirists writingContinue Reading

by M. Bijman July 27, 2018

Backstories Review of science fiction Review of Science Fiction and Fantasy Video

It’s 4 not 3! – Arm of the Sphinx, by Josiah Bancroft

Compact Crit. #12 – The Books of Babel, by Josiah Bancroft (In particular: Arm of the Sphinx) I am publishingContinue Reading

by M. Bijman July 20, 2018

Discussion of writing style Literary analysis

Ten reasons why people don’t finish reading novels

Readers who are unable to finish reading a novel know that bothersome feeling – when you imagine that an inanimateContinue Reading