If you watch TV and movies, you might think the life of a writer is nonstop glamor: jet-setting book tours, adoring fans, prestigious college gigs. But a lot of times it s about the nitty-gritty: filing estimated taxes, wrestling with Track Changes in Word, dealing with contracts and rights. Don t get me wrong—I actually kind of [ ]
Maybe you thought I d forgotten. Ha, I say. Ha! Not sure why this is starting on such a confrontational note, but there we are then. Anyway, here we are again at the beginning of a brand new year. And, like last year, it s somewhat of a milestone for me: March will mark 20 years of [ ]
Last year s publication of The Armageddon Protocol might have been the final novel in the Galactic Cold War, but that doesn t mean the universe doesn t still have some stories left to tell. And let s be clear: I ve spent a long time thinking about and writing in this world. Close to twenty-five years, at this point. [ ]
[A version of this post appeared on Six Colors.] Years ago, when I was working my first post-college job in web development and IT, I found myself totally burned out. One day, sitting at my computer, I opened up a blank Word document and just started writing down all the things I wanted to be [ ]
This week s episode of The Incomparable s Game Show podcast—its 250th!—also happens to mark the tenth anniversary of my game show, Inconceivable!. In fact, we recorded this episode ten years to the day of the first episode s release, which was also, coincidentally, the first episode of Game Show. Fun how that all works out. To celebrate, [ ]
It s been a while since I put up a formal awards eligibility post, but it s a new year and, if not a new me then at least a mildly updated me, so let s do it. In 2024, I published two works: the final Galactic Cold War novel, The Armageddon Protocol, and a Galactic Cold War [ ]
January? In this economy? I don t have a lot of new year s rituals, but the one I have done the best job at sticking with over the past several years is that every January, I look back over the past twelve months and run down my finances for the no-doubt millions of you who are [ ]
Ten years ago today I was at Macworld s San Francisco office, having flown in to cover the announcement of the iPhone 6 and the original Apple Watch the previous day. Mid-morning, as I was still working on some pieces about the event, I was summoned to an all-hands meeting with most of my colleagues, and [ ]
With apologies to one of my favorite public radio hosts, it s time to do the numbers. Yes, every year around this time I compile a bunch of information about my writing (and podcasting) finances from the past twelve months and post them online for all to see. Why? Self-indulgence? Morbid curiosity? Some deep-rooted issue with [ ]
The leaves are changing, the pumpkin spice is flowing, and hard as it is to believe, there s just a week left until All Souls Lost is out. It s always a little bittersweet when, after years of working on a project, you reach the moment when it s no longer just a story that lives in your [ ]