Villains don’t need to be masterminds, but they do need to have flaws.
If there's one thing that makes a great story, it's a great adversary, or villain, if you must. The quintessential villain tests the protagonist, pitting them against forces they must overcome to reach their goal. But how does one go about constructing the perfect,...
Is there such a thing as Writer’s Block?
Some authors don't believe in writer's block. I'm not one of those people, although I'd prefer to call it a creative challenge rather than a blockage. There are many things that can arise to challenge our ability to be productive creators. Life has a habit of getting...
Seven benefits of plotting your story
Many people will argue against plotting out their stories for a variety of reasons. They will say that plotting is boring, removes spontaneity, stifles creative flow, etc. While arguments against plotting reflect individual taste and preference, there is still room...
Update: Journey to Vega novellas
The Journey to Vega novellas have been my most well-received stories, and now there is one more. Ghost of Time is now available. It is the intriguing story of a young officer who finds herself alone on a ship designed to carry over twenty-thousand people to a new...
The Art of Putting Yourself Out There
We all know we have to do it – social media, appearances, events, in-person book sales, groups, book-signings, email newsletters, etc. But most of us struggle to just find the time to CREATE, so how are we supposed to fit all that other stuff in? The way I see it is...
Sometimes, you fall on your face
I have a motto in business that I've adopted from the tech industry: Fail Fast. Fail Upward. This said, failing still sucks. Early in 2024, I had a grand scheme to start a space merch store. I created a bunch of designs, utilizing my developing digital drawing skills...
Why I Love Doing Fan Art
If you follow me on social media, you'll notice I've made quite a bit of fan art in the past several months. I've had tremedous feedback from you all, noting how much certain pieces resonate with my audience. But it's more than the feedback from fellow fans that...
Fun With Fan Art
It's been several weeks since I last wrote or did writing-related tasks. I've been on a break and during that time, I've discovered a love for creating fan art. And wouldn't you know it, other people are loving it too?! I'm thrilled that something that started out as...
Journey to Vega is underway
If you haven't read a good science fiction horror tale this year yet, might I suggest you try A Dark Genesis? It's a quick read, perfect for weekend readers and anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to spare, but still loves picking up a fun, fast-paced read.What's...
The special connection between science fiction and society.
July 23, 2020 – Presentation for TNR Libraries I was recently invited to do a talk via Zoom by the Thompson Nicola Regional Library and the Kamloops Society of the Written Arts. It was a real honour to be asked to do the talk and I chose to focus on how science...