Gringo not Latino

There’s no arguing. I am not Latino. I am Scottish/Irish (so says Ancestry’s DNA test). That being said, why did I choose to write a Latinx character, Alexa Hernandez, for my recent novels? Isn’t that cultural appropriation? The first question has a long-ish answer. It begins with my wife. Although, she was my girlfriend when… Continue reading Gringo not Latino

Content

You’ve probably noticed, if you’ve been here before, that I’ve deleted a lot of material from the past. I don’t feel it’s particularly pertinent to my present life as a writer, hobbyist, and just in general. I recently started a YouTube channel about stationery, fountain pens, and DIY. Part of the reason that I have… Continue reading Content

Is it time for Blood Soaked and Writing to start over?

I think about this periodically because the Blood Soaked trilogy doesn’t define me like it used to. I’ve written other things, like the first Alexa Hernandez book I released in November 2019, and I feel more attached to this work. Mind you, I’ll never forget Frank and everyone from my first trilogy, but their story… Continue reading Is it time for Blood Soaked and Writing to start over?

People watching

When you’re building a story, don’t hesitate to populate it with people you’ve seen. In fact, I encourage writers to carry a notebook wherever they go. I do…usually…I forgot it today. That’s part of why I’m writing this post; I want to remember her. There’s a woman in the coffee shop, sitting on the opposite… Continue reading People watching

How I love writing!

I’ve added a few new fountain pens to my writing lineup. The current range looks like this: Randy Hamilton tiger celluloid; medium JP Lepine Winston in French Oak; bold Pilot Custom 74 with an opaque navy body (!); medium Noodler’s Ahab flex nib; fine to medium Jinhao #450; medium to big swashes Cadman & Cummins… Continue reading How I love writing!