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What Writing Your Novel and Dog Training Have in Common
When I’m not writing, a good chunk of time is spent training our dogs, two Pembroke Welsh Corgis. They are (most of the time) good little pups, who compete in American Kennel Club sanctioned Obedience and Rally trials. Writing and dog training are more connected than I first thought and there are five principles that […]
Snakes On A Plane – Or In Your House
I had a paranormal experience this week. I channeled Samuel L. Jackson from his infamous role in Snakes On A Plane. There shouldn’t be snakes on a plane and there shouldn’t be snakes in my house. First off, no this wasn’t a venomous rattlesnake, the variety that slither about in the foothills where we live. […]
To Print or Not to Print – No Question
Converting an e-book to a conventional printed version is a no-brainer. Well, that’s what I thought when I decided to take Little River from the e-book only world to print. With an old-fashioned book in your hand, I find that you can reach more readers and potential readers than with the electronic version alone. I’ve […]
Another WTF Moment
I’m a creature of habit. I have my routines and my way own peculiar way of doing things. I’d like to say I’m the kind of guy who can “roll with it,” as things come along. I’d like to say that – but that wouldn’t be true. Maybe, I used to be that guy, but […]
Traveling (and Writing) with Your Dogs
A getaway to finish a revision on a manuscript seemed like a good idea. Revision and edits on a manuscript are moving along well, but slower than I hoped. Constant interruptions from phone calls, doorbells, and the siren’s call of unattended yard work, lure me away from the pages. A couple of days on the […]
Little River Print Release & Cover Reveal
The e-book version of Little River has been out for a few months and I’m extremely grateful for the support and encouragement from readers and other writers. Now it’s time for the next step, gearing up for the print release. The date has not been etched in stone, but it is coming on me fast. […]
Location, Location, Location
Location, location, location – that’s what the old real estate sales slogan proclaims. The advice applies to more than selling your spinster aunt’s crumbling brownstone. Location in writing matters too. When you’re really into a book and the words paint a vibrant image of where the story is happening, the location becomes a character. The […]
Drone Wars and Social Media
Strike the unsuspecting target from miles away with the click of a mouse button. The drone warrior unleashes an attack to disorient, disable and destroy the selected victim, from the safety of a dark room, illuminated only by the flicker of a computer monitor. Don’t think like I do? Blam. Don’t believe the same ideology? […]
Sneak Peek
This week, I’ve been hip-deep in revisions and rewrites for a new novel. Like Little River, this new work also deals with trafficking, but this time, the trafficking takes a different form – the black market in human organs. I think we’ve all heard the urban legends of unsuspecting victims regaining consciousness in an ice-filled […]
Human Trafficking is a Third World Problem, Right?
Law enforcement struck a heavy blow against human trafficking organizations in the last month, with major arrests in Thailand and Spain. Police raided a prison island off the coast of Thailand where hundreds of Burmese refugees were held for ransom, or auction. The European arrests netted 75 criminals in a Chinese-based trafficking ring. But, what […]
James L'Etoile 