Storytellersunplugged

David Niall Wilson We’ve touched on this subject here in a number of different ways, but I thought I’d revisit it because the point has been driven home to me very recently. I’ve just finished re-reading “The Green Mile,” by Stephen King. I listened to the audio book, read by Frank Muller, whose voice I love to share miles and hours with. It’s a familiar story, but ... Read More

I’ll bet few writers around these parts have read things they’ve written in the past and not yelled “PHEW! YUCK!” loud enough to frighten their children (or their neighbors’ children) slap to death. Some of my own exclamations of dismay have brought sheriff’s deputies from two counties over to investigate. I know some writers who refuse to read their work after it’s been published. I seldom do, except when I go back to re-edit something in hopes of selling it as a ... Read More

There's a t-shirt for sale in the Madison, Wisconsin airport. Itreads, "Sick of cheese, still like beer", which is probably a fairassessment of the local generic tourist experience. The woman sellingthem and I chatted a bit as I scarfed up some bottled water and a snowglobe (for a coworker – don't ask). She asked about the fact that Ihad books spilling out of my backpack – well, books and cheese, but itwas Madison – and I mentioned I'd been in town for ... Read More

by Janet BerlinerI was going to write about collaboration: two authors; a composer and a lyricist; an architect and a contractor. People with a vision working together to make the whole better than its parts. Then the first paperback copy of ARTIFACT arrived and I started to think about how it all came together . . .Back in 1995, while I was waiting for the first of my two anthologies with illusionist David Copperfield to hit the shelves, I was ... Read More

A week or so ago, I finally got some galley copies of my first novel, The Unwelcome Child, which is to be released this December 5th. My husband’s best friend, whom I’ll call James but whose name is really Peter, asked if he could read it. I saw no harm in letting him. After all, if he didn’t like it, I wasn’t going to be offended. James and I often disagree on a variety of subjects, and this disparity in viewpoint has ... Read More

– Jeffrey ThomasIt may have seemed like an ongoing act of love, but I think Vladimir Nabokov actually took the easy way out: he dedicated all his books to his wife, Vera.I’m not going to complain too strenuously about the politics or difficulties of deciding who I should dedicate a book to; I’m lucky to have books to dedicate to anybody! There are more critical areas of concern in the writing, and publishing, of one’s work. But the issue does come up, ... Read More

I’m sorry to say that because of an approaching deadline, and an increasingly crazy work schedule, I don’t have an essay to offer this time. Instead, I’d like to recommend The Pontifications of Maurice Broaddus, AKA The Sinister Minister. It’s one of my favorites. I also hope you'll take a look at my new book, At The Foothills of Frenzy & Other Freakish Forays, co-authored with Shane Ryan Staley and Mark McLaughlin. Certainly the strangest project I've ever ... Read More

by Michael LaimoThis month’s entry is going to be short. I apologize in advance. I won’t make any excuses other than to say I’m filled to my brim. I was in Florida last week for business. You know, that day job that I work at 9 hours a day? There’s my commute in and out of Manhattan, and that’s two hours a day. Thank God for that. Those two hours are spent writing. No excuses there. I don’t read, socialize, nap, eat, ... Read More

By Jeff MariotteReading over Brian Keene's essay from yesterday--although I had already written this last Friday so it'd be ready to go--I realize that the two pieces are very complimentary. Brian outlines a strategy for making a living, but he glosses over the part that I'm going into with greater detail in a line or two. Keene works on two books at a time. How does he do it? I publish 6 books a year, most years. ... Read More

by Brian Keene(Note: Regular readers of Storytellers Unplugged keep asking us for a "How To Make A Living Writing Full-Time" column. What they fail to understand is that there is no patented answer. Instead, I shall offer "How I Make A Living Writing Full-Time." And yes, just to get it out of the way, there are many people who will tell you I'm wrong, and will tell you that I don't know what I'm talking about. There really is no right or ... Read More