Quiet Keystrokes and Midnight Ramblings

Suzanne Hagelin is a Pacific Northwest indie author who I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with at several book festivals and conventions over the years. In typical "let's add to the TBR pile" style, I picked up the first book of her trilogy, Body Suit , and then sat on it for months. Possibly a year. Perhaps longer. Then, in a reading slump, I finally opened it up. Do you ever have those times where you smack yourself in the forehead and say, "Self, why did you put this off for so long?" That's exactly how I felt while reading Body Suit . Suzanne and I have discussed our love of the Portal video games in the past, and the A.I. cataloging human behavior and offering assistance (when it finds it convenient) is reminiscent of GLaDOS and Wheatley in the Portal games. Snarky, contemplative, and sometimes dependable enough to love. Sil, the main character in Body Suit  finds herself shipped off to the first settlement on Mars, forced to...

AAR's, or After Action Reports, are my new favorite thing to write.  They top the list of writing assignments for one simple reason; you can't write an effective AAR without being out in the field! I recently did an after action report on Elves Vs. Reindeer and it was one of the most engaging and entertaining writing assignment I've ever had.  It gave me a chance to talk to players, business owners and spectators.  I got to hit the paintball field and shoot of a few hundred rounds at opponents.  I got out in the rain and the mud and had a fun time doing something fun. Writing is a great "pajama" job; there's no dress code when you're typing away on a laptop in the middle of the night.  But it's even better when it gives you an opportunity to meet other people, help to promote the businesses and causes that you believe in and give readers a little bit of insight into an event that they might have missed.  It inspires some to try something new and re...

There are times, when handling the ups and downs of an extended family, that life mimics a real-time version of a game-show gone terribly wrong.  The contestants range in age across multiple generations; pressing their buzzers and shouting to be heard above everyone else on the panel with no regard to the rules or game format. The biggest problem with this game of Family Feud, is that everyone is hoping for a drastically different outcome.  Mom is hoping that behind door number one the entire family (children, second cousins, great-aunts twice removed included) will get along; sharing and caring together while putting aside clashes in opinion and personality.  Dad is sure that behind door number two is the key to getting everyone to see things from his point of view and agreeing that he is utterly right in his stance on all things big and small.  Cousin Sally has her fingers crossed that door number three will give her the house, platinum serving set, husband, dog ...