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In his previous novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles had great fun creating a hotel oasis for an aristocrat in Joseph Stalin’s Russia. This time his pattern is a mishmash of heroic legends based largely on Homer’s Odyssey, as four 1950s youths embark on their own quests. Two of…

I’m sorry to report that nobody entered the contest I posted on last week’s blog. So nobody won the prize: a free copy of Weapons of Remorse. Regardless, here are the answers to the quiz: What is the name of the main character in C. S. Lewis’s “Space Trilogy”? The…

This week’s blog is a chance to win a prize. I will send free copies of my novel, Weapons of Remorse, to the first three people who can answer the following two questions: -- What is the name of the main character in C. S. Lewis’s “space trilogy”? -- On…

Except for the Bible, I cannot think of a book more relevant to the present age than The Honey Bus. This memoir of a young girl emerging from the shards of a wrecked family offers a prescription not only for broken relationships, but for the broken culture of humanity. Meredith…

This month marks five years since I entered the world of publishing. Here are some things I’ve learned: Book Genres My book can’t be categorized. My book ended up in a category. Writing Advice Plot is the most important element. Character is the most important element. Theme is the most…

In today’s anarchy of social media and “breaking news,” it’s hard to recall a time when America’s journalistic standards were so high that fact-checking took precedence over speed. That era ended on March 6, 1981, when Walter Cronkite bade his audience goodnight for the last time. Cronkite built his reputation…

When I got ready to publish Weapons of Remorse, I browsed many websites in search of a publisher. Though I was flying blind, the service I selected was ethical and delivered what it promised. Many writers aren’t so lucky. Some businesses with fancy home pages and gaudy book covers are…

Anthony Doerr’s narrative reminds us that human beings define themselves by what they value. An orphaned German boy values knowledge, asking endless questions few of us ever ponder, such as “Does a bee know it’s going to die if it stings somebody?” or “Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside…

When I’m not busy with the Chevron Ross books, I spend a great deal of time reviewing the works of other authors. Why? Because I know what it’s like to battle for attention in today’s book market. Writing is a great risk. Despite investing hundreds of hours in research and…

This is another installment of treasures from my bookshelf. Though I am loath to part with any of my books, some are so special that I wish I could erase them from my memory and read them again for the first time. An appropriate lead-in to today’s subject. The Lathe…