“Trash: A Love Story” Is Now Available!

  • Post published:September 9, 2018

July 13, 2018 I had a blast writing my newest release, Trash: A Love Story. It’s a bit of departure for me in that it’s not really science fiction—all the technology mentioned would be possible today or already exists in some form. Instead, I think of it as a modern-day fairy tale. You can buy it on Amazon in ebook or paperback, pick up a signed copy from This House of Books in downtown Billings, check out a copy from the Billings Public Library, or contact me directly. For $14, I’ll mail you a signed copy of the paperback.

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How to Write a Book Blurb

  • Post published:August 26, 2018

February 2015 A book blurb is, hands down, the most important bit of writing that an author/publisher will ever do. Why? Because those few succinct paragraphs are the sole reason that anyone will ever want to shell out good, hard-earned money for your book. Your cover art, your reputation, your previous work, even the very text of the book are all secondary and should be treated as such. Your own mother will not purchase a copy of your novel if the blurb sounds lame. Remember, the blurb will be printed on the back of the paperback, hand-painted on the inside flap of the dust jacket, scrawled in blood onto desperate never-to-be-sent agent query letters, etched permanently onto Amazon’s platinum and apocalypse-proof record of your book page, and tattooed on your forearm to be consulted at a moment’s notice whenever a new acquaintance casually asks what your book is about. In short: Do it right. Your entire writing career hinges on this single creative act. But first: What is a blurb? A blurb is a series of meticulously selected words, arranged into sentences and paragraphs, that perfectly describe the content of a book. The blurb should capture the book’s tone, important themes, main characters, central conflict, and your distinct writing voice in exactly 219 words. The best blurbs evoke a physical reaction from the reader, which vary by genre (e.g., horror = chills, sci-fi = childlike wonder, literature = smugness, romance/erotica = …). Here’s how to write the perfect book blurb: Step 1: Write a book.Now, don’t get the wrong idea. This is an important step, but you shouldn’t spend too much time on it. Or at least not any more time than you spend writing the blurb. Consider it a warm-up. But, still, it must be done. By definition, the…

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Gnatz! (2017)

  • Post published:September 14, 2017

I’ve had the idea for years to write about the dark side of a Disney Channel–style TV show. This one was a blast to write, and there may someday be a Gnatz! 2.

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