Author of sci-fi/fantasy, horror and adventure/thriller fiction

  • Home
  • The Blog
  • Email List/Contact
  • Interviews
  • Apocalyptic
  • Horror
  • Military Thriller
  • Sci-fi/Fantasy
  • All books

THE WRITING LIFE by Jeff Strand

March 25, 2021 by Craig DiLouie Leave a Comment

Author Jeff Strand’s THE WRITING LIFE: REFLECTIONS, RECOLLECTIONS, AND A LOT OF CURSING is one of the best books I’ve read about what it’s like to be a writer.

First, what the book isn’t: It isn’t a guide to how to be a better writer. It minimally touches on craft. And the writer you’ll find in its pages has nothing to do with the mad, addicted, witty writer genius so often depicted on the screen. What it does do is perfectly capture with brutal honesty the hardship, triumph, compulsions, and periodic lunacy of being a writer in the real world.

I haven’t read much of Strand’s fiction, only having read DRACULAS, a work he co-authored with some other writers like JA Konrath and which I enjoyed as a light, fun horror story. I had a chance to enjoy his emceeing of the Stoker Awards one year, however, and thought he was hilarious. THE WRITING LIFE has a similar comedic tone, which Strand uses to poke fun at himself and his profession.

Everything is on the table, the good, the bad, and quite a bit of the weird and ugly. The neediness and desperation, the belief next year will be the perfect year, the reality that success is usually a matter of numerous baby steps instead of finding the right switch, the idea of writing as a very long game, the difficulties and egos of collaboration and getting feedback, how to work with editors and agents, the social awkwardness of conventions, empty book signings, how one small success can lead to another, what it was like to be looked down on at the forefront of the eBook wave, and plenty more.

Strand holds nothing back from his description of his writing journey. As a writer, I found it both amusing and relatable to the point of cringing. We try so hard to look cool, and Strand said, “Screw that. Here’s me.” Recommended reading for writers who would find some comfort in knowing, “It’s not just you.”

Filed Under: The Blog, WRITING LIFE, Writing/Publishing

My Interview with TopShelf Magazine

October 31, 2020 by Craig DiLouie Leave a Comment

TopShelf Magazine recently interviewed me about my upcoming psychological/cosmic horror release, THE CHILDREN OF RED PEAK.

It was a great interview where we talked about the novel, cults, and the writing process.

I hope you’ll check it out here!

Filed Under: Apocalyptic, Books, Interviews with Craig, The Children of Red Peak

Join Me For an Online Chat

July 28, 2020 by Craig DiLouie Leave a Comment

Join me and Kira Jane Buxton (HOLLOW KINGDOM) at a special online chat where you can ask us questions about our books and, well, anything.

The event will be held Tuesday, August 4, at 6PM EDT.

Click here to register. Look forward to seeing you!

Filed Under: Craig at Work, Interviews with Craig, Reader Mail, The Blog

Weekend at Can-Con

October 22, 2019 by Craig DiLouie Leave a Comment

Chris Marrs and I enjoyed a great visit with Can-Con, the Canadian Sci-Fi & Fantasy Convention, in beautiful Ottawa last weekend. ONE OF US was up for an Aurora Award for Best Novel, and while it didn’t win, we had a great time connecting with Canada’s speculative fiction writing community.

Here are the winners–check them out!

• Best Novel: Armed in Her Fashion by Kate Heartfield, ChiZine Publications
• Best YA Novel: Cross Fire: An Exo Novel by Fonda Lee, Scholastic Press
• Best Short Fiction: “Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach” by Kelly Robson, Tor.com Publications
• Best Graphic Novel: It Never Rains by Kari Maaren, Webcomic
• Best Poem/Song: Ursula Le Guin in the Underworld by Sarah Tolmie, On Spec issue 107 vol 28.4
• Best Related Work: Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction edited by Dominik Parisien and Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, Uncanny Magazine
• Best Visual Presentation: Deadpool 2, written and produced by Ryan Reynolds, Twentieth Century Fox
• Best Artist: Samantha M. Beiko, covers for Laksa Media
• Best Fan Writing and Publication: She Wrote It But…Revisiting Joanna Russ’ “How to Suppress Women’s Writing” 35 Years Later, Krista D. Ball
• Best Fan Organizational: Derek Künsken and Marie Bilodeau, co-chairs, Can*Con, Ottawa
• Best Fan Related Work: Edward Willett, The Worldshapers (Podcast)

Filed Under: Craig at Work, One of Us, The Blog

My Interview with Sample Chapter Podcast

September 17, 2019 by Craig DiLouie Leave a Comment

The excellent Sample Chapter podcast recently interviewed me about OUR WAR. In this interview, I talk about my fiction, creative process, and the inspiration behind OUR WAR, before reading a sample chapter. Check it out here:

Filed Under: Apocalyptic, Books, Interviews with Craig, Our War, Politics, The Blog

Read The First Four Chapters of OUR WAR

August 15, 2019 by Craig DiLouie Leave a Comment

Hachette/Orbit, the publisher of OUR WAR coming out August 20, has made the first four chapters (well, most of Chapter 4) available for a free read at their website.

Click here to read this tasty preview. Hope you love it!

Filed Under: Books, Craig at Work, CRAIG'S WORK, Our War, Politics, The Blog

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 38
  • Next Page »

Categories

  • APOCALYPTIC/HORROR
    • Apocalyptic
    • Art
    • Film Shorts/TV
    • Movies
    • Music Videos
    • Reviews of Other Books
    • Weird/Funny
    • Zombies
  • COMICS
    • Comic Books
  • CRAIG'S WORK
    • Armor Series
    • Crash Dive Series
    • One of Us
    • Our War
    • Suffer the Children
    • The Alchemists
    • The Children of Red Peak
    • The End of the Road
    • The Front
    • The Infection
    • The Killing Floor
    • The Retreat Series
    • The Sacrifice
    • The Thin White Line
    • Tooth and Nail
  • GAMES
    • Video & Board Games
  • HISTORY
    • Other History
    • Submarines & WW2
  • MEDIA YOU MIGHT LIKE
    • Books
    • Film Shorts
    • Interesting Art
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
  • POLITICAL
    • Politics
  • SCIENCE
    • Cool Science
  • The Blog
  • WRITING LIFE
    • Craig at Work
    • Interviews with Craig
    • Reader Mail
    • Writing/Publishing

Copyright © 2021 · Author Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in