When you were raised by wolves

Some time back, Walt and I conducted a mastermind call around yearly planning. One of our members raised her hand and talked about her resistance to setting any kind of goals for the year ahead.  She wasn’t sure what was getting in the way. As I listened to her...
Those of us who tell the stories rule society

Those of us who tell the stories rule society

There we were, trapped in deepest, darkest Papua New Guinea. For nearly two weeks, Walt and I waited for a helicopter ride to base camp with our team members. Each of us had arrived to climb Carstensz Pyramid, the tallest mountain on the Austro-New Zealand continent,...
How do you know if your writing is any good?

How do you know if your writing is any good?

It’s helpful to know that obstacles are part of the writing process, but how are you supposed to deal with them when they raise their ugly heads? What can you do if you’re confused, say, about setting, or plot, or the relevance of that stuff for your chosen genre? And...
Another one of Walt’s death marches

Another one of Walt’s death marches

One Saturday several years ago, Walt and I decided to hike the Grand Canyon. We went down the South Kaibab trail to the bottom, meandered along the banks of the Colorado River, then headed back up to the top along the Bright Angel trail. It’s a pretty big day: roughly...
The benefits of owning a rabid Rottweiler

The benefits of owning a rabid Rottweiler

There are benefits to owning a rabid Rottweiler. There’s a reason a recovering people pleaser like me chooses a mate who couldn’t give a tinker’s damn about displeasing others, who fears confrontation not one whit. Walt and I went to Mallorca one weekend to...