Solve a mystery, fight space battles, talk to ghosts, or even journey to Oz!

Sounds a lot more exciting when I put it that way. Another way to put it is that I’m looking for beta readers who would be interested in reading one-or more-of my four so-far unpublished novels. Count ‘em-four.

All the details can be found either on the newsletter:

( Read more... )

Recently I spent two days sending queries to literary agents. Several hours of researching the agents and their agencies, composing query letters, enclosing requested materials, and sending out twenty-two e-mails. Most agents accept simultaneous submissions, but they also appreciate a personal touch, so researching whether we'd be right ( Read more... )

When it comes to revision, there are two kinds of writers: Those who need to cut, and those who need to ... um, uncut.

Most writers tend to put too much into their first drafts, and so have to go in and cut later. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as they actually do go back. A bloated manuscript is like your uncle on Thanksgiving evening; ( Read more... )

While walking back to the Spring Shelter at Pokagon State Park, I encountered my wife with a fella named Fred. Good thing too, because I would have made a wrong turn if she hadn't pointed the way, and the right way was still a half mile hike. Fred is the saddle barn's only mule:


( Read more... )

As you all know from my incessant harping about it, I have some major publishing news to announce first on my newsletter-as soon as I have ten new people sign up for the newsletter, which hasn’t been active much up until now. (The signup is over at www.markrhunter.com.) We’re about halfway there.

Because I’m comfortable with how things are ( Read more... )

Writers have seasons. Often it’s the season of our discontent.

It’s revision and editing season for me-which is nowhere near as much fun as writing season, but more fun than submission season. Submission season is like living in International Falls, Minnesota during winter, only without the certainty that spring will someday arrive.

But it’s been ( Read more... )

I started out to add a short scene to my space opera story, and ended up creating a new character and writing 1,850 words. Sometimes my mind just runs with it.

My sinus headache seems to be morphing into a rare migraine, so just a quick update: I’ve finished the third draft of my space opera story (working title Beowulf: In Harm’s Way), and Emily’s about half finished checking the first Slightly Off the Mark book, which we’re hoping to have out in April ( Read more... )

            In all the fuss over the early release of The Notorious Ian Grant, I forgot to update you about work on the rough draft of my “space opera” story. I’m happy to say that, after the much-needed stress relief of a few marathon writing sessions, the initial draft of Beowulf: In Harm’s Way is finished ( Read more... )

           Summer update: I haven’t been online much, because I’m both having fun and being miserable.            It turns out those things are not exclusive. I’m on vacation, and when someone goes on vacation during the summer they need to be outside, where the vacation-y stuff is. We especially had fun the first week, when Emily and I took the ( Read more... )