“Beam me up, Scotty!” That’s what I’ve been feeling I need in book II of The Great Rift Trilogy – a way to get our heroes from one faraway place to another – instantly.

While writing this new book, I’m reminded that readers need to be aware of what happened in the previous one; how Fayah was rescued from the mage’s tower, her battle with the demon-wraith where its magic was transferred to her, how our three heroes escaped the underground cavern of the dead, why they are desperate to reach the capitol city of Turien and warn the King of the impending dark army attack, etc. All this needs to be peppered into the narrative through dialogue and recollections in a way that doesn’t feel like I’m simply “telling the reader what happened previously”. Continue reading →

Michael and Bruce discuss a scene

As I try to write this week, I’m distracted and frustrated by the barrage of media coverage of the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. I’m hoping that these memories, ones of sadness and death, are not topmost in our minds when we think of Michael Jackson. Naturally, I get that Michael’s life was surrounded by controversy, and that people’s opinions run the full gamut when it comes to the pop star they saw in the media.  But having worked closely with him just before his death, as we prepared for the This Is It tour in London, I had a chance to develop an unambiguous opinion of him – one that is at odds with the messages and images coming from the trial.  Continue reading →