J.K. Ullrich's Blog, page 13
March 6, 2018
Book Review: “Martyr”, by Anela Deen
I haven’t read an entire book in two days since devouring Neil Gaiman’s American Gods (along with several gallons of lemon tea) during a bout of bronchitis last year. This time story, not sickness, kept me glued to my Kindle while my coffee went cold at my elbow. Can you blame me? I’d been eagerly … Continue reading Book Review: “Martyr”, by Anela Deen
March 4, 2018
Real-Life Plot Twists: How Storycraft Saved My Weekend
“I never saw that coming!” more than one reader has exclaimed about the plot twists that characterize my books. But for someone obsessed with placing unexpected obstacles in her stories, I struggle mightily with them in real life. This weekend I visited family out of town this weekend and had a lovely time…until I went to … Continue reading Real-Life Plot Twists: How Storycraft Saved My Weekend
February 14, 2018
Shipping and Handling, Part 2: The Partner-Lover Tango
Biting her lip, the detective sat shakily on the couch across from her would-be partner. “…I’ll tell you everything.” The screen faded to black and my cackles spun out with the end credits. “Ah, this gag never gets old. The next episode will be all about how she hooked up with her partner.” My Laddie … Continue reading Shipping and Handling, Part 2: The Partner-Lover Tango
January 30, 2018
New Books: “Right Ascension” Available Now!
As Earth’s shadow passes over the moon in tomorrow’s eclipse, the curtain falls on another lunar realm: Right Ascension, the sixth and final installment of my Syzygy series, goes on sale today! It’s only 99c on Amazon Kindle and B&N Nook. For readers who’ve been following the hexalogy, I’m excited to bring you its conclusion. … Continue reading New Books: “Right Ascension” Available Now!
January 23, 2018
The Journey: A Tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin
“When people say, Did you always want to be a writer?, I have to say no! I always was a writer.” That quip from the legendary Ursula K. Le Guin headlines my “About the Author” page on this site. And perhaps it’s even true—I’ve certainly put my share of words on paper. But without Le … Continue reading The Journey: A Tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin
January 16, 2018
Book Reviews: “Way Station” and “The Forever War”
Even without reading them in succession as I did, a lot of similarities emerge between Clifford D. Simak’s Way Station (1964) and Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War (1974), two classic science fiction novels published a decade apart. From humble beginnings, both ascended to the classic sci-fi cannon. Although they sometimes lack drama, they cultivate enough empathy … Continue reading Book Reviews: “Way Station” and “The Forever War”
January 2, 2018
New Year, New Story
Every January since I started running about a decade ago (has it really been that long?! Jeez, no wonder my hip hurts) I’ve celebrated New Year’s Day with a long run. Traditionally, the first song I cue on my playlist is U2’s “New Year’s Day”. (Yes, I’m that dorky. No, it doesn’t bother me anymore.) … Continue reading New Year, New Story
December 26, 2017
THE RETURN OF THE LAST JEDI STRIKES BACK: A Star Wars Parody Script
Two Decembers ago in a mid-sized East Coast city not far away, I took my family of multi-generational Star Wars fans to opening night of The Force Awakens. Everyone enjoyed it: after enduring that wretched prequel trilogy in the 2000s, the franchise was finally fun again. Continuing this new tradition, we kicked off this year’s Yuletide festivities … Continue reading THE RETURN OF THE LAST JEDI STRIKES BACK: A Star Wars Parody Script
December 5, 2017
NaNoWriMo 2017 After-Action Report
The graphic says it all: I won my first National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge, hitting the 50,000-word goal on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a giddy accomplishment…especially since that wasn’t my primary NaNoWriMo goal. Rewards of completion aside, my biggest motivation for participating this year was to explore my writing process and conduct a time-limited experiment … Continue reading NaNoWriMo 2017 After-Action Report
November 19, 2017
Book Review: “Barsk”
Maybe I entered the world of Barsk with poorly calibrated expectations. Lavish critical praise described a unique, thoughtful science fiction tale. I typically view such panegyric with skepticism, but the book’s premise sounded legitimately intriguing: in a galaxy of advanced sapient mammals, a planet inhabited by an ostracized elephantine race produces a unique drug that … Continue reading Book Review: “Barsk”
