R.A. McCandless's Blog, page 35

About Last Night

Say hello to my small-handed friend.Last night totally happened.
It’s a thing now, and we have to face the consequences.
This morning, some of us felt scared or angry or frustrated.  Some of us were elated and excited and pumped up.  This morning, the Earth continued its rotation and the sun “came up”.  The air was still breathable, water was still wet, and basic laws of gravity and motion remained in effect.  My boys were cute.
The fundamental truth is that we all woke up in...

And, Shockingly, I'm Sick

The Writer, formerly known as Well.All this on the first Monday after the evil, vile, terrible, icky, smelly Daylight Stupid Time has finally ended...

Reviews, Reviews and More Star Reviews

Not all reviews are this good.I've really shifted how I give reviews since I became published.
I used to be pretty brutal on books that weren't excellent.  That was only how the story impacted me personally, rather than how the book achieved its goal of entertaining me over the course of the story.  When I entered into review groups, I saw how the star system was far more important.  Amazon used to consider a three-star review as favorable, but has since switched it to being mar...

Good News and Bad News

And scream, and scream, and scream . . .The bad news is that my publisher is closing doors.  A form email went out to all the authors over the weekend letting us know that Wild Child Publishing is shutting down.  I’m not quite certain what that means for the books currently out there, so I’ll keep you posted.
The good news from this is that I’ll do whatever it takes to make certain Tears of Heaven and Hell Becomes Her are still available fo...

Work Update - Blood of Heroes and Company of the Damned

The muse is not amused.Four or five years ago I had a conversation with my friend Ed over dinner.  I’d been mulling around re-writing my first fantasy novel.  Well, not so much re-writing it, as tearing it down and rebuilding it.  Having started it when I was 16, it suffered from all kinds of tropes and clichés and immaturity.  The basic premise was still solid, and I have a long and abiding love for the characters, but everything else needed to be chucked.
But I needed hel...

In Memoriam - Deb Walker

I was going to report on my current work, but I received news yesterday that a dear friend of mine, Deb Walker, passed away.  I’m a bit numb and still trying to process.  I rushed over to her Facebook page and saw that this video was the last thing she posted.  I'd never heard of this group, but it is so very Deb. Please take a moment to watch, and smile and maybe even laugh:


I met Deb years and years ago on the now defunct James Randi Educational Foundation forums.  I’d go...

Bad Guys and Gals Can't Just Be Bad

Of course I'm evil!
I'm sexy and wearing black, aren't I?The trouble with a lot of villains isn’t just that they’re evil, but that they’re only evil.  Think Sauron or Emperor Palpatine or the White Witch or Voldemort.  What they’re generally after is power over the masses to . . . rule, I guess?  It’s never exactly clear what they intend to do once the good guys are all defeated, and the rest of Middle Earth is safely under the oppressive heel of their fashionable, black leather...

The Road Goes Ever On

It's a dangerous business, going out your door!How long is too long for a book?
That’s going to depend on a lot of factors, but before we go citing famous books that are lengthy, let’s keep in mind that they’re often famous for a reason.  If you’re an author who isn’t published, or (like me) isn’t known, then your ability to vary outside certain guidelines is somewhat limited.
Does that mean you should compromise your art?  Not at all.
It means you have choices that you need to keep in...

Gone Country

Does anything better say "small hands"?While I certainly grew up in rural areas of Nevada and Utah, I’ve never been a “country boy”.  My idea of roughing it, is limited cable selection and no room service.  Despite that, I’m a fairly tall guy, and most vehicles are not built for me.  I don’t so much get into a sedan, or a mid-size car (much less a compact) as I fall into them with some measure of control and then sort out the bits afterward so I can close the door.
I’ve always p...

Nanas and Papas and Scarecrows

My parents moved out here and took over our old house about two months ago.  It’s been one of the greatest things ever.  For starters, it meant that we weren’t really “renting” our house anymore.  Don’t get me wrong, we lucked into some really great renters—but they were still renters.  Little things that broke or needed to be fixed weren’t reported, and the house itself was regarded as temporary, so the upkeep was minimal. Do you have a moment to talk about King Candy Corn...