Space Opera

  • Spotlight on Pet Trade

    Spotlight on Pet Trade Pet Trade was my first science fiction romance novella for the Pets in Space® anthologies. This book has a spiffy new cover design by the talented Amanda Kelsey at Razzle Dazzle Design. Therefore, in honor of its upcoming publication anniversary and its lovely cover, I’m shining a spotlight on Pet Trade….

  • Revisiting World Domination

    Revisiting World Domination: Revised Plans for 2020 This time of year, I usually look back at the grand plan I create in January and make minor adjustments. Funnily enough, while my World Domination Plan hoped no calamities would arise, it didn’t even contemplate the possibility of a global pandemic. How terribly unimaginative of me. So…

  • Happy Earth Day

    Happy Earth Day I’m extremely fond of the planet we live on, so here’s wishing everyone a Happy Earth Day, 22 April. This year, lots of events have moved online for social distancing reasons, but they look amazing. Environmental causes have some great slogans, and climate fiction has come great books. Clever Earth Day Slogans People…

  • Journalism in the Far Future

    Journalism in the Far Future In my space opera series, a free and independent press is one of the founding principles of the Central Galactic Concordance. In the far future, journalism has developed new methods, tools, and outlets. But the fundamental purpose is the same: to shine a bright light on the truth. The previous…

  • Character Naming Secrets

    Character Naming Secrets A reader recently asked if I have any character naming secrets, and where I came up with the name of Mairwen Morganthur, the heroine of Overload Flux. I’ll tell you the same thing I told him, but first I must dispel the notion that there any secrets to naming characters. Just as…

  • When Real Life Overtakes Fiction

    When Real Life Overtakes Fiction I write science fiction and fantasy, so I get to create imaginary things and events all the time. I also love reading about scientific advances, historical events, and fascinating people. They spark my muse, especially when they make me think, “Cool! What if….?”. However, sometimes this comes back to bite…

  • Pets in Space is Back Again!

    Pets in Space is Back Again! 🚀 Woo-hoo! PETS IN SPACE® is back, and I’m one of the authors! And just look at the fantastic group of authors I’ll have the honor of working with in Pets in Space 5: S.E. Smith Michelle Diener Veronica Scott Pauline Baird Jones Laurie A. Green Carol Van Natta…

  • Women In Science Day

    Women In Science Day My trusty calendar tells me that Tuesday, 11 February, is International Girls and Women in Science Day. Hooray! I grew up with scientists and have worked with them a lot over the years. Science fascinates me, so it’s probably no surprise that I write science fiction. My Central Galactic Concordance space…

  • Habitable Planets in the Central Galactic Concordance

    Habitable Planets in the Central Galactic Concordance In my far-future Central Galactic Concordance space opera series, humans have expanded to 500+ colonized planets, with more on the way. The key technologies behind this achievement are faster-than-light (FTL) drive, near-instant communications, and terraforming capabilities. These allowed us to find potentially habitable planets and remodel them with…

  • Plans for 2020 (Leap Year!)

    Plans for 2020 🎉 First, happy new year, and may the coming year be your best year yet. I’m making plans for 2020 and sharing some of them with you. Because our planet doesn’t have a perfect orbit, we get an extra day this year to mess up our automated calendars. Some of you may…

  • Holidays on Distant Planets

    Celebrating Holidays on Distant Planets In my Central Galactic Concordance space opera universe, society at large has very few holidays. Traditions became fragmented as humans explored the galaxy and found new planets to terraform and settle. Timing became an insurmountable problem. For one thing, 00:00 hours on 1 January on one planet could be 09:43…

  • Pets in Space 4 is Here!

    Pets in Space 4 is Here! Hooray! The 2019 Pets in Space 4 anthology is here! The best-selling and award-winning Pets in Space® anthologies are near and dear to my heart, and not just because past volumes included my stories Pet Trade and Cats of War. First of all, if I ever get to have…