Author: Michell

Review: Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

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Old Man’s War is one of those books that starts up with a totally unexpected premise and then goes on to tell a truly entertaining story that leaves you wanting more. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am a fan of this book. So much so that I’ve actually read it a few times. The book tells the story of John Perry, a 75-year-old man who enlists with the Colonial Defense Forces. His mission? To go to the stars and defend humanity against the numerous alien races that would do us harm. Not exactly a normal, everyday thing to happen or read about. John quickly learns that what he knew on Earth has very little bearing on the […]

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Six Writing Rules for Finishing your Novel

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Writing a book is something many people want to do. Some people actually start doing it and a few complete it. I am one of those few and, the biggest lesson I learned when I finished my first book was… Wait for it… …that I could actually write a book. Please note, I didn’t say, “Write a good book.” Just that I could do it. Since that first book, I have written seven or eight novels (four of which have been published) and a dozen or more short stories (several of which have been published, too). I have come up with a concise list of rules that, when followed, will allow you to finish a novel (again, note I didn’t […]

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Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

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I’ve got to make a confession regarding this book: I read it because the movie interested me. I also read it prior to the movie because I am well-aware movies often gloss over (or change) aspects of the book. For the record, there were some rather obvious changes to the movie. I’m not going to say what they were. Just that they exist (other than a condensed timeframe, of course). The Martian largely reads like a diary. Purposely done since most of the book has the main character, Mark Watney, living and working alone. The entries are sometimes very long and other times extremely short. There is often humour involved as the snarky character of Mark Watney (which I personally […]

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Leave a Tip on Your Way Out

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In North America tipping is a common (in most cases, expected) thing in restaurants. You get good service, you leave a gratuity for the server. The theory is (created by and propagated by the hotel and restaurant industries) that serving staff is making minimum wage, works hard and should have their income subsidized by tips. Before you go thinking I am anti-tipping, I’m not. I was a server in my youth and I was making minimum wage. The tips made a difference. It’s just unfortunate that this is a manufactured thing much like *name that Hallmark Holiday*. Today, I’m going ask you to consider tipping those authors whose work you enjoy. Not in cash or cheque but in reviews. This […]

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