HOW THE WORLD ENDS Maybe it’ll be rogue AI. Maybe nuclear holocaust. Perhaps a pandemic unleashed by ancient viruses in the melting arctic permafrost. Maybe we’ll just descend into chaos and anarchy and war (that’s the bright side?). My money’s on the asteroid. Not literally, of course. But I’m convinced that the chances of some piece of the Universe reaching… Read More

This writing thing is such an emotional thing. First, the euphoria of the new idea. Then the excitement as it unfolds. A little terror thrown in there because this idea wouldn’t be any good if it wasn’t a little risky. Maybe too much violence. Or some sexy sexy sex. Or you’re talking politics or oppression or heartbreak. Maybe it’s too… Read More

Random author-friend: Sue, how do you write so many books and get so much done? ME: Jedi Mind Tricks RAF: Seriously. I mean, sure you’re a robot from the future, but seriously?? How do you do it? ME: Meditation. Mindfulness. Immersion in my work. Tracking my progress. Starting where I am then moving forward. Rest. Play. Joy. RAF: I tried… Read More

If you think I’m the *first* writer in my family, you’d be wrong. My brother was writing novels, short stories and screenplays for TV fifteen years before me. The TV gig soured him on it, and he turned to music for his creative outlet, but when I picked up the pen, I nervously turned to him for encouragement. I got… Read More

America isn’t a set of borders. It’s not even the people currently living inside those borders. America is an ideal. Forged by brilliant minds, imperfect men, and messy politics at the country’s birth. Equality. Freedom of the Press. Separation of Church and State. The founders were familiar with tyranny and strove for a system that contained checks against it. The… Read More

“…men consider some of the jobs that will be most in demand — in health care, education and administration — to be unmanly or demeaning, or worry that they require emotional skills they don’t have.” Here’s a thought: let’s teach boys/men emotional skills. Here’s another: gender roles hurt EVERYONE. One more: how about we don’t undervalue/underpay “pink-collar” jobs (especially ones… Read More