I’m in the middle of Stephen King’s On Writing.  It’s a surprisingly fun and highly instructional read; it’s also not particularly demanding at only 320 pages. 

Admittedly, I’m not one of King’s biggest fans; I’ve enjoyed some of his earlier works, but he’s not quite to my tastes.  In the same genre, Harlan Ellison and William Gibson are more likely candidates for my bookshelf.  Maybe that’s why I missed this particular book by King.

This particular book is not at all what I would have expected from King, either.  It’s autobiographical and engaging at that; I find myself enjoying parallels between his life and the lives of other people I know who are close to the same age.  How odd that they turned out as they did, these children of the 1960’s; how odd that this unassuming guy from Maine would turn out to be one of the most prolific and well-known authors in recent history.

There’s more to say about this book, I’m sure, since I’m still working my way through it.  But it’s worth looking around for questions common to writers as I continue; I’m particularly interested in King's feedback about that noisome pestilence known as writer’s block.

More later.

8:27:57 PM    comment []

The dust is settling, the wrapping paper and empty boxes are in the recycling bin at the curb.  The lovely snow that fell on Christmas Day is melted and gone.  The cookie platter has been decimated, leaving only the unlucky, unwanted, unhappy crumbs.

Did Santa bring you everything you wished for?  Or did you get coal in your stocking?

No matter.  You have a chance to drown your sorrows this week and start anew.

10:39:24 AM    comment []