Wreathed in Smoke
Hey everyone. Wreathed in Smoke has now given me two firsts: First new story in some time and first re-posting in an even longer time. I generally own my mistakes. Good or bad, they are all there for you to…
Don’t Forget the Pains of Your Past Weight Lest You Are Forced to Re-Live Them
Human beings have a remarkable ability to overcome traumatic events. My wife is a fantastic exemplar of this power. The birth of our son was not an easy one. Her labor was most of a day and due to various…
I Am Not a Burden, And Neither Are You
A man whose wedding I stood for called me a burden today. More specifically, he called me a lazy mooch who is the financial ruination of my wife and my family. By way of explanation for this abhorrent attempt at…
Cooking is a Dish-Dirtying Elder-Beast but Washing Them is a Fantastic Way to Lose Weight!
The next time you find yourself elbow deep in the unending scrubfest required to keep ahead of a healthy kitchen, be sure to take a moment and give thanks for the gift you’ve just been given. No, seriously. The scalded…
A New Take on Terrible Advice: ‘Write Drunk, Edit Sober’
“Write Drunk, Edit Sober.” ~ Source Up For Debate Everyone is given this advice at least once when they start on the authorial path. It’s become a cliched right-of-passage, usually passed along by some dude-bro at one social function…
Before it is Anything Else, Writing is Work
I started writing with the absolute certainty that I would earn both fame and fortune. Such fantastic visions of success were only possible because of my blithering ignorance, of course For three years now, life and the publishing industry have…
Change is a Chance to Start Over
Change is hard. That’s true no matter what phase of life you’re in. Recently I was forced to admit that I’d lost the war for my hairline. Having no other options, I used the final resort: scorched earth. I am…
Losing a Toxic Job is a Blessing in Disguise.
Let’s face it: No one likes getting laid off. It doesn’t matter why you’re getting the boot either. If anything, being laid off for no good reason is even worse. Being pulled into an office where you’re forced to sign…
My Self-Made Podcast Artwork is Meh and I Couldn’t Be Prouder!
One of the biggest hurdles of my writing career has been the acquisition of art assets to pair with my finished goods. Everything in my life is on a budget, and writing is no exception. However, the panacea for lack…
Eating Healthy on a Budget Costs Time Instead of Money
Eating healthy is almost as daunting as it is expensive. Walk into any Whole Foods and cruise the aisles for a few minutes. It won’t be long until you fully appreciate the wry humor of their second name, ‘Whole Paycheck…