Blog - Page 4 of 30 - Gary David Gillen

Writing Progress Report May 2023

This is my Writing Progress Report May 2023.

I attended Ice and Fire Con at Deer Creek Lodge in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, from April 27 to April 30, 2023. The conference covers all things Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.

Writing Progress from April 2023.

I wrote two blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. One post was my writing progress report for April 2023, which is linked below.

Writing Progress Report April 2023

In April 2023, I submitted my story, Catfish, to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call.

I did not submit a short story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at the Parma, Ohio, library in April 2023.

I did not submit a short story to the Critters.org online workshop in April 2023.

Writing Progress from April 2023 Continued

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in April 2023.

In the past, I submitted the stories; Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

The seven Flash Fiction Stories I submitted in 2020 and 2021 were Space-Dog Confession, Sleeping Sickness, Caliburnus, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, Wormhole Generator, Runs with Scissors, and Principled Rogue.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. No submissions for 2022. None for 2023.

Events from April 2023.

I attended Ice and Fire Con at Mt. Sterling, Ohio, from April 27 to April 30, 2023. The conference covers all things Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.

This is a link to the Ice and Fire Conference website.

http://www.iceandfirecon.com/

Writing Goals for May 2023.

In May 2023, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for April 2023.

I plan to submit a story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library in May 2023.

In May 2023, I plan to submit a short story to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library.

I plan to submit a story to the critters workshop in May 2023.

In May 2023, I plan to work on third draft edits for Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. I plan to split Chapter 1 into two chapters and add a scene to the new Chapter 1.

Submit the stories Space-Dog Confession, Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, Grognard, LARP Film Noir, Sleeping Sickness, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, and Caliburnus. to other short fiction magazines.

Polish and submit the stories White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Writing Goals for May 2023 continued.

In May 2023, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

Put the novel Assassin in New Marl City into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for May 2023.

The next event I plan to attend is the Marcon conference in Columbus, Ohio, from May 26, 2023, to May 28, 2023. They will hold the conference at the downtown Columbus Hyatt after holding the conference the last few years at Crowne Plaza North Hotel in Worthington, Ohio.

This is a link to the Marcon website.

https://www.marcon.org/home

This is a link to the Marcon Conference Facebook account.

https://www.facebook.com/MARConOH/

Zoes Tale by John Scalzi

Zoes Tale by John Scalzi, Book #4 of The Old Man’s War series.

Introduction

Zoes Tale by John Scalzi is the fourth book in the Old Man’s War series. This novel tells the events from the previous novel, The Last Colony, from the point of view of Zoe Boutin Perry. She was adopted by John Perry and Jane Sagan and is now seventeen years old. They leave their home, the only home that Zoe knew, to settle in a new colony on the planet named Roanoke. What they find at Roanoke is not what they expected. Will they protect the colony, or will the colony perish leading to the extermination of humanity?

Summary

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

[Insert Recommendation Here]

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Zoes Tale by John Scalzi.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2102600.Zoe_s_Tale

Last Colony by John Scalzi is the third book in the Old Man’s War series. John Perry and his family colonized a new planet. Can he protect the colony, or will the colony perish leading to the extermination of humanity?

Last Colony by John Scalzi

Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi is the second book in the Old Man’s War series. Jared Dirac is a clone with another man’s memories. He must save humanity from three allied alien races determined to destroy humanity.

Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

Old Man’s War is the first novel in the Old Man’s War series. This is the link to my review.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

Writing Progress Report April 2023

This is my Writing Progress Report April 2023.

I attended the Cleveland Concoction, from March 17, 2023, to March 19, 2023, at the Bertram Inn and Conference Center, Aurora, Ohio.

Writing Progress from March 2023.

I wrote two blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. One post was my writing progress report for March 2023, which is linked below.

Writing Progress Report March 2023

In March 2023, I submitted my story, Catfish, to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call.

I did not submit a short story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at the Parma, Ohio, library in March 2023.

I did not submit a short story to the Critters.org online workshop in March 2023.

Writing Progress from March 2023 Continued

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in March 2023.

In the past, I submitted the stories; Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. No submissions for 2022. None for 2023.

Events from March 2023.

I attended the Cleveland Concoction, from March 17, 2023, to March 19, 2023. They held the conference at the Bertram Inn and Conference Center at 600 North Aurora Road, Aurora, Ohio.

This is a link to the ConCoction website.

http://www.clevelandconcoction.org/

I attended the Western Reserve Writers Conference at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Lyndhurst, Ohio on March 25, 2023.

This is a link to the Cuyahoga County Library website.

https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/

Writing Goals for April 2023.

In April 2023, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for April 2023.

I plan to submit a story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library in April 2023.

In April 2023, I plan to submit a short story to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library.

I plan to submit a story to the critters workshop in April 2023.

In April 2023, I plan to work on third draft edits for Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. I plan to split Chapter 1 into two chapters and add a scene to the new Chapter 1.

Polish and submit the stories White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Writing Goals for April 2023 continued.

In April 2023, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

Put the novel Assassin in New Marl City into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for April 2023.

The next event I plan to attend is Ice and Fire Con at Mt. Sterling, Ohio, from April 27 to April 30, 2023. The conference covers all things Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.

This is a link to the Ice and Fire Conference website.

http://www.iceandfirecon.com/

Stone Sky by NK Jemisin

The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin, Book #3 of the Broken Earth trilogy

Introduction

The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin follows three different narratives. The author set the novels on a continent called the Stillness. It’s a post-apocalyptic world or possibly a second-world fantasy land. They reveal the name of the first-person narrator in this novel. The narrator has been advising Essun from the beginning of the first novel. Essun and the people of Castrima head to Rennaris to stay for the Fifth Season. Nassun finishes what she needs to do in Found Moon and figures out where to go to fulfill her destiny. These three tales intersect and come to a dramatic conclusion which completes the trilogy.

Summary

The prologue narrator is tied to the subsequent chapters that are named SYL ANAGIST. The author set these chapters in the past before they created the Stillness. As the chapters progress, the reason that the Stillness occurred and a possible solution is revealed.

Essun wants to save the people of Castrima. She also wants to end the Stillness. She follows her principles and comes to the end of the earth to achieve it.

Nassun wants to destroy the earth to end the Stillness. She follows her principles and comes to the end of the earth to achieve it.

Recommendation

The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin is a challenging novel to read, but it is a great novel. The author expands on themes from the first and second novels and reveals more mysteries. Essun’s chapters are all in the second person and past tense. A narrator talks to her. Usually, the second-person point of view is difficult to read, but it is easier to read in this novel because it is more familiar, since the author used it in the previous novels for Essun’s chapters. The narrator’s chapters are in first person present tense and tell the story about how the Stillness was created. Nassun’s chapters are in the third person and present tense. This novel completes the trilogy very well.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Stone Sky by NK Jemisin

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31817749-the-stone-sky

The Obelisk Gate by NK Jemisin, Book #2 of the Broken Earth trilogy

In The Obelisk Gate by NK Jemisin, Nassun, and Essun all face hard choices in the Broken Earth of the Stillness. Will they survive?

Obelisk Gate by NK Jemisin

The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin is Book #1 of the Broken Earth trilogy

In The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin, Essun, Damaya, and Syenite, all face hard choices in the Broken Earth of the Stillness. Will they survive?

Fifth Season by NK Jemisin

Writing Progress Report March 2023

This is my Writing Progress Report March 2023.

Had dinner at Comida Hudson Mexican Restaurant on February 24, 2023, and watched the Ohio Weather Band there.

Writing Progress from February 2023.

I wrote three blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. One post was my writing progress report for February 2023, which is linked below.

Writing Progress Report February 2023

In February 2023, I submitted my story, The Squirrel Curse, to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call.

I did not submit a short story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at the Parma, Ohio, library in February 2023.

I did not submit a short story to the Critters.org online workshop in February 2023.

Writing Progress from February 2023 Continued

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in February 2023.

In the past, I submitted the stories; Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. No submissions for 2022.

Events from February 2023.

ConFusion was the last con I attended in Novi, Michigan, from January 20, 2023, to January 22, 2023. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association Sponsors ConFusion.

https://2023.confusionsf.org/

The con theme this year was Avatar: The Legend of Confusion

Writing Goals for March 2023.

In March 2023, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for March 2023.

I plan to submit a story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library in March 2023.

In March 2023, I plan to submit a short story to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library.

I plan to submit a story to the critters workshop in March 2023.

In March 2023, I plan to work on third draft edits for Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. I plan to split Chapter 1 into two chapters and add a scene to the new chapter 1.

Submit the stories Space-Dog Confession, Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, Grognard, LARP Film noir, Sleeping Sickness, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, and Caliburnus. to other short fiction magazines.

Polish and submit the stories White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Writing Goals for March 2023 continued.

In March 2023, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

Put the novel Assassin in New Marl City into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for March 2023.

The next conference I plan to attend is the Cleveland Concoction, from March 17, 2023, to March 19, 2023. They will hold the conference at the Bertram Inn and Conference Center at 600 North Aurora Road, Aurora, Ohio.

This is a link to the ConCoction website.

http://www.clevelandconcoction.org/

Another event I plan to attend is the Western Reserve Writers Conference at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Lyndhurst, Ohio on March 25, 2023.

This is a link to the Cuyahoga County Library website.

https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/

Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, Book #2 of The Mars Trilogy

Introduction

Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson continues the story about the terraforming of Mars a generation later after the events of the novel, Red Mars. Red Mars told the story of the first hundred people who make a permanent home on Mars. The first hundred are joined by many more immigrants to Mars. Two factions want different futures for Mars. The Red faction wants to keep Mars as close to its prehuman condition as possible. The Green faction wants to completely terraform Mars into an Earthlike planet. Which Mars faction will prevail in the fight for the future of Mars?

Summary Part One

Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson is divided into 10 parts. Each part features a different point of view character with seven total characters having a POV.

Nirgal is first generation Mars born. Nirgal grows up in the Zygote dome. It’s carved out of the South Polar ice cap. He grows up with half-brothers and half-sisters, most from his mother Hiroko. He gets out of the dome and learns about Mars by traveling with Coyote. Coyote travels and trades with the different domes of the southern hemisphere where the Red faction went after losing the rebellion of 2061.

Art Randolph is an American. The Corporation named Praxis sent him to Mars as an ambassador. The transnational corporation Praxis bought Art Randolph’s company, Dumpshares. After some time, they invited Art to a company retreat headed by William Fort, the president of Praxis, with six others. Fort learns about the employees and offers them each a unique position. He offers Art the position of Ambassador to Mars for the Praxis Corporation. Art takes the three-month journey to Mars. He learns about Praxis’ operation on Mars and wants to contact the Red faction on Mars.

Ann Claybourne is an American Geologist who wants to keep Mars in its primal state. Ann is a geologist and one of the First Hundred. She watches and thinks about the terraforming project on Mars and doesn’t like it. She talks to Coyote, and he convinces her to meet with the leaders of the Red faction.

Summary Part Two

Sax Russel is an American physicist. Sax was a terraformer from the First Hundred. He went into hiding with the Red rebels after 2061. The Reds want him to spy on the Greens so they get him plastic surgery to change his appearance and Desmond gives him a false identity. The Swiss firm called Biotique has not turned in the others that the Reds have sent to them, so they send Sax to Biotique with the identity of Stephen Lindholm. Sax as Lindholm starts his job with Biotique. He passes through Burroughs and works at their Arena Glacier facility.

Michel Duval is a French psychologist. Michel is part of the Red group that picked up Art. The group finds out that Sax was taken. The group decides to rescue him. They use the winds around the detainment facility holding Sax to help with the attack.

Nadia Chernyshevski is a Russian engineer. The refugees from Gamete come to Dorsa Brevia for the conference. At the first meeting, Hiroko speaks. Then they break into workshops. Nadia attends a workshop where they are discussing what went wrong in 2061. They conclude a coup would be better than an open conflict. They need intel before they proceed. Another workshop is about terraforming. Ann takes the leave Mars alone approach and Sax takes the make the surface livable for humans approach. The workshops continue.

Maya Toitovna is a Russian teacher and politician. Maya and most of the First Hundred meet at Sabishii. The Transitional Authority sends a force to the south. The First Hundred split up and they headed to each of the southern communities to coordinate a response.

Recommendation

The world-building in this trilogy is impressive. It details a rational and likely method for the terraforming of Mars. The author writes wonderful descriptions and creates interesting characters. The only problem that I have with the novel is that the author relies heavily on a narrative summary. While the technique of narrative summary can help tell a story that takes place over many years, it limits the connection the reader feels with the characters. In Green Mars, the reader gets to know the children of the first hundred, some of the first hundred characters return, and the reader sees the characters walk long distances in the newly aeroformed Mars. The trilogy concludes with Blue Mars. Another book of short fiction contained within the Trilogy’s timeframe was also released and named The Martians.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, Book #2 of The Mars Trilogy.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77505.Green_Mars

My review of Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, book #1 of The Mars Trilogy, begins as the story of the first hundred people who make a permanent home on Mars.

Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Introduction

Under the Dome by Stephen King is a Science Fiction novel with a unique beginning. A dome suddenly appears over the Maine town of Chester’s Mill. The dome is semi-permeable, but no one can enter or leave the dome. The people inside the dome try to escape, but fail, and fight over the scarce resources. Who made the Dome, and will the people trapped inside it escape before they all die?

Summary

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

Under the Dome by Stephen King was an excellent long novel. The characters were well-defined and the situation they were put into was interesting. The problem was the slow-moving plot and the abrupt ending.

I watched all three seasons of the CBS TV series named Under the Dome which aired in 2013, 2014, and 2015. I watched it on Paramount Plus. It was based on a novel of the same name. The TV series is kind of dopey. It started pretty well, but the character’s actions made less and less sense as the episodes went on. Sort of like what happened in Lost. In Under the Dome, they added plot points, not in the novel like using ideas from Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Alien which I thought was not successful. The TV show also changed most of the relationships and motivations of the characters from the book. The novel and the TV series both had non-ending endings.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Under the Dome by Stephen King.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6320534-under-the-dome

Most of Stephen King’s novels are fantasy horror. Under the Dome is straight Science Fiction. Of the books, I have reviewed of him the closest in the content is the Dark Tower series which is Science Fiction Fantasy.

Drawing of the Three by Stephen King, book #2 of The Dark Tower series, features Roland, Eddie Dean, and Odetta Holmes. Roland gets one step closer to reaching the Dark Tower.

Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

The Gunslinger by Stephen King, book #1 of The Dark Tower series, seemed to set up for a climax that never happened. What is there is a trippy and metaphysical non-ending.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Writing Progress Report February 2023

This is my Writing Progress Report February 2023.

I went to Michel Angelo’s Winery in Richfield, Ohio on January 29, 2022, for Paczki Fest. We had pierogis, meatballs, and paczkis. I had the wine flight board in this picture. It was a wonderful experience. I hope to go again next year.

Writing Progress from January 2023.

I wrote two blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. One post was my writing progress report for January 2023, which is linked below.

Writing Progress Report January 2023

In January 2023, the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop at the Parma, Ohio, library did not meet.

I did not submit a short story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at the Parma, Ohio, library in January 2023.

Writing Progress from January 2023 Continued

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in January 2023.

In the past, I submitted the stories; Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. No submissions for 2022.

Events from January 2023.

I attended ConFusion in Novi, Michigan, from January 20, 2023, to January 22, 2023. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association Sponsors ConFusion.

https://2023.confusionsf.org/

The con theme this year is Avatar: The Legend of Confusion

Writing Goals for February 2023.

In February 2023, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for February 2023.

I plan to submit a story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library in February 2023.

In February 2023, I plan to submit a short story to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library.

I plan to submit a story to the critters workshop in February 2023.

In February 2023, I plan to work on third draft edits for Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. I plan to split Chapter 1 into two chapters and add a scene to the new chapter 1.

Polish and submit the stories White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Writing Goals for February 2023 continued.

In February 2023, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

Put the novel Assassin in New Marl City into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for February 2023.

The next conference I plan to attend is Cleveland Concoction from March 17, 2023, to March 19, 2023. They will hold the conference at the Bertram Inn and Conference Center located at 600 North Aurora Road Aurora, Ohio.

This is a link to the ConCoction website.

http://www.clevelandconcoction.org/

Black Sun Rising by C S Freidman

Black Sun Rising by C S Freidman, Book 1 of the Coldfire Trilogy

Introduction

Black Sun Rising by C S Freidman is a science fiction fantasy novel about four people going on a quest to defeat the forces of the Fae that want to destroy humanity. The story begins when the warrior priest Damien Vryce enters a Fae Shop looking for answers about the Fae. He meets the sorceress adept Ciani of Faraday at the shop. They go on a quest and Ciani’s apprentice Senzei and the undead sorcerer Gerald Tarrant join them. Their quest leads them deep into the Fae lands and they have secrets revealed. Will Damien defeat the Fae and get answers to the questions that he has asked about them?

Summary

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

[Insert Recommendation Here]

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Black Sun Rising by C. S. Freidman.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36159.Black_Sun_Rising

A fantasy novel like Black Sun Rising is The Last Unicorn.

Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle is a fantasy novel about a female unicorn’s search for the rest of her kind. She faces an evil carnival owner, a creepy king in a lonely castle, and a scary red bull. Is she the Last Unicorn?

Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle

Writing Progress Report January 2023

This is my Writing Progress Report January 2023.

I went to the Cleveland Botanical Garden on December 9, 2022. The Christmas displays were wonderful, and it was great walking through the exhibits.

Writing Progress from December 2022.

I wrote two blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. One post was my writing progress report for December 2022, which is linked below.

Writing Progress Report December 2022

In December 2022, the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop at the Parma, Ohio, library did not meet.

I submitted my short story, “Inheritance,” to the Fiction Writing Workshop at the Parma, Ohio, library in December 2022.

Writing Progress from December 2022 Continued

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in December 2022.

In the past, I submitted the stories; Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. No submissions for 2022.

Events from December 2022.

I attended no events in December 2022.

Writing Goals for January 2023.

In January 2023, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for January 2023.

I plan to submit a story to the Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library in January 2023.

In January 2023, I plan to submit a short story to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library.

I plan to submit a story to the critters workshop in January 2023.

In January 2023, I plan to work on third draft edits for Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. I plan to split Chapter 1 into two chapters and add a scene to the new chapter 1.

Polish and submit the stories White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Writing Goals for January 2023 continued.

In January 2023, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

Put the novel Assassin in New Marl City into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for January 2023.

The next conference I plan to attend is ConFusion in Novi, Michigan, from January 20, 2022, to January 22, 2022. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association Sponsors ConFusion.

https://2023.confusionsf.org/

The con theme this year is Avatar: The Legend of Confusion