Author Archives: mcbruce56

Every year in November I participate in that madness known as “National Novel Writing Month.” I’ve been doing it since 2002. I have 20 novels to show for it. Some are better than others, of course. If you want to go to my NANO page, here it is: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/mcbruce56-gmail-com/projects/girl-8c062394-0b0f-46a4-a172-f3411d16f57c Every year I struggle with whatContinue reading “Inspiration”

There are some days, though, when I have to check to make sure I still exist in time and space. No one wants to publish my SF short stories. At least, the few places I’ve sent them to lately are not interested. (Though one said, “try us again.” I’ve been told this is a “closeContinue reading “Still here”

Time to hold my breath. For a really, really long time. I previously crowed about meeting a literary agent at a writer’s conference in August. The agent seemed to be very impressed with the first 20 pages of the book, Minerva James and the Trial of Mars, and asked me to come up with outlinesContinue reading “The Waiting Game”

In this life most of us are condemned to days of toil and worry. Me included. As most of you know, I am not only a great writer (okay, a pretty good writer) but also like to skim around the ponds of the law doing lawyer work, helping the downtrodden, making things right again forContinue reading “A Weary Man”

The breathless headline on my internet feed demanded attention: “New Book Reveals that Queen Disapproved of Megan White Wedding Dress.” Really? With all that’s going on in the world, I’m supposed to care about some royal’s opinion of a friggin’ dress? Not only that, but an opinion from years and years ago? I know weContinue reading “Really?”

Those clouds you see above resemble the state of my creative mind these days. Only a few wispy things to entertain me, not much of substance. Yes, friends, I am once again fallow. I am letting my creativity lie open to the elements, hoping that the nutrients the soil needs will arrive and the landContinue reading “Up and Down”

Some years ago I went through a rough financial period and had to compromise my debts. One place came to an agreement with me that I would pay $250 per month for a few years and get about $3000 forgiven from my debt. Over the years things have improved for me. But the payments toContinue reading “Sometimes It’s Good to Be a Lawyer”

If you are a diligent writer, you sit down every day (or night) at a particular time and write at least 1000 words. So says the great Ray Bradbury, who followed this practice to great success. Great advice. If you’re the great Ray Bradbury. Or Isaac Asimov, who wrote 500 books in his 72 yearsContinue reading “How It Works. Or Not.”

When I first came back to San Bernardino in 2018 after a disastrous job in Placer, I returned to the church where I had played for the 4 p.m. Saturday Mass. No, the singer said. I don’t need more guitar players. Check the 8 o’clock mass. They need musicians. I showed up at 8 theContinue reading “Moving On”

I went to the Greater L.A. Writer’s Conference this weekend. I went so that I could have a one-on-one conference with a real agent. The gig was that I would send the first 20 pages of my book, “Minerva James and the Trial of Mars.” He or she would look it over and tell meContinue reading “A Happy Moment”