Tech futurists Ray Kurzweil and Kevin Kelly offer radically different visions of the Singularity—one fast and transformative, the other slow and uneven. In this post, I explore both views, share a surprising take from ChatGPT, and offer my own perspective on how the future might unfold—not with a bang, but in a hundred quiet revolutions.
Editing a thirteen-book Arthurian saga isn’t for the faint of heart. Mark pulls back the curtain on his years in the trenches with Once and Future Hearts—from navigating character continuity and protecting authorial voice to the diplomatic art of asking, “Are you sure, Tracy?” as the finale, Camlann, heads into its early-release Kickstarter celebration.
Mark takes a moment to brag — loudly and unapologetically — about Tracy’s incredible achievement: completing the thirteen-book Once and Future Hearts series and preparing its exclusive hardcover Kickstarter. From behind-the-scenes glimpses to outright spousal pride, this post celebrates the epic scope of the project and why the upcoming campaign is such a milestone.
Emily Warren Roebling wasn’t supposed to build the Brooklyn Bridge—but when fate sidelined her husband, she took over with zero formal training and all the grit in the world. This is the story of the woman who led one of history’s greatest engineering feats…and did it in skirts.
Dark fantasy might be having a moment, but it’s not one I’m celebrating. I don’t write sweetness and light — but I do believe in redemption, earned endings, and characters who grow. Here’s why stories full of “losers losing” just don’t do it for me.
Traditional publishing and indie publishing aren’t just two different business models — they’re two different belief systems. Trad authors think they’re building a career as an artist. Indie authors know they’re running a business. In 2026, that mindset divide matters more than ever. With AI flooding the marketplace, platforms deep in enshittification, bookstores shrinking, and rights tied up tighter than a banker’s fist, the only way to make good choices is to understand exactly how each system really works — not how you wish it worked. This is the brutal, unsentimental guide to both paths.
In the latest season of Daredevil, Marvel trades spectacle for something stranger — a gritty, emotionally charged story that feels less like superhero fiction and more like urban fantasy wrapped in metaphysical angst. With sharp moral ambiguity, subtle symbolism, and just enough bloodied knuckles to make a point, this is a show that doesn’t just ask who’s right or wrong — it asks what right and wrong even mean.
Setting isn’t wallpaper. It’s the emotional engine under every scene you write. A confession uttered beneath stained-glass saints is a completely different moment than one whispered in the soft half-light of a bedroom — same words, wildly different meaning. If a scene feels limp, nine times out of ten the setting is the culprit. Make the room work just as hard as the characters, and suddenly the whole story sharpens.
Christmas has a talent for going delightfully off the rails — and honestly, that’s half the charm. This week on Mark’s blog, we’re diving into the beautifully imperfect moments that make the season unforgettable. From last-minute chaos to wobbly traditions and the kind of family stories that only happen when everyone embraces the madness, it’s all fair game. What’s your most memorable Christmas — heartwarming, disastrous, or somewhere in between?
In Ningaloo Nights, the stunning Australian outback isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a character all on its own: beautiful, remote, and deadly if you don’t know what you’re doing. When beta readers questioned whether I’d exaggerated the dangers, I had to assure them—every survival detail in the book is true. Growing up around Ningaloo taught me that nature doesn’t pull punches. But oh, the beauty is worth every ounce of caution.
