jamesdmacdonald

On Villainy

Originally posted on Dr. Doyle's Blog:
I’ve written here before about the necessity — in my opinion — of making one’s villains well-rounded characters and not merely evil mustache-twirling sockpuppets. By which I mean granting them their virtues as well as their vices, and giving them friends as well as enemies, and generally treating…

In Which I Visit a Museum

And there see a submarine. Some years ago, for reasons that matter not to our story, I was driving around northern New Jersey when I saw something by the side of the road. “By golly,” I said, “that looks like a Holland submarine!” I pulled over and walked to it. It was! Holland boat #2,Continue reading “In Which I Visit a Museum”

Red Mike at the Movies: Hereditary

So this was one of a couple of movies I’d intended to see last year. For reasons I’ll not go into here I watched a lot of movies in theaters last year. And I will, eventually, review them all. But for right now, I saw the trailer for this one, but didn’t see it (despiteContinue reading “Red Mike at the Movies: Hereditary”

Martin Van of Kinderhook

Today is the first day of our ramble down to New York for Heliosphere. So, en passant, we visited Lindenwald, Martin Van Buren’s home in Kinderhook, NY. Van Buren had been Jackson’s Vice President; he went on to a term of his own in 1836. The Little Magician was the first US president who hadContinue reading “Martin Van of Kinderhook”

It’s That Time Again

Originally posted on Dr. Doyle's Blog:
Yes, it’s time for my annual Springtime Services Sale! From now through April 21, 2019 (that’s Easter Sunday, for those of you who celebrate), all edits on novel-length manuscripts will be 30% off the regular price. You can purchase an edit now to be redeemed at a later…