It took me about 12 years to reach my million-word mark. The challenge now is to continue to challenge myself.

That bedrock faith that I could write was what blinded me to attempts to discourage me.

I'm a writer first and an editor second... or maybe third or even fourth. Successful editing requires a very specific set of skills, and I don't claim to have all of them at my command.

One of my great passions is the collection of historical trivia.

I've read short stories that are as dense as a 19th century novel and novels that really are short stories filled with a lot of helium.

The money can be decent, but I really don't recommend the work-for-hire route as an entry into publishing. Too many things can go wrong.

Editors of open anthologies actively seek submissions from all comers, established and unknown. They are willing to read whatever the tide washes up at their feet.