by Melinda Snodgrass | Jul 13, 2019 | Horsing Around
I had an epiphany while driving home from the barn today. It’s not required that every post on my website be deeply insightful, or provide a tutorial on writing. I can take a leaf from my posts on Facebook and make this a good deal more casual. So here is a little story about horses. Who are magical and wonderful, and I love them very much. And they are also astoundingly stupid and fearful. Though I guess it’s hard to blame them, they are prey animals. Anyway, I went out to ride...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Jul 6, 2019 | Blog
Okay, confession time. I’ve been really, really bad about posting here. Partly because I’ve been super busy with the Wild Cards writer’s room, but also because writing blog posts starts to feel a whole lot like work. I want to keep my website so people can see the books I’ve published, etc., but if you want to get in touch with me, or just generally hang out I recommend you friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. I do have an Instagram account but I kinda suck at...
by Melinda Snodgrass | May 10, 2019 | Blog
First an abject apology to the person who wrote me about the publication date on the fourth Imperials book — The Currency of War. I’m an idiot and in moving it from the spam file (I have no idea why my mail program regards emails to me from this website as spam but it does). Anyway, I somehow managed to lose the email. So again, apologies for not answering directly. But here is the answer — due to circumstances beyond my control the publication of the final two books is going...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 1, 2019 | Blog
I am very aggravated this went out into the world without Andrew’s, mine or George’s approval but it happened so rather than curse I want to get ahead of the news. There was an unfortunately leak from the set of Wild Cards.You can read about it here on George’s blog and see the stolen video, http://georgerrmartin.com/notablog/2019/04/01/a-little-leak/ and also read about it here https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/george-r-r-martins-soapy-new-adventure/. I’m really...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Mar 2, 2019 | Blog
I know, I know, I have been a total stranger. Mostly it’s because I’ve been working super long hours on the Wild Cards TV shows, and on the weekends I have to run errands, do laundry and most importantly go see and ride the horses (though the California rains have made that tough). Anyway, I have a brief window where I can breath and put up a post. A few weeks ago I was honored to receive the Skylark Award from NESFA during their Boston convention Boskone. (Great convention folks...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Dec 3, 2018 | TV & Movies
In the past few weeks I have seen three movies. Fortunately I ended the streak with a lovely film. Last night I went off to see GREEN BOOK with friends, and despite the length — two hours and ten minutes — this movie never felt long or slow. There were no glitzy action sequences, no CGI wizardry just two men finding understanding and eventually respect and friendship in a difficult and turbulent time. There was humanity in this movie. It was about the human heart, and pain and loss and fear...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Nov 17, 2018 | TV & Movies
I really like the wizarding world that Rowling created and I enjoyed the first Fantastic Beast film, there was a humanity and kindness to it. Unfortunately this film is hot a mess. If you’re not a true fan with a deep understanding of the family relationships, things that are going to become a big issue in the Harry Potter movies you will be utterly baffled by many of the dialogue exchanges and things that should have emotional import just land with a thud and die quivering on the...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Nov 7, 2018 | General
People. Last night was a good night. Even in races we didn’t win Democrats significantly narrowed the margins. We got the House. We won governorships. We all knew the Senate was going to be a lift. Next time the Republicans will be on defense. And think about the wonderful diversity. WE are the face of America – not exclusively white or male or straight or Christian. So savor this then get the hell back to work. Keep registering new voters & energizing this beautiful new...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Oct 20, 2018 | About Writing
I’ve been reading this series and really enjoying the books. Then last night I finished up the third book and my head exploded and not in a good way. These books are written in first person and I like first person when it’s done well and this was done very well. However, there are some hard and fast rules about first person that make it challenging. A lot of beginning writers start writing in first thinking it will be easier. It’s not. Here are some of the limitations to first person. You...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Sep 14, 2018 | About Writing
Too many characters in a book can overburden the story and truthfully every time you add a character who is a point of view you are adding between one hundred and a hundred and fifty pages to your manuscript. In my Imperials Saga I’ve had four characters in two of the books which for me is a lot of characters. I usually keep it to two or three at the most. But now I am working on the final Imperials book, and it struck me that I might want to have a POV from Boho’s chief of staff...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Aug 3, 2018 | General
Better late than never. So here are some of my photos and impressions of my tour of JPL on July 17th. It came about because of a chance encounter in the Albuquerque Sunport. I was waiting for my plane back to L.A. when I overheard two young men discussing Marvel movies. I told them they had good taste in the choice of their favorites and we fell to talking. Turns out they were both scientists at JPL and in the face of my bouncing excitement Valentinous asked if I’d like a tour. I was all...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Jun 17, 2018 | About Writing, Blog
No, this one is not about #MeToo or complaining about suits or agents or the thousand other aggravations that accompany working in the industry. This is an actual writing tip. Truth is I became a much better novelist after I spent a few years in Hollywood writing scripts. So here is one of those things I learned. It’s called Hanging a Lantern on It, and it works like this. If something is likely to bump a reader or a viewer your best course of action is to forthrightly acknowledge...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Jun 14, 2018 | TV & Movies
SPOILERS THERE WILL BE SPOILERS**********************YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED********************SPOILERS AHEAD***************************BEWARE THE SPOILERS******************************************* It doesn’t require much analysis or a degree in English literature to understand that the theme of Infinity Wars is sacrifice. Every reviewer has nailed that on one but I think a number of those reviews have missed the deeper point. They ultimately all end...
by Melinda Snodgrass | May 29, 2018 | General
I really like comic conventions. They tend to be far more diverse in terms of age, race, gender and sexual preference and that’s exciting. I also like being in Bard’s Tower https://www.facebook.com/bardstower/. Alexi always ensures we have a could position and I’m able to watch the cavalcade go past — gorgeous costumes and excited little kids running like Dash from The Incredibles and sounding like twittering birds in their excitement. Grandmothers and grandfathers...
by Melinda Snodgrass | May 15, 2018 | About Writing
I’m writing this big space battle action sequence in The Currency of War. In my head it lays out like a film — quick cuts between the four view point characters reacting to the changing situation. So I decided to try to write it as if it were a screenplay. Which means minimal description and rapid fire dialogue in each cut. Sort of a Aaron Sorkin meets Hitchcock in the shower scene in Psycho mashup that will (hopefully) weave together into a coherent whole. Each of these...
