Category: News & Commentary

News and commentary about maritime heritage activities and other subjects that take my fancy.

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One of my stories makes a contest’s short list in a field of 1,400

November 18, 2018

I’m thrilled to report what I consider to be one of my best successes on the writing contest circuit. My short story, The Pupfish of Miracle Spring, made the short list of ten finalists in The End of Our World contest, managed by Aftermath Magazine, which is based in The Netherlands. The contest drew more … More One of my stories makes a contest’s short list in a field of 1,400

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Download the podcast of Carbon Run, chapter one

September 1, 2018

I was thrilled to work with podcasters Ben Franke and Marie Kammerer-Franke on two episodes of their epic Indie Beginning podcast, which features independent authors, such as myself. They recently published two podcasts related to my work. The first podcast was a reading of chapter one of Carbon Run, the first full-length novel in my … More Download the podcast of Carbon Run, chapter one

Available now: Free, limited-time download of my first TFAWP story!

August 6, 2017

Today is the official launch of my new dystopian thriller series, Tales From A Warming Planet. I’m celebrating by offering a free novelette, The Mother Earth Insurgency. It’s available for a limited time only via Instafreebie and Bookfunnel. Set in the future when climate change has taken hold of our planet, The Mother Earth Insurgency … More Available now: Free, limited-time download of my first TFAWP story!

Repurposing Wawona: Pieces at new exhibit made from ship’s salvaged wood

April 30, 2017

Earlier this year, I was contacted by Kari Berger of the Seattle Metals Guild, a non-profit arts group with a focus on metalworking. The group was working on an exhibit of jewelry and sculpture made from wood salvaged from the historic schooner Wawona. I published a history of the ship in 2006, three years before … More Repurposing Wawona: Pieces at new exhibit made from ship’s salvaged wood

Five Questions: James Marquis and his Dark Day Dreams

April 15, 2017

James Marquis is a Seattle writer and author of science fiction novels, a memoir, and a collection of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror stories titled Dark Day Dreams, written under the pen name of James Hawthorne. He enjoys writing as a way to explore and expose the ways pop culture, politics, music and literature shape our … More Five Questions: James Marquis and his Dark Day Dreams

How LibreOffice freed my inner rebel from the shackles of Microsoft Office

April 9, 2017

As moral beings, humans try to align their behavior with their values. I don’t use Microsoft Word to write. I’ve successfully resisted putting Office on my laptop. I refuse to have anything to do with Office, if I can help it. I admit it’s a quirk, but it’s how I live my values. Why would … More How LibreOffice freed my inner rebel from the shackles of Microsoft Office