Archive for January, 2015

The Golden Ratio

Posted: January 20, 2015 in Science and Technology, Writing
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I love to learn. Or re-learn. Or remember things I’ve learned in the past. Last night I was watching “Brain Games” on NatGeo and they talked about how people find each other attractive. They brought up the Golden Ratio and how our perceptions of attractiveness could possibly be based on how well our faces reflect it.

First off, what is the Golden Ratio?

Second, what does this have to do with writing?

Per the definition I found on Wikipedia: “In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities.” In matters of the face, this boils down to how your face is proportioned. A quick study shows that typically our faces should be half as wide as they are tall. But there are many other proportions that pertain to the Golden Ratio. It’s really quite intriguing if you look it up.

So how does this affect my writing?

Well, when I write and read, I enjoy learning along the way. It’s not enough that the geeky scientist finds another co-worker attractive and out of his level. How will they hook up? Suddenly, they’re trapped under a desk while explosions rock the building. Terrorists are fighting to steal some secret biological weapon found in their facility. He finally professes his attraction to her and tells her she’s a perfect 1.618 (the Golden Ratio). What? We all say, “huh?”. Then he explains the Golden Ratio and not just how it pertains to the face, but to many other things. Great artists of our time have known it and use it in their paintings and sculptures. It means something other than “I think you’re cute”. Bleah. (I hope I never write that in one of my books).

It becomes another and interesting vehicle about something so normal in life. It adds depth. It adds fun. It adds something we learn along the way. And now, not only are we happy the two are together, but we have a “takeaway” from our book that we’ll think about as soon as we get out from under our covers, coveting that eBook on our iPad or Kindle and strut around the real world.

This is exactly why I enjoy writing techno-thrillers and pepper them with science. Our world and how we perceive it is amazing…and endless.

The New Year Resolutionists – Uggh

Posted: January 10, 2015 in Writing
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I’m quite a fitness fanatic. I love playing sports and I love training to play my sports better. It’s just flat out fun. (will be posting my American Ninja Warrior submission tape soon…)

So every time I go to the gym in January and February, I find it filled with new faces. The faces of this year’s crop of New Year’s Resolutionists. The gym is usually a little more packed than usual and you have to maneuver between people re-learning what to do.

Now don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great to see people getting back in shape. I always think good of them. What frustrates me is watching them fall off over the next few weeks or months. By spring, I pretty much see the same old faces. The same group of people that endure the cold, the heat, the early, early mornings.

And in all reality, I really do wish more of the New Year Resolutionists would stay. To see newcomers add to the energy in the room. To see that they really do care about their health.

Yes. You knew this was coming around to writing sooner or later. New Year’s Resolutionists could pertain to writers too. To see all the people sitting down at their laptops – this is going to be the year I write that book! Or finish that project. Or something in the writing vein. If we didn’t have new writers, the train would slow down. We wouldn’t be pushing the genre to new heights. How many times do you sit down and watch a movie on TV and wonder, when are they going to come up with something new?

Well, it’s not up to someone else. It’s up to you. Or us. Or whoever wakes up in the morning and wants to do something new. To the person who just can’t stand walking by the book aisle in the supermarket because they know their book isn’t there – yet. Because they haven’t finished the book they’ve been chewing on for the last few years.

Don’t be a short-lived resolutionist. Be a dedicated writer, willing to challenge your own fears and weaknesses and create something that’s never been done before.

The latest thrill

Posted: January 2, 2015 in Writing
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How do you keep up with your genre?
These days it’s impossible to read everyone’s website, blog or tweet.
For me, I have a couple of go-to’s that keep me in the loop. One of my favorites is The Big Thrill newsletter/magazine.
There are great interviews with some of the most successful authors in my genre – Thrillers. As well, there are many great interviews with authors about their latest releases.
In this month’s edition, my friend Joanna Penn (you probably know her as JF Penn or The Creative Penn) does a nice article and introspective with author Scott Mariani.
It’s tightly coupled with my favorite writers conference ThrillerFest, so you’ll see headline ads for it throughout, but I consider these two venues the main vein of thriller writing help and support.
Happy New Year!