This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. A letter from Virgil If you’re looking for inspirational…

Insights on the writing life after publication from novelist Anat Deracine — When I published my first novel, Driving by Starlight, writers started asking me for tips on getting published. I was happy to share my own path, but I made it clear it was just my path, and what worked for me might not work for anyone else. It might not…

“The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard.” — Katha Upanishad Technology and law are double-edged swords. The technology that connects us can always be used to control us. The law that protects (some of) us can…

So, the world has a fair few shitty people. And somehow, there still exist some idealists out there who believe that the best way to change shitty people is to confront them directly and explain to them their shittiness. We know how this goes. Call someone a racist, and they…

I’ve given many talks on diversity, technology and culture change, and advised leaders on how to fix the problems on their teams. In all these years, there has been exactly one difference between the leaders who manage to address the problem and the ones who do not. …

Disclaimer: Cats are resilient, I love cats, and no cats were harmed in this article. Shortly after I submitted the first draft of Driving by Starlight to my agent, she recommended I read Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat. The book fundamentally changed how I read books and view films, as…

There’s a certain amount of hubris involved in being a creator at all, an inherent assumption that what you’re creating is worth the effort and worth an audience’s time. There’s even more hubris in putting out an essay like this one, demystifying “success” while still an amateur. …

When it comes to world-building, the most critical thing about a story is often not what you put in, it’s what you leave out. I read and watch a lot of fantasy and sci-fi, and while I’m usually unsurprised by the world elements (robots, aliens, vampires or other shapeshifters, clones…)…