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Space Trip II Excerpt

By Nick Marone 24 September 22Free Stuff

Illustration © Tom EdwardsTomEdwardsDesign.com Here is the first chapter of Space Trip II: The Journey to Find the Secret of the Thing in the Box. Sign up to my newsletter to stay informed about the Space Trip Universe and other projects— you get a FREE short story too! BLURB FOUR FRIENDSONE SECRETNO CLUE Following[…]

Story Behind the Story: Director’s Cut

By Nick Marone 6 May 22Story Behind the Story

Story Creation "Director's Cut" is a quirky short story about an alien actor who is determined to get a part in a movie, even if it means cheating. I remember a submission call for an anthology titled Monsters, Movies, & Mayhem. It was a project between Kevin J. Anderson and[…]

How to Improve Your Fiction Writing With Scrivener

By Nick Marone 30 April 22Writing, Editing, and Publishing

Introduction Are you looking for a writing program that is more purpose-built than Microsoft Word and Google Docs? Want to improve your fiction writing? The answer for many writers is Scrivener. The day I bought Scrivener was the day my writing soared to new heights. I had always been an[…]

Awesome Background Music To Help You Write Your Stories

By Nick Marone 24 February 22Writing, Editing, and Publishing

Do you like writing to background music? Do you select music based on the emotion of your scenes or characters? Not all writers listen to background music while they craft their stories. But for those of us who do, here is a short list of music to suit any writing[…]

Story Behind the Story: The Price of Inspiration

By Nick Marone 30 September 21Story Behind the Story

WARNING: Spoilers follow. "The Price of Inspiration" has always been one of my favourite stories, not just for the premise, but for how the whole story began. Read on to find out. Inception Not many people know this, but I am not the only writer in my family. Both my[…]

A Word on Vocabulary #31: Eustress

By Nick Marone 30 May 21A Word on Vocabulary

While reading about occupational health and safety for a work project, I stumbled across a term I had never seen before—eustress. Its meaning made so much sense. We all experience stress to some degree at varying times in our life. People can be a little stressed, or they can be[…]

A Word on Vocabulary #30: Groke

By Nick Marone 30 April 21A Word on Vocabulary

You know those people who are always hungry? Their guts are like bottomless pits. What about the friends and family members who take food from your plate at dinnertime? Or your girlfriend who adamantly said she didn't want any takeaway, but then steals your fries? Or that one friend who[…]

A Word on Vocabulary #29: Einzelgänger

By Nick Marone 30 April 21A Word on Vocabulary

I kick myself for not remembering where I saw this word. But this I do remember: when I saw it, I had to research it. And boy I was impressed! I love words that cannot be defined in a single sentence. Einzelgänger is one of those words. It represents all[…]

A Word on Vocabulary #28: Philocalist

By Nick Marone 24 February 21A Word on Vocabulary

There is much beauty in the world. Some of it is on the surface, easily discernable. Other forms of beauty are deeper, unappreciated by those who live life too fast. Some say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that is true to some degree. What one[…]

A Word on Vocabulary #27: Esprit d’escalier

By Nick Marone 26 January 21A Word on Vocabulary

Ever missed the perfect moment to say something witty or make a smart comeback? We all have at one time or another. Yes, it can be frustrating. We throw our hands in the air, lament the lost opportunity, and curse our brain for being slow. The French have a word[…]