Category: Announcements

On the Recent Flooding in the Texas Hill Country

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First, let me report that my family is safe and I am safe. Second, let me say that I am not asking for anything for me or mine; we are safe, and we are well, and we are not those in need at the moment. But there are many, many people in and around the town where I grew up who are, because, early on 4 July 2025, a strong storm dumped a whole lot of water in a very short time on the headwaters of the Guadalupe River. The sudden rainfall triggered a flash flood of historic proportions; estimates I’ve seen put it at the second-highest levels of flooding on record, and reports I’ve seen indicate that the flood and flow meters that monitor such things were knocked out of commission by the flooding. Footage I’ve seen puts the river over roads that I don’t recall ever seeing go underwater, and pictures I’ve seen tell of damage that will take years to fix–in those cases where it can be fixed.

This #KerrvilleStrong image comes from Scooty Garrett.

Because it is also the case that there have been dozens of lives lost in this–unlike the flood of my own experience in 2002, which somehow managed to spare people. No few of them were children camping along the banks of the Guadalupe River as they have for decades, whose cabins were ripped from their foundations in the pre-dawn hours by waters that rushed in before there was time even to gasp in surprise at their arrival. No few others were holiday goers, in and around Kerrville to celebrate, staying in RVs beside the water and waking to terror when they had gone to sleep in idyllic peace before. And there are few if any words of comfort that can be found in such days; such as there are surpass my ability to speak or write them.

I have done what little I can do, which is all too little against the demand. What else I can do, and what I do do, is to point out that donations to a local relief fund can be made here: https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201. Another is here: https://www.kerrvillechamber.biz/foundation-kerrville-area-rebuilding-recovery-fund/. Please give if and what you can to help the folks in my hometown and both up- and downstream from it. I’m familiar with the Community Foundation from my nonprofit work; they’re local folks and have been in town for a good long while. I expect that giving done through them will get where it needs to go to do what the community needs.

Reflective Comments about the Tenth Year

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Today marks ten years since I began posting to this webspace. As I write this next entry in my series of annual reports about the status of this site, I have published 1,705 posts to this webspace (this will be 1,706), as well as revising individual pages, attracting 205,512 views from 61,633 visitors. As such, in the past year, I have published 178 posts, garnering 58,157 views from 16,609 visitors (per “Reflective Comments about the Ninth Year”). It is the best year I have had in this webspace, overall, and the most productive since 2016-2017, when I was developing a lot of instructional material and using this space for student information.

The following graphs present changes over time, noting posts, then views, then visitors.

It remains a pleasure to have this outlet and the time and energy to maintain it, even to the extent that I do so. I look forward to continuing my efforts here, as well as to offering writing to order. If you’d like to hire some done, please fill out the form below!

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On the New Year 2025

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Once again, as at this time last year, I sit to write with a steaming cup of coffee on the desk in front of me, looking ahead to another twelvemonth. At this time last year, I was looking at the opening of a new office, a shift in my main line of work and a continuation of my sideline work (of which this is part), and I’m pleased to report that things went relatively well with it. The office is still there, still going, and I’m still running it–with a bit more staff this time around. Too, some of my clients from the last pass have already started coming back to me, which tells me I did a decent job of it. There’s pleasure in that, to be sure. I’d be happy to have more business, of course, but I’m glad of what I’ve gotten so far and appreciate the clients who come in and come back.

Let’s make it a blast, eh?
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Work at the office is not all of what I have going on, of course. There’re a few freelance pieces already queued up for me, monthly projects that should carry me into the second quarter of the year. I’ve got a couple of scholarly projects to address, as well, and in more earnest than I’ve approached them so far (which is my failure entirely; I’ve had time to work on them and haven’t done so nearly to the extent that they’ve deserved). I’m also working to submit poetry and other writing to contests and for publication. And in more personal endeavors–about which I might well write in this webspace–not only will I be pressing ahead with my Robin Hobb reread, I’m also helping to administer a fairly large play-by-post roleplaying game, with others in the offering for the year. So I’ll be busy, but I think it’ll be a good kind of busy.

As before, I mean to continue offering my writing and support services. I’m remain happy to take commissions for written-to-order pieces that do not use the persistent theft and all-too-common hallucinations and falsifications involved in AI-generated work, creating unique texts to meet your needs. Poetry, essays, memoirs, works of fiction, ad copy, press releases, business and technical documentation–I’m happy to work with you on any or all of them to help you craft the best possible work. Reader-review and copy-editing are also available, as always, as is support for writing instruction.

Fill out the form below to get started today!

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Reflective Comments about the Ninth Year

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Today marks nine years since I began posting to this webspace. As I write this next entry in my series of annual reports about the status of this site, I have published 1,527 posts to this webspace (this will be 1,528), as well as revising individual pages, attracting 147,355 views from 45,024 visitors. As such, in the past year, I have published 157 posts, garnering 46,274 views from 12,601 visitors (per “Reflective Comments about the Eighth Year“).

The following graphs present changes over time, noting posts, then views, then visitors.

I continue to be pleased to have the opportunity to do this kind of thing, to have an outlet for my ruminations and occasional verse, as well as to continue to offer the resources I do (and which viewership figures tell me attract some attention; I hope they are useful). That this has been the best year I’ve had in terms of readership is also a pleasure. It suggests that I am doing something right, and there’s no small joy to find in that suggestion.

I continue to be pleased, too, to offer writing to order. If you’d like to have some done, please fill out the form below:

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On the New Year 2024

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Here it is, the first of the year. As I write this, a cup of coffee steaming on the desk in front of me, I feel a sense of hope for the coming twelve months. There’re things going on that don’t necessarily impact this webspace, and I’m largely looking forward to them. Most notable is that, starting tomorrow, I’ll be heading up an office in Johnson City, Texas, where I have lived for a while. The office builds on the skills, abilities, and training I’ve already got, and I have the hope that, in the coming months, it’ll become a thriving part of the local economy.

Stop on by!
Image from Google Maps, used for commentary

I’ll admit to some concern about the endeavor. It’s been a while since I was management, after all, and there’s some rust to knock off. Too, any new business endeavor carries with it some risk, and while I do still have some insulation, it’s not as abundant as might be preferred. Further, there’s a bit of a wind-up period to be expected, and while the work I’ll be doing is just coming into season now, it’ll take a bit for the business to get out into the town and well known.

So much said, I’ll continue to offer the services I currently do. I’m still happy to take commissions for written-to-order pieces that do not use the rampant theft involved in AI-generated work, creating unique texts to meet your needs. Poetry, essays, memoirs, works of fiction, ad copy, press releases, business and technical documentation–I’m happy to work with you on any or all of them to help you craft the best possible work. Reader-review and copy-editing are also available, as always, as is support for writing instruction.

Ready to get started on a new project in the new year? Get in touch through the form below, and I’ll help you get going!

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Help with NaNoWriMo

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The time of the year has come around again when many people focus their attentions on generating the text of a new novel. It’s a worthy endeavor, of course; writing is a good thing to do, novels are good things to write, and I and others benefit from them existing in the world. The challenge of composing nearly two thousand words daily is a hefty one, and not everybody who sets out to address it meets it. Even so, even making the attempt earnestly and sincerely is a good thing to do. You’re on the right track as soon as you take the first step onto it.

This is still the sign, and the image is still from the NaNoWriMo site, used for reference.

Even the best writers, though, benefit from having another set of eyes on their work. Ultimately, nobody writes all alone. I’ve done a lot of writing across many years and in many contexts, so I’ve got experience with this: you always miss something. Maybe it’s because you’re in a hurry, buoyed along by the joy of having done the writing. Maybe it’s because you’re distracted, living in the world with all of the demands it makes upon a person. Maybe it’s because you know how it’s supposed to go, how glorious it looks in your head, and you see that instead of what’s on the page. Maybe it’s just an issue of skillset; you’ve got great ideas and you’ve got them on paper, but the fine-tuning and polishing is just not your forte. Whatever the reason for it is, the truth is that you’re not going to catch everything that’s on the page, even though you put it there. You won’t necessarily see that you forgot to make the connection between those two characters clear, or you might miss the notion that this other characters’ background seems really interesting and readers will want to know more!

That’s where I come in.

With nearly twenty years of experience reviewing others’ writing, ranging from middle schoolers to established scholars and in fields ranging from aerospace engineering to business, cybersecurity to education, fiction to literary analysis, poetry to psychology, I have the skills and expertise to help you hone your craft and be the best writer you can be. If you want to know if your story makes sense, if your characters are believable, if your quips are clever, or even only if you got your commas in the right places, I am here to help you. Whether you’d like chapter-by-chapter guidance and feedback or a whole-work review of what works well and what needs some support, I can offer in-depth, detailed reading and response so that you can put out the best possible product.

You’re already doing great just by taking on a project like this. Make the most of it; get set up for your consultation today! Fill out the contact form below to get started!

It’s not just for NaNoWriMo, either! I’m happy to work with writers on a variety of projects, as well as to write the kind of thing you need written; send me your details below, and we’ll begin!

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For Your Writing Needs

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I‘ve noted before that I’ve got a lot more time open to work on writing, and I’m pleased to note that there have been some who’ve taken advantage of that openness. For example, I recently carried out a commission for a seven-part poem to be used as lyrics for a forthcoming oratorio, and I have continued to write teaching guides for emerging best-sellers and classics-to-be.

So much said, I know there is more work to do. I know that people need to have things written, things like

  • Poetry, whether as pieces to present, the contents of greeting cards, song lyrics, expressions of love, or other things yet;
  • Study guides, helping students understand better the things they encounter;
  • Executive summaries, distilling texts down to their basic elements for faster, fuller understanding by busy people;
  • Ad copy, so that what needs selling gets sold;
  • Instruction sets, so that what needs doing gets done right; and
  • Other writing done to order.

I know, too, that people need new eyes on their work, helping them to see what they’d otherwise miss. That way, what they write shows them off at their best, getting them the deal or the promotion or the publication they want!

As ever, I remain happy to work with you to produce the writing you need done–all by human hands, no plagiarism software (with all the problems it entails) involved! I’d love to hear from you; please fill out the form below to get started!

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A Bit of an Update

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A week ago today, and at about this time, I was laid off as part of “cost-cutting measures.” It wasn’t the first time it’s happened to me, to be sure; I was laid off from a college coffee shop job and from a teaching position for much the same reason (although the latter recalled me thanks to the union of which I was a member at the time). I was a bit upset at the event, which I do not think is unreasonable; I had thought I was doing well in the job, and I was looking forward to making a few improvements to things which I must now defer for an uncertain amount of time as I look for new work. Too, where I live, much is made about the work a person does and the job a person has; being suddenly out of work and without a job is a substantial social setback, and one for which I admit I was not prepared.

Yeah, it wasn’t a good afternoon.
Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.com

But (and there is, of course, a but; there are, in fact, several).

I had been doing occasional freelance work throughout my time with a “regular” job, enjoying having the extra income. I’ve been able to keep doing that in the past week, and I’ve been focusing on that more narrowly, so I have some money coming in that way. Too, I’m fortunate to have a deep support network, family and friends, so as I’ve started looking for “regular” work again, I’ve had recruiters’ eyes looking over my materials, and I’ve had offers of support from a number of people come in. I appreciate it all.

Grateful though I am–and I am grateful; things could be much worse than they are, as I am well aware, and I am not unmindful that they are not–I do need some more help, and I’m happy to work to earn it. As ever, I’m happy to offer my services in the following:

  • Literary research
  • General informational/documentary research
  • Proofreading
  • Style editing
  • Grant writing
  • Copywriting
  • Creative writing (especially poetry)
  • Literature and writing tutoring

Additionally, I do have some experience in bookkeeping, and I do excellently at data-entry, so if you have some work that needs doing, let me know below. I’m happy to talk about rates and duration, and I’ll be happier to get you your money’s worth!

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A Rumination on a Birthday Not Mine

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I had had the thought that, in discussing what I mean to discuss today, I would borrow from the Gettysburg Address and make some declamation beginning with “Eight square and no more years ago,” because it has been so long and because the word-play suggested itself to me for a moment. I know many would get the joke; I know, too, that I do not have the skills and insight to carry that joke through the way it really ought to be done, and I suspect that the joke would not go over so well as I would like. A great many of my jokes go that way, after all, as most know who speak to me for more than a few moments. Consequently, I shall content myself with but a short comment, knowing that the day needs but little from me said about it.

The birthday girl herself…
Family photo

Happy birthday, Mom!

Custom writing makes a fine gift; fill out the form below to find out how you can get some for your own!

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Or send me a present I can use to send one to my momma!