Splendid People

I'm a solitary person by nature. I think a lot of writers are --> we observe, ruminate, critique, consider, write. And write. And write. And write. (Unless you're a meta-dork, as recently unveiled in Anthony Pacheco's latest team blog post.)

But I thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with Uppington, Patrick, Dave, and unblogged John at Wenatchee's Write on the River Conference this past weekend.

I've lost five minutes of time just sitting here thinking about the conversations and laughs and dinner we shared. And, of course, the critical levels of insight...

I have no deep thoughts to offer you today (not that I do any day, now that I think about it) -- just a shout out to awesome and talented people. I'm a better person for meeting each of you. Thank you for that.

D.M. McReynolds: up & coming

[Note: This is my first in a series of posts on up-and-coming authors. Whether newly published, in the process of selling a manuscript, or still looking for an agent, these are authors who -- through word-crafting, plot-building, or sheer poetry of action -- have captured my mercurial and selective attention.]

Book One of the trilogy The Fate of Port Goldsend, Alliance, pits new ways against the established culture, drawing in the various threads of Dragon Riders, Fate Changers, Map Makers, the Barter Lord himself, and young painter Rainbow. Against the backdrop of a bustling port city, we watch the various backstories intertwine into one compelling narrative.

McReynolds skillfully weaves believable characters, exquisite imagery, and a cause worth fighting for into a world where many humans still have ties to their animal brothers. It is the complexity of character that draws the reader in: we empathize with the very human desires of the antagonist; we question the motivations of the protagonist; we secretly root for the cause of the rebels.

When an author can give us a fun romp while bringing us face-to-face with some of our long-held convictions, the uncomfortable squirming is worth the ride. D.M. McReynolds delivers meaning with dexterity, not stooping to preach, but rather providing fodder for thought.