[This is best read in an English accent, not unlike a certain talking lizard's accent from a certain insurance company's advertisements.]What I do, is you know, like write things, and I hope that you blokes enjoys reading them. So I said to myself, Ben, you need a website where people can read your stories. But then I says, Ben, there’s a lot of people what don’t even know you write stories! Well, then a website’s just thing to let them know that I like to write, and with any luck, they’ll like what I write. That’s what this is then, a website. There you have it.

Now, back to good old American language. I have been writing fiction since I was a teenager. I have published exactly none of it. Most of it is unfinished for a variety of reasons, but all of which boil down this: first, I have long been focused on education, and second, while I have had a great number of ideas, I have failed to plan many of my stories. Thus, what I have is a collection of short stories (quite a few, actually) of varying quality, and a number of larger projects in some stage of completion. So what am I doing? I am trying something a bit different. I am actually fusing a number of ideas I have had floating around in my head into a large coherent world where the action all happens, and I am writing everything from that perspective. This website is a representation of that.

Credit where credit is due.The idea for the name of this website is not mine, unfortunately. It comes from a very inventive and cunning fellow Jared Smith. He’s a good friend of mine, and you’ll probably see reference to him from time to time. Don’t believe any of it. Currently this website is hosted by another good friend of mine, and I appreciate his help and willingness to host this project. If it actually (okay maybe I’m deluding myself) becomes popular I’ll have to move it, but I suspect that’s down the road a bit. His name is Orien Colmer and he runs the crankyfanatic website (among others). He gives a good analysis of what is both good and bad about both Lost and I respect that.

What’s in a story.I self-describe my writing as both straight-forward and movement oriented. I’m not a particular fan of minutiae, but I do like details that matter to the story. I think that it is the the subtle detail that is woven into a story that brings plot, character, and environment to life. When dealing with fantasy, an author can either build their own world or reinvent the real world. I have seen both done brilliantly and so terribly that I wanted to cry. To me it doesn’t matter which path one takes so long as one is internally consistent with the rules they create and they put in enough detail to make it come alive. This is why I consider the following fantasy authors to be masters of their craft, although this is hardly an exhaustive list, nor in any order: David Farland, Tolkein (do you need a first name?), Raymond E Feist, Tad Williams, David Weber (yes, he has written fantasy), Robin Hobb, Elizabeth Haydon, Zelazney, Stephen R Donaldson, T. H. White, David Eddings, and many more. Notably absent are Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind. Jordan is absent because the story is not finished. He did some thing wonderfully, but he also occasionally had a bit more detail than most people really enjoyed. George R. R. Martin wrote a wonderfully detailed plot with far too ‘mature’ of a theme in many cases for my personal tastes, and I understand that he has a habit of not truly finishing a series, but simply dropping it. Tie up your story. Terry Goodkind will be added once I have finished the entire series if I like what he has done, but honestly, I think that he is an excellent writer. Terry Brooks writes prolificly and well, but is sometimes unclear about the rules of his own world (as I see it, although I may be wrong). As a note, Donaldson isn’t my favorite author either, but he is a talented man.  Oh, and I almost forgot the other true master: Michael Moorcock. Without him, many role-playing fans would still fighting nothing other than simple demons and dragons. He has inspired many others. Of course, I simply cannot list all of the authors I have ever read. There are too many, and I read far too quickly. I also draw heavily on my professional readings when it comes to formulating thoughts about my character development. I am a psychologist by training (and I’ll even officially be one once I finish up my dissertation), and I tend to write with that in mind. I doubt most people will ever notice that I care deeply about issues of motivation, judgment and decision making because they don’t associate those things with psychology.

Why give away writing? First, because I want to. I am working on a full-length novel, but if in the mean time I have a website and can get some shameless self-promotion in, then so be it. I don’t mind that it requires a bit of that. Look it’s kind of like giving away a free cookie when you really want someone to buy a dozen of them at a time. Once they taste it, you hope they’ll buy 3 dozen and tell all their friends. That’s what I’m hoping. Read my short stories and if you enjoy them, tell your friends. Then when I try to sell you something I hope you’ll buy it. Because then I can afford to write a bit more, which is the idea. Eventually, if I’m lucky, a publishing company will want to publish my stories and novels, and then I’ll be able to do this for a living. Or maybe not. It doesn’t matter because the stories are in there and I’m going to write them, so I might as well share them. I hope, with all sincerity, that you enjoy them. If you do, then send me an email. Anything@timemachineofguam.com will reach me. Ben out.