March 23, 2023
At this point of the year, the equinox (literally, equal night) occurs. The spring, or vernal, equinox takes place in March in the Northern Hemisphere and […]
March 16, 2023
A year ago, a friend gave Mary Jo and me a plant. It was called the Queen of the Night (epiphyllum oxypetalum), and she said it […]
March 9, 2023
Have you wondered why we’re living in a somewhat crazy world? I’d like to posit three reasons that make some sense to me. These are long-term […]
March 1, 2023
I sometimes wonder how much of what we think is truly our own thoughts—how much is actually instinct or genetic predisposition? How much is the result […]
February 23, 2023
The physicist Max Planck said, “Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature. And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are a part […]
February 16, 2023
While flipping through an anthology of military writings, I came across a selection by Marcel Proust. Yes, the novelist. In the passage, Proust has a question […]
February 9, 2023
Part of the novel-writing process, at least for me, is sporadic periods of angst, irritability, and rampant self-doubt that starts when I reach the middle. Often, […]
February 2, 2023
Frank Herbert wrote the novel, Dune, in 1965. Sales were dismal after its release, and critics didn’t take to it either. The publisher, Chilton Books, eventually […]
January 26, 2023
Most of our lives are not spent in life-and-death struggles, epic moments of triumph or defeat, but in talking to or with others. Because it’s so […]
January 12, 2023
One of the foundations of science has been the concept of Cause and Effect. Science isolates the precise causes of specific effects through observation. Out of […]
January 5, 2023
Joy has many nuances. There is the joy of standing and looking out on the land, seeing the greenery of nature, the blue of the sky, […]
December 29, 2022
The most unacknowledged virtue of living in the southern hemisphere, particularly in the South Cone*, is that the year begins and ends in summer. Who would […]
December 22, 2022
Since many people have commented on my recent albums of photographs, here are a few ideas that I’ve found to be helpful in taking them. My […]
December 17, 2022
Usually this photo collection is reserved for newsletter subscribers; this year I want to share it also with those of you who follow me on social […]
December 15, 2022
The winter solstice is approaching and falls on the 21st of December in the Northern Hemisphere. It is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere where the 21st […]
December 8, 2022
The above fell into the garden the other day. It reminded me of a thyrsus. The thyrsus has a long history in Ancient Greece. It was […]
November 24, 2022
According to American Etiquette and Rules of Politeness, published in 1883 and written by Mr. Walter R. Houghton, when you receive a favor and wish to […]
November 17, 2022
Kakuzo Okakura wrote: “We have an old saying in Japan that a woman cannot love a man who is truly vain, for there is no crevice […]
November 10, 2022
In 2020 I had an interview with Lou Diamond, host of ThriveLOUD. In this quote, I reference “state space”. Most people have agendas… they focus on […]
November 5, 2022
I was asked this question in an online business administration class of some twenty students several years ago. Everyone, including the professor, said “No”. They wrote […]
October 31, 2022
Commemorating the Mexican tradition for El día de los muertos (Day of the Dead), we have also set our Spanish Eye of the Moon series ebooks […]
October 29, 2022
Are the dead ever really dead? It’s a question that Alice poses in a letter from Shadow of the Son. Halloween has many roots in spiritual and […]
October 27, 2022
To act or not act? To be, or not be? To have or not have? I’ve found myself often enough wondering what to do. To be […]
October 20, 2022
Dr. Trevor Campbell, a medical doctor who specializes in pain, asked that we record a discussion about death. We called it: The Anatomy of Death – […]
October 13, 2022
Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) is a relatively unknown author today which is odd considering he is one of only three writers to have won the Pulitzer Prize […]
October 6, 2022
Thoth was an Ancient Egyptian deity who served as the scribe of the gods and was said to have invented writing and hieroglyphics. He was the […]
September 28, 2022
One of the interesting things our brain does is process the world in color. Color is not something inherent in the world. We create the colors […]
September 22, 2022
Sometimes when we write, we have to cut out the bits that don’t forward the story. This is editing. David Mamet said that he had a […]
September 15, 2022
I wrote this article at the end of 2014. I think it has relevance as it takes up one of the oldest concepts of governance. It […]
September 8, 2022
Few can say what is on their mind. If they could, they would say it, only the number of times we don’t is far more than […]
September 1, 2022
According to my grandfather, Serge Obolensky, and contrary to popular belief, aristocratic life in Russia under the Czar was not a life of luxury. One sees […]
August 25, 2022
If I am asked what champagne I would like to drink, I will answer, “Cristal”. Cristal is mentioned many times in my novels. Malcom Ault in […]
August 18, 2022
A paradox is defined as a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement, or a proposition, which when investigated may prove to be nonetheless well founded. It is […]
August 11, 2022
In March 2015 I wrote this article for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. It is available in English and Spanish. We all like to have stability in our […]
August 4, 2022
This was originally written in April 2016 for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. It is available in English and Spanish. Many, including a surprising number of its citizens, […]
July 28, 2022
This was originally written in April 2014 for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. It is available in English and Spanish. Any time one feels the need to liven […]
July 22, 2022
Bob Dylan said in an interview in March 1978 for Playboy Magazine: “People have one great blessing—obscurity—and not many people are thankful for it. Everybody is […]
July 14, 2022
We have been busy! From 2018 to 2022, Smith-Obolensky Media has published four books: Eye of the Moon and Shadow of the Son, and their Latin […]
July 1, 2022
I think there comes a time when one either chooses to conform to the prevailing opinion or takes the opposite point of view. Adhering to and […]
July 1, 2022
I’ve done many interviews regarding conversations. I particularly liked this one. It was with the Reverend R. David Jones on WGRC. Here is an excerpt: “Whatever […]
June 20, 2022
I wish to thank the many people who participated in and helped produce the livestreaming release event from Otraparte of A la sombra del hijo in […]
June 16, 2022
Professionalism, acting to a high standard of conduct and proficiency, has inherent in its meaning the idea of quality. Its meaning comes from the word profess, […]
June 11, 2022
I would like to give a special and warm thanks to Germán González Correa for his excellent translation, Constanza Padilla for her editing skills, and to […]
June 7, 2022
This was originally written in February 2018 and published in English and Spanish. (For the citations initially included in the article, please visit those sites.) “The […]
June 7, 2022
We have special discounts for our readers and their fathers on Eye of the Moon limited First editions: 10% off paperbacks (code: FATHERS)15% off hardcovers (code: GIVEMONTH) […]
June 3, 2022
In 9 days, we launch the Latin American Spanish literary translation of Shadow of the Son, A la sombra del hijo. Spanish readers can read the […]
June 2, 2022
Trust is defined as the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. One in which confidence is placed. It is […]
May 12, 2022
Thanks to our collaboration with Bedside Reading, the Harvest Inn, the Conrad New York Midtown, and The Ven Embassy Row now have Eye of the Moon […]
May 6, 2022
Most people think that stress is the result of crisis, but that is not always the case. Waiting and boredom are key stressors that are often […]
May 4, 2022
In Shadow of the Son, Mary makes a last-minute visit to Rhinebeck. An excerpt from Percy’s initial impressions: She was dressed in a dark business suit […]
May 3, 2022
We have special discounts for our readers and their mothers on Eye of the Moon limited First editions: 10% off paperbacks (code: MOTHERS)15% off hardcovers (code: GIVEMONTH) […]
April 28, 2022
The universe tends toward complexity, not simplicity. This is counterintuitive but nonetheless true. The reason can be found in how energy behaves. Energy prefers to be […]
April 21, 2022
I was reading Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery. This is a book I’ve read more than once, and one I highly recommend for […]
April 13, 2022
As we draw close to our fourth launch in five years, we want to support our amazing bookstores and invite our readers to support their local […]
April 7, 2022
In honor of National Library week, we have created a presentation and special limited time offer for our librarians! You may also view it here. Midwest […]
April 6, 2022
Knowledge is the most democratic of substances. Birth, prior learning, experience, reputation, wealth, or circumstance count for nothing. Its acquisition must always be deliberately and consciously […]
March 31, 2022
One of the most important concepts for anyone to master is called the Setup. It applies to both individuals and organizations. For a corporation, a group, […]
March 25, 2022
We are in the process of restructuring our distribution channels and shortly will not have our Eye of the Moon paperbacks and hardcovers available through Ingram, […]
March 21, 2022
There is a lot in the air with this series, so we wanted to reduce the prices for a limited time in appreciation for our fans. […]
March 16, 2022
I wrote this article in November, 2015 for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. It is also available in Spanish. For the original citations, please see the full article. […]
March 9, 2022
How many times a day do we look up? Chances are we’re looking down at our phones, and it is there that our attention remains. What […]
March 3, 2022
I’ve heard that musicians tend to be good mathematicians, and mathematicians tend to be good musicians. Likely this is true. Stephen Sondheim said that he was […]
February 22, 2022
I wrote this article in June of 2015, a further look into the subject covered in “Memories“. This article is also available in Spanish. Humans perceive […]
February 16, 2022
This is an article I wrote June of 2013. It is also available in Spanish. When we look at the world, what do we see? We […]
February 1, 2022
According to the latest research, books are still selling, more authors are publishing, and more books are available than ever before, but fewer books are being […]
January 27, 2022
The Goodreads Giveaway for one of 15 paperback copies of Shadow of the Son is closing soon! Another very short excerpt for you, from chapter 65: […]
January 20, 2022
I wrote this article in March, 2012. It is also available in Spanish. One way to create a stir with the Founding Fathers of the United […]
January 13, 2022
Selected parts of the interview are available to read in English and Spanish. You can check out all of my interviews to date on my Interviews […]
January 6, 2022
Many are familiar with the phrase: “Truth is stranger than fiction…” but are unfamiliar with what follows, or who wrote it. The full quote is: “Truth […]
January 3, 2022
Ivan Obolensky offers an excerpt from his sequel to "Eye of the Moon", and a link to the Goodreads Giveaway.
January 1, 2022
Mary Jo and I have put together a photo collection for you to enjoy: Photographic Journey of Uruguay.
December 31, 2021
The New Year usually brings about in all of us reflections on the past and contemplations of the future. In Shadow of the Son, Percy states […]
December 30, 2021
I wrote this article in November, 2012. It is also available in Spanish. Today a genius is considered to be a person of outstanding intelligence and […]
December 23, 2021
I’ve been featured on Book Reader Magazine and I have a new profile on All Author, where you can see questions and answers under the Ask […]
December 16, 2021
When all is said and done, a good story engages. It will seep effortlessly into the mind and speak to us directly. To do that successfully, […]
December 9, 2021
The more I write the more I am convinced that stories are the essential building blocks from which our lives are constructed. Our lives are made […]
December 2, 2021
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I spent time watching Stephen Sondheim interviews. I must admit that I was not overly familiar with his work. I am more […]
November 24, 2021
Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; or the readiness to show appreciation for, and to return kindness. To show appreciation for something, one […]
November 17, 2021
Starting from 1 am PST November 19th to midnight PST November 26th, Eye of the Moon, Shadow of the Son, and El ojo de la luna […]
November 15, 2021
I took six years of Latin in Grammar and High School. Even in the 1970s, Latin was considered a useless subject, but for a subject that […]
September 1, 2021
Peter Anthony Holder loves to connect with people and has made a career out of having conversations with those from all walks of life. His job […]
August 19, 2021
I thought I would give you an update on my world. I’ve been off doing things other than writing for the last month and a half. […]
June 21, 2021
Excerpt from Shadow of the Son: From my first visit, the house had projected an aura of mystery and a brooding watchfulness. Deep currents moved beneath […]
May 19, 2021
Today (5/20) at 7 pm COT/CDT there will be an extraordinary event hosted by Otraparte, a place and people dear to our hearts, livestreaming on YouTube. […]
May 19, 2021
Bizarre events transpire when an uninvited guest crashes a cozy weekend in the thrilling paranormal novel, Shadow of the Son by Ivan Obolensky. Percy is still […]
April 8, 2021
The sequel to Eye of the Moon is revealed as Shadow of the Son! You will be delighted to know that the house party guests—and some […]
April 2, 2021
I am reposting an interview I did with Christina Hamlett three years ago, shortly after launching Eye of the Moon. In that interview, I was asked […]
March 23, 2021
The process of translating Eye of the Moon into Latin American Spanish (El ojo de la luna) involved the work of several people. In this post […]
March 18, 2021
What is the one physical quantity that can be measured more accurately and precisely than any other and yet can’t be defined in a way that […]
February 25, 2021
The night sky before or just after a storm is one of my favorite moments. The clouds whip across the sky as the moon peeks out […]
February 16, 2021
Smith-Obolensky Media was featured in the IBPA Member Spotlight. Here is an excerpt: IBPA: How were you able to get the Latin American Spanish literary translation of […]
February 2, 2021
You will be happy to know that the first draft of the sequel will be finished very soon. This is good news for me, too. Of […]
December 30, 2020
Endings are hard because an ending, even that of a book, a work, or a year, doesn’t mean that everything stops. An ending is usually the […]
December 17, 2020
In March 2016, I wrote this article for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. As a novelist, I’m often surprised at coincidences and their later connection to other elements […]
December 3, 2020
In November 2011 I wrote an article for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. that was adapted to a video by Smith-Obolensky Media in September 2016. At the end […]
November 30, 2020
As 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to revisit an article I wrote for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. in December 2015. At the end of a […]
November 19, 2020
This photograph is of the actual house in Rhinebeck I summered at. It was called Marienruh. I never called it by that name. To me, it […]
November 5, 2020
From today to December 4th, we are hosting a special giveaway on Goodreads – one hundred Kindle eBooks of El ojo de la luna, the Latin […]
October 31, 2020
I am honored to be a return guest on The Stuph File Program, hosted by Peter Anthony Holder. The entire episode can be found on his […]
October 29, 2020
We now have the Latin American Spanish website finalized for El ojo de la luna, including the page directing where the novel is sold across the […]
October 14, 2020
The first Latin American Spanish literary translation of Eye of the Moon, El ojo de la luna, is being printed in Colombia and distributed internationally via […]
September 24, 2020
In the South Cone, Spring begins in September rather than in March. Having lived in the North so long, it takes some getting used to. North […]
September 10, 2020
Colonia, as it is known in Uruguay, is a city on the Rio de la Plata that runs between Uruguay and Argentina. The city, like Uruguay, […]
August 27, 2020
We rarely recognize golden days when we are living them. Good can only be evaluated by what we consider bad, and bad by what we consider […]
August 20, 2020
Len Deighton is my favorite living writer. I have read and reread the nine novels beginning with Berlin Game and ending with Charity of his triple […]
August 12, 2020
I consider David Hockney one of the world’s finest artists. Born in Britain, he moved to Los Angeles. He currently lives in France. The subject of […]
August 5, 2020
In May of 2017, I wrote an article entitled I Ain’t Superstitious about superstition, the art of false news, and a quote by Winston Churchill, which […]
July 30, 2020
The article “Ideas and the Scientific Method” that I wrote in May 2013 is surprisingly appropriate today. It gave a brief synopsis of the history of […]
July 29, 2020
Did you miss out on the giveaway that ended yesterday? There’s still a chance to read Eye of the Moon for free. August 9th marks the […]
July 24, 2020
From July 24th through the 28th, we have the last giveaway of Eye of the Moon before the launch of the sequel, by having the book […]
July 15, 2020
My interview with Bill Ballenger on The Political Insider #110 is posted, from the 10 minute to 29 minute mark. It was delightful to talk with […]
July 7, 2020
I had the great pleasure of speaking with Lou Diamond for his podcast series in collaboration with Bedside Reading®, Authors that Thrive.
July 1, 2020
The Rufous Hornero (furnarius rufus) is Argentina’s national bird. They build oven-shaped nests of clay and vegetation. Its English name is the “Red Ovenbird”. They are […]
June 24, 2020
When times are uncertain the best one can do is be optimistic and have a sense of humor. One must also take the long view. Such […]
June 17, 2020
I read The Good Shepherd and gave it five stars. Here is my review on Goodreads: There are a few books by C. S. Forester that […]
June 3, 2020
One of the ways we learn is to observe. Infants do that a lot. They look around. What are they doing in their cute little heads? […]
May 27, 2020
How we think changes the world we see. Let us take two diametrically opposite views of the world. The first is the causal view. For example, […]
May 20, 2020
I wrote this article in November 2016. It is translated into Spanish. Imagine you are on a bus. You are a passenger and the bus travels […]
May 18, 2020
Eye of the Moon was selected for the Bedside Reading program and featured in their newsletter this month.
May 13, 2020
I read A Gentleman in Moscow and gave it five stars. Here is my review on Goodreads: A Gentleman in Moscow begins in 1922 with the […]
May 12, 2020
Eye of the Moon is available in the Kindle Unlimited program in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the UK, and the […]
May 6, 2020
If one finds oneself in trouble, beset by problems from every side, and filled with doubts and uncertainties, it is nonetheless possible to do something about […]
April 28, 2020
You may read a sample of Eye of the Moon. To read more, visit my Order page to see options to buy.
April 22, 2020
Stephen King and I have an uneasy relationship, even though I’ve never met him. Would he be the same person I imagine him to be, if […]
April 16, 2020
Those who live in the Northern Hemisphere see the moon right side up. In the Southern Hemisphere, the moon looks upside down. It is a matter […]
April 8, 2020
Giovanni Boccaccio was born in 1313, grew up in Florence, and died in 1375. He survived the Great Plague that struck Florence in 1348 and began […]
April 2, 2020
The subject of viruses has been on many people’s minds of late and with good reason. Because some viruses can be deadly, one might wish to […]
March 25, 2020
Do you feel like a seal? I do. I’m not sure which one I am in the picture. I haven’t decided, but I’m in there somewhere. […]
March 18, 2020
Things are rarely simple. Raymond Chandler is one of my favorite authors. About every five years, I will re-read all that he wrote, starting with a […]
March 12, 2020
I used to ride horses. One thing I learned was that you had to train “both sides” of a horse. Their brains are bicameral (two hemispheres) […]
March 5, 2020
One of the definitions of judgement is the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions. Judgment is formed from experience. Mistakes are regrettable, […]
February 27, 2020
Allow me to introduce you to Megalopyge Urens. It is common in Montevideo during the months of January, February, and March. A 1936 edition of Revista […]
February 20, 2020
Barbara Tuchman (1912-1989) won a Pulitzer Prize in 1963 for The Guns of August, her account of the start of WWI. Described by the press in […]
February 13, 2020
Is the world ending anytime soon? Judging from the news, all does not look well going forward. Do you know the feeling? To get a sense […]
February 6, 2020
Not in any particular order. Clarity is more important than substance. To a reader, substance is paramount, but not to a writer. A writer takes what […]
January 31, 2020
I had the honor of returning to the radio program, “Middle Age Can Be Your Best Age” with Roy Richards. (My first interview was in October […]
January 30, 2020
This road/pedestrian walkway runs along the edge of Montevideo. It stretches for 13.7 miles along the water’s edge. It is the longest continuous sidewalk in the world. […]
January 23, 2020
This is the beginning of a new series of blog posts. I have learned much from many people and from numerous personal experiences over the years […]
January 16, 2020
There is a lot of water in Uruguay and with it comes water lilies. Their technical name is nymphaeaceae. Monet created a series of paintings called […]
January 9, 2020
Last year, I did an interview with Hamza Davis of Intrinsic Motivation: A Homies Perspective. It was titled: Who Are The One Percenters – Myths About […]
January 2, 2020
These are the two defining elements of Uruguay. It is no wonder that the Uruguayan flag is light blue and white with a sun.
December 30, 2019
Another year closes, and another begins. What will the future bring? Good things, we hope. Should your burdens be great, don’t remain downhearted. “Will it help?” […]
December 30, 2019
I was honored to be a guest on the radio talk show “Midnight in the Desert with Dave Schrader” and talked about my novel and some […]
December 26, 2019
Cabo Polonio is one of Uruguay’s wildest areas. The seas can turn chaotic and treacherous. How many ships have wrecked off this coast? More than a […]
December 19, 2019
Insects and spiders are different in every part of the world. In Uruguay there are many that I haven’t seen before, like a white and red […]
December 12, 2019
Akrasia is “the state of mind in which someone acts against their better judgement through weakness of will.” –Oxford. Some might call it ‘having a moment’. […]
December 5, 2019
Seabirds against the skyline of Punta del este. There are many migrations and seabirds of all kinds congregate briefly off the coast before they head North […]
November 27, 2019
One of my favorite writers is David Mamet. He is a fascinating source of inspiration. (See his Three Uses of the Knife: On the Nature and […]
November 21, 2019
To me, this is the ultimate pastoral view of Uruguay. It captures the sky, the greenery, the abundant water, and a sense of what it’s like […]
November 14, 2019
Learning to compromise is one of the hardest lessons. Often compromise is viewed as weakness. The outbreak of the Civil War in the Unites States (1861) […]
November 7, 2019
Water is such a strange substance, particularly water collected in pools. In this photograph there are reflections on the left that fade into seeing beneath the […]
October 30, 2019
Behind seemingly innocuous celebrations are profound concepts, peculiar histories, and perhaps disturbing ideas that seem to have a life of their own. In many cases, they […]
October 24, 2019
This month I had the pleasure of speaking with Roy Richards on his radio show, “Middle Age Can Be Your Best Age”, about the Conversation Crisis. http://webtalkradio.net/Shows/MiddleAgeCanBeYourBestAge/mac102119.mp3 […]
October 10, 2019
The start of a new day in Uruguay. Dawn is a hopeful time. Yesterday is done, and the future beckons. The photograph was taken with a […]
October 3, 2019
Cormorants sit on a single rock surrounded by ocean. The play of light on the gray of the sea gives the photo its magic.
September 26, 2019
This photograph is so typical of the wonders found in Colombia. Not only are the colors bright and different, but the campesino on the small horse […]
September 19, 2019
The coastline of Uruguay faces toward the Southern Ocean and the continent of Antarctica. The wind from the sea is relentless.
September 12, 2019
This was shot with a 500 mm catadioptric or mirror lens. It was a bright, windy day. The slightly out-of-focus sparkles of water and grasses in […]
September 5, 2019
This photograph is of a clear Uruguayan morning. I can feel the time of day just from the colors. There are so many shades of blue, […]
August 29, 2019
Although I like eye-catching photographs, the ones that go up on my screen saver tend to be calmer and more subdued. This is one that I […]
August 21, 2019
Several years ago, Mary Jo and I visited this shrine in Colombia on the spur of the moment. A few days later I found out that my […]
August 15, 2019
This photograph was taken in Cambria after a storm. The grays and muted silvers have washed out the colors. The texture is like rippled metal, and […]
August 8, 2019
Rather than write a blog every week, I will start posting a photograph instead, with perhaps a short comment. I will start with one of my […]
July 9, 2019
Earlier this year I was privileged to be interviewed by Peter Anthony Holder. He recently sent me an email after reading my novel, Eye of the […]
May 2, 2019
I read for two reasons. I love stories, and second, I am curious about most everything. Many people have asked me how I manage to read […]
April 25, 2019
Definition: Gothic Adjective. 3. of or relating to a style of fiction characterized by the use of desolate or remote settings and macabre, mysterious, or violent […]
April 18, 2019
Sometimes people enter our lives, and we note there is something extraordinary about them. When that happens when we are very young, we rarely realize the […]
April 11, 2019
I am writing the sequel to Eye of the Moon and am a tenth of the way through, or maybe not. That milestone is subject to […]
April 4, 2019
“Suffering raises up those souls that are truly great; it is only small souls that are made mean-spirited by it.” –Alexandra David-Néel. There are many footnote […]
March 28, 2019
This is an odd question, but trying to answer it leads to interesting ideas and concepts. To begin, a system could be defined as any group […]
March 21, 2019
…in England, and a Possible Prescription for Insomnia Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write. In Victorian England of 1820, the general literacy […]
March 14, 2019
We all want to be satisfied with our lives, but achieving that state can be difficult because life never allows us to reach a high point […]
March 5, 2019
Time is something of which we are all aware. Over the years, time seems to accelerate. Whether this is a perceptual illusion, the result of living […]
February 24, 2019
We live in an “age of anxiety”. The term is not new. It was coined by the English writer and poet, W. H. Auden, and was […]
February 18, 2019
Peter Anthony Holder was kind enough to invite me on his show, The Stuph File Program. He had some pointed questions about the One Percent, always […]
February 15, 2019
Whoever controls the story controls the action. As a writer, it’s what I do, but I got to thinking and realized this concept can be applied […]
February 9, 2019
Eye of the Moon has won the Silver/2nd Place award in the 2019 Feathered Quill Book Awards for the Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror category! JUDGES’ COMMENTS: – The cover […]
January 29, 2019
Here are six books that changed my view of the world. These are not in any particular order of influence. Each one worked its magic in […]
January 24, 2019
When I look out to sea, where the horizon meets the sky, I’ve wondered what would happen if I sailed in that direction. What would I […]
January 16, 2019
I used to compete in triathlons and the occasional marathon and half marathon. I loved the training more than the actual competitions. I would feel confident […]
December 27, 2018
Suppose you were asked to handle 300 emails a day as part of a job. If there are twelve work-hours available, then you would have to spend […]
December 19, 2018
I thought I would post a passage from the Tao Te Ching. This quote is from Stephen Mitchell’s excellent translation. “29 Do you want to improve […]
December 13, 2018
A mantra is an utterance that is considered to have spiritual power. The word comes from Sanskrit, and literally means “instrument of thought”. A mantra is […]
December 6, 2018
Author Melanie Ansley invited me to her blog where I share “5 Things Writing Taught Me About Living and Living Taught Me About Writing”. I hope […]
November 28, 2018
Hermès, the French high fashion supplier of luxury goods, was originally established in 1837 by Thierry Hermès as a bridle and harness shop in Paris. What set […]
November 22, 2018
I gave a book reading at Books & Books in Coral Gables the other day. Before I got to the reading itself, I spoke to the […]
November 14, 2018
In an article called “So, You Want to Change the World?“, I discussed homeostasis, and the fact that change moves in jerky, rather than smooth, increments. […]
November 8, 2018
We all have heard the Chinese story of the farmer: “Once upon the time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many […]
October 31, 2018
There are several explanations as to where the celebration known as Halloween came from, such as the Celtic festival, Samhain, that marked the beginning of the […]
October 29, 2018
Get your free copy of the Eye of the Moon Kindle ebook all across the world from today (October 29th) to November 2nd! See the links […]
October 25, 2018
Ghosts have been part of the human experience for as long as stories have been recounted. They have been recorded in one form or another by […]
October 17, 2018
November 19th, two days after attending the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards ceremony as a Gold Medal winner for “Fiction: Intrigue”, I will be at a […]
October 11, 2018
According to my grandfather, Serge Obolensky, Alice was an expert in Egyptian hieroglyphs. Toward the end of her life, he wrote that she had gotten herself […]
October 4, 2018
Many readers have wanted to know more about Alice in Eye of the Moon. Alice in the novel was inspired by my grandmother, Ava Alice Muriel […]
September 25, 2018
The Bardo Thodol is part of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Nyingma means “ancient” in Tibetan. Bardo Thodol translated into English is “Liberation through hearing […]
September 19, 2018
When I was in High School, I was often given writing assignments to analyze poems and novels to find the author’s hidden meanings. I thought this […]
September 13, 2018
In Eye of the Moon, Alice wrote in her diary: To those that come after: If you are reading this, I am dead. […]
September 1, 2018
I am thrilled to share with you that Eye of the Moon won the Gold Medal for “Fiction: Intrigue” in the 2018 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards! […]
August 30, 2018
I have been doing radio interviews lately, and I really enjoy doing them. It is hard for an author to simply announce that he has written […]
August 20, 2018
August 6th marked six months since the launch of Eye of the Moon and we’re commemorating with a giveaway of ten signed hardcover copies of the […]
August 14, 2018
Contrary to what many people think, genius isn’t necessarily about being born intelligent, although that is a factor. Real genius requires more. According to Professor Michael […]
August 7, 2018
Patience is defined as the capacity to accept (or tolerate) delay, trouble, or suffering, without upset. Suffering and annoyance are very old concepts, and both have […]
August 1, 2018
One of the questions I struggled to answer as a writer is what happens if I become really successful? How do I handle being well-known, and […]
July 24, 2018
The Egyptian Book of the Dead features prominently in Eye of the Moon. The ancient Egyptians believed that the afterlife was just like the Egypt of […]
July 17, 2018
Crows and ravens are members of the Corvidae family, which includes crows, ravens, rooks, jays, and magpies to name a few. The common raven, Corvus corvax, […]
July 10, 2018
Melanie Ansley‘s book, Theo and the Forbidden Language, recently won Best “Young Adult” at the IndieReader Discovery Awards. Melanie is an award- winning Film/TV producer, has written […]
July 5, 2018
I was recently interviewed by VoyageLA. The site includes many stories of inspiring locals, influencers, and fun things to do in LA. Today we’d like […]
June 28, 2018
Fear and courage are emotions that have shaped my life in many ways. I am less fearful now, and that is a blessing. Whether that shift […]
June 22, 2018
Egyptian mythology developed over a period of 3,000 years. This is an extraordinary amount of time when compared to the 600-year life span of the modern […]
June 15, 2018
In celebration of you, my readers, we launched a Goodreads Giveaway for 20 signed paperback books of Eye of the Moon! Use the “Enter Giveaway” below […]
June 7, 2018
Eye of the Moon won the “Best First Book” in the fiction category of the 2018 IndieReader Discovery Awards (IRDAs). I received the award at BookCon in […]
May 30, 2018
The last time I was in the town of Rhinebeck was so long ago, I have no memory of it. The other day, I visited and […]
May 22, 2018
When one thinks of Michael Crichton one thinks of Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, Rising Sun, or maybe Sphere. He created them all and many other […]
May 10, 2018
Part of the story of Eye of the Moon must contain something about my grandfather. When I was a teenager, I would go out on […]
May 3, 2018
One of the more difficult books to understand, and yet one of the most enlightening on the theater is David Mamet’s small volume, Three Uses of […]
April 26, 2018
As an IndieReader Approved book, Eye of the Moon (and its author) were selected to be included in the IndieReader blog as part of the All […]
April 26, 2018
February 1st: Compulsive Reader featured their review of Eye of the Moon in their newsletter announcement. February 2nd: Elizabeth A. White hosted Ivan for a guest […]
April 19, 2018
[My photo of my JS Series Ibanez guitar.] Some years ago, I went to a commencement at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. By some miracle, […]
April 12, 2018
Have you ever made a decision that was not only completely out of character but completely brain-dead? Like the time you were offered a genuine Rothko […]
April 9, 2018
I am attending the upcoming Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (April 21st and 22nd) at the SPAWN booth (#184). This event is the largest festival […]
April 6, 2018
I did my first book reading as an author on March 28th at the Glendale Central Library, Arts & Culture. I have been to a few […]
March 29, 2018
Nadene is an avid reader who shares her passion on both her blog and her Totally Addicted to Reading website. She was kind enough to host […]
March 22, 2018
Libby Fischer Hellmann has written fifteen mystery novels, won numerous awards, and been nominated for many more. She and I met in Tucson at the Southern California […]
March 15, 2018
This weekend I participated in my first book festival as a member of the Southern California Mystery Writers of America at their booth at the Tucson […]
March 14, 2018
Hereditary Witch and current High Priestess of the Sherwood Wiccan Coven, as well as an accomplished journalist, artist, and fellow author, Athena Schaffer reviewed Eye of […]
March 8, 2018
Today on Julie’s Bookshelf, Julie Davide posted her review of Eye of the Moon, as well as a synopsis, short excerpt and other goodies. We were […]
February 28, 2018
I was recently interviewed by Christina Hamlett for You Read It Here First. The interview in full: For readers who enjoy strong female characters, supernatural elements, […]
February 23, 2018
Magdalena Ball runs compulsivereader.com, a website based in Australia. She is a literary force in her own right and anyone who hosts a website devoted to […]
February 15, 2018
I became familiar with Matt Coyle when I found out that he and I would be sharing a Southern California Mystery Writers of America booth at […]
February 9, 2018
In a guest post I wrote for Elizabeth A. White last week, I was reminded of one of my favorite passages in history. It reads: “Our earth is […]
February 9, 2018
We are very excited to announce today’s book blog tour post: Nadene of Totally Addicted to Reading hosts Ivan, with the guest post “The Basis of […]
February 5, 2018
Today my debut novel is available worldwide, in hardcover, paperback and eBook for multiple devices!
February 2, 2018
Elizabeth A. White is a professional editor and journalist, and her site features a variety of in-depth reviews, interviews, and guest posts. We are thrilled to […]
February 1, 2018
Compulsive Reader, an elegant site maintained by Magdalena Ball, hosts intelligent and insightful reviews and author interviews for a worldwide community of over 10,000 readers. It was […]
January 29, 2018
An extended look at the upcoming novel “Eye of the Moon” through media and other industry reviews.
January 25, 2018
It has been said that to become a cultured person one should study the Japanese tea ceremony. Nothing is allowed to be rushed, and there are […]
January 18, 2018
I thought I would write something on a lighter note, given the last post. When I was growing up, I met many notable people. Unfortunately for […]
January 12, 2018
A number of readers have asked me how I was able to write Eye of the Moon. It is one of those questions that can be […]
January 4, 2018
Usage of the word “character” in the English language has been steadily declining since the turn of the 20th century. (See Google analytics of “character” mentions.) […]
December 28, 2017
If I don’t know what to do, I often grab my well-worn copy of the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation) and open it at random. […]
December 22, 2017
Here is a short (fiction) story I wrote for you for the holidays. It is not related to Eye of the Moon whatsoever, though it is […]
December 15, 2017
We all make assumptions and sometimes they trip us up. It is a theme that runs through Eye of the Moon. We assume that people are […]
December 1, 2017
In November of 2014, I wrote an article for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. titled “Lost and Found”. I wanted to share part of it with you here, […]
November 22, 2017
At the beginning of Eye of the Moon, Johnny Dodge blames his troubles on Robert the Bruce. Percy asks whether he is referring to the Scottish […]
November 21, 2017
In the spirit of thanksgiving, Smith-Obolensky Media is hosting a giveaway from today until the 6th of December: a Rafflecopter giveaway There will be five winners: […]
November 16, 2017
The first part of this interview covers Ivan’s favorite authors and their influence on his work. Ivan started in nonfiction, writing articles for Dynamic Doingness, Inc. […]
November 9, 2017
Continued from Part 1 Who is your favorite author/writer and why? No favorites. There are a lot of authors I like or have liked or admired […]
November 2, 2017
Tom Hyman was my first writing mentor and my main editor for Eye of the Moon. He guided me through many aspects of the journey from […]
October 27, 2017
Why do certain aspects of our lives stay the same when we want to change them? We find it difficult to lose weight, step outside our […]
October 23, 2017
For a limited time, preorder Eye of the Moon in hardcover, paperback and eBook! Preorders close January 12th. All paperbacks and hardcovers will be mailed ten […]
October 19, 2017
I like plays. I enjoy them because they are the closest thing I know to live storytelling. A play creates an intimacy between playwright, actor, and […]
October 12, 2017
I interviewed professional author, Nick Thacker, who delivers nonfiction and fiction with equal aplomb. Being a full-time writer in today’s world is not easy, but Nick […]
October 5, 2017
Q: Who are some of your favorite authors? How have they influenced your work? A: I have many because I read all the time. Modern authors […]
September 12, 2017
I grew up in an environment that was decidedly different from the majority of my peers. There were cooks, maids, butlers, and chauffeurs. Both my parents […]