Here’s the announcement of the next round of digital shorts based on the characters of Robert E. Howard. My story is about Bran Mak Morn, a Pict hero in the days of the Roman occupation. The title is “Wolf of the Heather.” www.superherohype.com/comics/62877...

This photograph of Reagan-era Marine veteran Curtis Evans exercising his constitutional right to protest in Broadview, Illinois, yesterday was taken for the Chicago Tribune by Stacey Wescott. I know Curtis Evans is a hero, and I'm betting Stacey Wescott is a future Pulitzer winner.

Here's a dark fantasy story I wrote called "Dolly Girl." I'm pretty proud of it. It's about 8,100 words long, which means it will take most native English readers about 40 minutes to read. If you take the time, let me know what you think! www.apexbookcompany.com/a/blog/apex-...

I posted this image last week,but am reposting as I can now prove this is my 5-times-great-grandfather. As a member of Gabriel Long's Company of Morgan's Rifles, he crossed the Delaware with George Washington. Shortly thereafter, he was wounded at Princeton, then fought at Brunswick and elsewhere.

A rare long-distance action shot of me at work. My brother snapped me checking to see if #13 had calved—you can see she had—and “sexing” the baby. Little girl.

I'm not sure if this is a William Rowe in my family. There are a LOT of William Rowes in my family. Heck, I see at least two every day, and on some days three! I should look into it more deeply at some point. It would be cool to have a Revolutionary War Veteran ancestor.

I acknowledge the smugness of this letter I've just typed up. I will also be smug when I walk down to the post box on the public square after breakfast in the morning to mail it. If you're gonna be performative, try to make someone else's day with it while you're making your own, that's what I say!

Happy Labor Day weekend from the ‘ville.

Double dipping this morning.

Hey genre publishing people. Do I know anyone who, or know anyone who knows anyone who, worked on the Tor Conan books in the 80s and 90s and might answer a few questions?

Perfection is unattainable by humans. But there are human things that, in my life’s experience thus far, have gone a long way towards it. Here are lucky thirteen of them. There are more. Now you go.

My latest story, a sword & sorcery piece called "Savannah and the Apprentice," is now live at Lightspeed. It features my possible-series character Savannah the Librarian and companions of the road. There's an author interview & audio version at the story page, which is linked in the first comment.

It's funny, the things that will throw you out of a story. I just read a description of a monster that the author says has "a broad gar-like mouth," and I just stopped. What? I'd give you "long," though that's inelegant. I'd give you "sharp" and be quite happy. But broad?

Taters turned one yesterday. As the first vet who saw him after I took him from the farm at around 13 weeks correctly predicted, he has turned out to be "irredeemably feral."

I continue to tweak the covers, but am taking what's left of the weekend off to work on a revision. Here's where they stand. (You can also see this stuff at falchionmag.blogspot.com)

Falchion now has a blog, with information zine and contact information for queries and submissions. falchionmag.blogspot.com I've also one last time updated the cover. I'm very proud of the staples!

My sword & sorcery fanzine Falchion will launch in October and Deadline of September 15th. Looking for reviews of any s&s media (short stories to video games, at least 1K words), memoirs, general overviews. Anything to do with s&s. No upper word limit. I reserve the right to reject any submission.

My sword & sorcery bookshelf.

Inspector on site to check a Rowe Farms water tank.

Check out Episode 683 of the Coode Street Podcast, hosted by @jonathanstrahan.bsky.social and @garykwolfe.bsky.social. The guest is China Miéville, the occasion is the 25th anniversary of Perdido Street Station, and the conversation is far ranging and of great interest. jonathanstrahan.podbean.com

Something just happened that reminded me of reading Robert Jordan's Conan novels, which launched Tor's very lengthy program of publishing Conan pastiche in the 80s and 90s. Other than a few issues of the Marvel comics, they were the first Conan I ever read.

Viz the latest uproar about what sf etc "kids these days" might want to look at, my own opinion is that they (or their caregivers) poke around this site and subscribe to four or five. www.trollbreath.com/sff-magazine...

Launching a fanzine. Soliciting content, especially substantive and comprehensive reviews on anything sword & sorcery related (think 500 words and up, no top end).

This is about as long as I ever grow my beard. I’m idly considering growing it longer (but keeping it neat) but don’t know.

Challenged by @christopherrowe.bsky.social to make a case for Starlings in Winter by Mary Oliver being Sword & Sorcery, here’s my take. www.carlellis.co.uk/2025/08/07/s...

And then, in the sweat and the heat and the mud, a moment of startling beauty.

I'm trying to find a book or series that I may very well have imagined, or perhaps I have my author wrong, but boy, I sure didn't think so. (threaded)

Writer friends: Where can I list a market for short speculative fiction? I've already posted on the Facebook pages for places I could find, entered the information at the Submission Grinder, and have written SFWA (think that's the same dude as the Grinder) and Locus. Reddit looks like a nightmare.

Opening August 15th, These Dreaming Hills, an anthology of Appalachian speculative fiction to be published by Appalachia Book Co and edited by Christopher Rowe. Pro rates. Please spread the word. www.appalachiabook.co/submit

Just received an offer from a well-known Southeastern USA university to adjunct in their Creative Writing MFA program in the Spring 2026 term.

First thing I do every morning is search the bedclothes for the book I was reading the night before. Apparently I knocked the one from last night off the bed in my sleep, as this is how I found it this morning. (That's the ERB estate's authorized edition of A Princess of Mars, if you're curious.)

So. Greg Pak's PLANET HULK. Sword & Planet, yes or no?

My latest sword & sorcery story, "Savannah and the Apprentice," will go live at Lightspeed Magazine on 21st August. Subscribers already have the ebook in their inboxes (you can also buy individual issues). Will I repeat this on the 21st? Why, yes. Yes I will.

My two desks.

This is the first paragraph of an article, "Lord of the Black Throne," by P. Schuyler Miller in AMRA vol 2 no 14, January 1961. Does anyone know of a resource that lists some particularly good examples of the kind of books he's talking about?

Here are pp. 7-9 of The Issue at Hand, by James Blish, writing as William Atheling. I'm reading this book, along with its two sequels (one posthumously published, I believe), as well as Damon Knight's In Search of Wonder, and I develop and implement the way I'm writing s&s reviews for my blog.

Mail call.

Spending the day on an 50-year-old International Harvester 666. I don’t have in enough time on the job yet to rate a tractor with a cab.

On a date yesterday we went for midafternoon tapas and cocktails, hit a used bookstorre (netting nine for Chi, six for me, three of which are repurchases/library rebuilds), and saw Superman. First time either of us had been in a movie theater in years. We both really liked the movie. Great day.

The old spring house, Rowe Farms, Adair County, Kentucky.

This was actually very satisfying in the end. I just want to stand here and look at it.

I actually like the days where being a farmer means being a cattleman. I’m getting to like the days where it means being a driver. I do not like the days where being a farmer means being a plumber.

No, no, absolutely not. This behavior will not be tolerated!

This is Friend, high lord of Rowe Farms.