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We were sitting on a friend’s porch, looking out over the ocean. The fence that holds back the dunes had an American flag affixed to it, held straight by a sea breeze. If asked what that flag meant, a thousand strangers would no doubt list some words in common. My guess is that “Freedom” would rank near the top, joined there by its synonym, Liberty. Freedom is outright worshipped in the United States. It is craved everywhere, of course, but usually without thinking long on what that worship means. We…

It’s been a decade since I wrote a little story that changed my life and kept a ton of readers up past their bedtimes. When I wrote WOOL, I never thought I’d live to see it impact so many people. All you can dream about as a new writer is getting one person to read and love your work. Never in a million years did I foresee these books being translated into over 40 languages and for millions of people to fall in love with Juliette and her struggles in…

It’s here! It’s real! The latest release from John Joseph Adams, Christie Yant, and myself! I present to you, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH, BURN THE ASHES, and OR ELSE THE LIGHT. Otherwise known as THE DYSTOPIA TRIPTYCH! Six or so years ago, JJA and I edited and released The Apocalypse Triptych, a series of three anthologies that allowed authors to tell connected stories about the end of the world. We had so much fun with those books that we decided to do it again, this time with a dystopian flair. We…

Life comes in three phases: 1) Ignoring all advice. 2) Finally trying things and wishing you’d done them sooner. 3) Being an advocate of things and no one listening.

Ten years ago I lived in Boone, in the mountains of North Carolina. Boone has an interesting mix of the political spectrum. There are good old boys mixed in with flower children. It’s a bit of a hippie enclave amid a sea of conservatism. In one day, you hear a very wide range of what’s-wrong-with-the-world. One of the few things everyone agreed upon was that there were too many tourists moving into town. Too many people in general. Overpopulation is a rare area where the left and right both see…