J.D. Moyer

science fiction author, beatmaker, against fascism

Author: J.D. Moyer Page 19 of 104

J.D. Moyer is a science fiction author and electronic music producer from Oakland, California.

Low Risk, High Reward, Lots of Dice Rolls (or Act Smarter)

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On March 14

In Metaprogramming

Nothing in the universe is truly random; reality is governed by cause and effect (at least on a macro scale). But many aspects of life appear random because we don’t have infinite knowledge or perception. There are also domains that we understand but are unable to choose or influence (such as the genes we’re born with or the interests we’re drawn to), so they might as well be random.

Sometimes we refer to the random-appearing events that happen to people as luck. Everyone has good luck and bad luck. Bad luck might manifest as illness, relationships gone sour, unemployment, investment losses, or freak accidents. Good luck might manifest as marrying well, gambling winnings, a perfect job offer, an abundance of friends, or great genetics.

Looking at these lists, it’s obvious that at least some of these things are partially within our control. Good health habits can prevent or mitigate many illnesses. Good communication skills can save a marriage.

On the other hand, bad things do happen to good people making good decisions. People are born into bad situations (war-torn countries, abusive families, etc.). Natural disasters can occur out of the blue. A drunk driver might take you out on the freeway. Some things are just completely out of our control, like the DNA within our cells (at least until we enter the science fiction realm of genetic self-determination).

So how can we best navigate the realm of luck? How can we exploit that wiggle room between “clearly within our realm of influence” and “completely out of our control”?

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Blogging in 2021 and Beyond

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On March 6

In Metablog, Writing

I didn’t post at all in February, mostly because I was working on revisions of The Last Crucible, Book 3 of the Reclaimed Earth series, which is now turned in to my editor Don D’Auria at Flame Tree Press. The cover looks beautiful and I’ll reveal that as well as the release date in the coming weeks.

The recent blogging gap did make me reflect on blogging in general. A few factors have pulled me away from posting as much as I used to:

  • Sometimes I feel a sense of cognitive dissonance when I read older posts. I started this blog twelve years ago in 2009, and I don’t always agree with my past self, or relate to him emotionally. That sense of dissonance sometimes dissuades me from writing. Whatever I write, some aspect of it will seem foolish or incorrect in the future.
  • Generally I feel less sure of myself than I did five or ten years ago. Being a father, experiencing illness and death in the family, and undergoing various personal struggles have humbled me. Many of my past posts offered advice, but who am I to give advice? Every year I’m alive I become more aware of the vast number of things I do not know.
  • A few years ago the Google algorithm sharply reduced traffic to any website discussing health issues that wasn’t an accredited medical institution. This makes a lot of sense in terms of reducing the amount of health nonsense on the internet (some of which I’ve written myself). But it did reduce overall traffic to this site significantly, which was discouraging.
  • Now that I’m officially a novelist, most of my writing time goes into writing novels.

On the other hand, there are still quite a few positive aspects to blogging:

  • This site actually generates income. My friend Rob, who taught me a scalp massage technique that helped me reverse my male-pattern hair loss to a significant degree, decided to offer me a generous commission for a couple blog posts I wrote that link to his site. So that’s nice.
  • Writing about whatever is top-of-mind helps me sort out my own thoughts. That’s always been a huge personal benefit of blogging, and that continues to be true.
  • It’s useful to have my own place on the internet where I can promote my creative work, moderate comments to my own standards, and publish whatever the hell I like.

So I’m doubling down on blogging. I have to give credit to Steve Pavlina, who published a blog post every single day in 2020, for nudging me in this direction.

My approach to blogging in 2021 will look something like this:

  • Schedule a chunk of time most Saturday mornings to write a blog post or posts.
  • Write about whatever I have something to say about in that particular moment (less planning, more pantsing).
  • As always, try to write something that offers at least some value to the reader. I’ll continue to share whatever I’m experimenting with in my life, what I’m learning, what obstacles I’m facing and how I’m navigating those problems.
  • Do my best to put whatever doubts and hesitancy I have about blogging aside, and just keep writing and posting.

This feels doable. Writing a post a week is a reasonable commitment, and I expect the rewards will vastly outweigh whatever time and effort I put in (as they have in the past).

How Was Your Decade?

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On January 4

In Personal Updates

Wow — what a decade.

For me it was a fast ten years. My forties whizzed by. Mostly good. A quick review:

Highlights

  • Being a dad/watching my child grow up.
  • Staying happily married.
  • Developing a daily writing habit and improving my craft.
  • Becoming a published science fiction author.
  • Continuing to make music with my friends.
  • Recovering my physical and mental health after some rough patches (gastritis, insomnia, anxiety-depression).
  • Developing and implementing an investment plan and getting richer, achieving a level of financial security.

Self-knowledge/lessons learned

  • For me, slow and steady is almost always the best approach. Occasional sprints are fine, but only with sufficient rest and relaxation in-between. Trying to maintain a “push” pace for extended amounts of time isn’t worth it for me, and just leads to chronic stress.
  • I need a lot of exercise to feel my best. Multiple hours of walking every day, strength exercise almost every day, and ideally some kind of competitive sport at least once a week (the latter which I have sorely missed during pandemic).
  • What feels to me like a minor expression of anger can read much larger/angrier to others, so I need to carefully control this (especially around my kid — big parenting lesson).
  • Daily meditation, even for very short amounts of time, yields outsized results (in terms of emotional clarity, creative inspiration, and stress reduction).
  • Creative expression (writing and/or music) is essential for my mental health, regardless of if those efforts lead to any kind of external success (getting published, sales, reviews, etc.).

What I’m aiming for this coming decade

  • Being a good dad, husband, son, friend, and citizen (being loving, kind, empathetic, loyal, strong, helpful).
  • Getting better at writing and making music.
  • Creating one or more “hits” — creative work that deeply connects with a very large number of people.
  • Getting physically stronger, improving my health.
  • Achieving financial freedom (a level of wealth that enables more travel, majority of income from passive sources, ability to donate large amounts to favorite charitable causes, a few luxury items).
  • Doing what I can to improve my country (less political corruption, more public wealth/investment, more critical thinking and evidence-based governance).

What about you, kind reader? What were the highlights of your last ten years? How will you make the next decade a great one?

The Roaring Twenties Redux?

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On December 21

In Culture Rants/Shares, Utopian Speculations

Kia and I were talking about all the things we want to do post-pandemic. We want to see all our friends and family, eat out at restaurants, go to concerts, travel, and everything else we haven’t been able to do for nearly a year now. Will we actually do all those things once we get the chance? It’s hard to say; maybe those activities will feel too stimulating and overwhelming after living the quiet inside life for so many months. But I imagine there will at least be a period of overcompensation, not only by us but by most people globally. Many are in dire economic straits because of the pandemic, so it remains to be seen how much of a consumer spending boom will result. But the appetite will be there.

The conversation got me wondering how much of the Roaring Twenties of the 20th century had to do with the exuberance and relief that followed not only the end of World War I, but the end of the 1918 flu pandemic that killed 675,000 Americans and 50 million worldwide. The good times didn’t begin right away. The U.S. experienced high inflation for several years due to pent-up demand, short supply, and the end of rationing rules. Wages didn’t keep up with rising prices and workers went on strike as a result. Class and racial tensions boiled over in many cities, resulting in riots and numerous deaths.

In 1921 the Fed lowered interest rates, President Harding provided national unemployment relief, and the U.S. economy was off to the races. Economic boom times were accompanied and amplified by cultural changes: women’s suffrage, the availability of birth control and the possibility for smaller families, the automobile, radios in most households, frequent cinema outings, and the rise and growing influence of Black culture (jazz, dance halls, the Harlem Renaissance, etc.). Reactionary and racist groups pushed back via Prohibition, Ku Klux Klan membership, the anti-communist “Red Scare” movement, and the Anti-Immigration act of 1924. But the mood of many in the country was exuberant, expansionistic, and celebratory.

21st Century Redux?

Could our own twenties follow a similar path? As a thought experiment, what factors would need to exist and co-conspire to create our own Roaring decade?

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Reclaimed Earth Series Promotion (Cash and Book Prizes)

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On December 17

In Contests

I’m running a short contest to promote my Reclaimed Earth science fiction series. Please enter below if you’d like a chance to win $50 and the first two books of the series. Book 3, The Last Crucible, comes out next year on Flame Tree Press.

Update: This contest has ended. The winner was selected randomly by the gleam.io engine, and paid.

Reviews of The Sky Woman (Book 1 of Reclaimed Earth)

Review in Analog SF
“A well-told story reminiscent of Ursula K. LeGuin or Karen Lord”

Review in Compelling Science Fiction
“wonderfully entertaining debut novel”

Review on Whiskey With My Book
“a highly imaginative future Earth”

Review on Pamela Morris Books
“an incredible and detailed vision of Earth’s future”

Review on In Libris Veritas
“I loved the blend of science fiction technology with the rustic iron age advancements”

Review on Cemetery Dance
“wildly imaginative and totally entertaining”

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