Mental Health – Tossing Toxic Tails on the Tarmac

(Pensacola, Florida; June 16, 2022) – I threw Alvin out of my house and life only 48 hours into a five-day visit. ‘Alvin’ is not his real name, but we’ll use it here. I met him in Virginia’s Hampton Roads area back in 2014 when my ex-wife and I first separated. I was predictably devastated … Continue reading Mental Health – Tossing Toxic Tails on the Tarmac

Summer is for ADVENTURE!

Summertime means ADVENTURE! Follow the adventures of mystery writer Nathanael Miller's Accidental Detective! Partnering with NCIS Special Agent Abraham Gray, Isaac Shepherd pursues threats against the United States Navy! Available NOW in paperback and ebook format on Amazon. Pick up a copy today! #nathanaelmiller, #sparks1524, #accidentaldetective, #isaacshepherd, #abrahamgray, #mystery, #novel, #Navy, #murdermystery,

New Short Takes Video – The Pensacola Museum!

New Short Takes video!! Come with me for a short tour of the Pensacola Museum at the University of West Florida. Located in historic downtown Pensacola, the museum traces the city’s history from the pre-Columbian era to the modern-day incarnation of the oldest founded European city in North America! https://youtu.be/Etv4siyEcm8 #nathanaelmiller, #sparks1524, #Pensacola, #Florida, #GulfCoast, … Continue reading New Short Takes Video – The Pensacola Museum!

On the Waterfront – On Eagle’s Wings

(Pensacola, Florida; June 9, 2022) – I possess the oddest collection of personal connections to ships I never served aboard. Just as one example: despite numerous attempts, I never set foot aboard the carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65)—even as a mere visitor. However, every ship I did sail aboard participated in an official formation photo-op … Continue reading On the Waterfront – On Eagle’s Wings

The Writer’s Craft – Changing with the Times

(Pensacola, Florida; June 2, 2022,) – Characters must change with the times, or else they and their relationships become stagnant structures contemptuously consigned to the compost pile of failed creative ideas. However, as related to my recent column on Keeping Characters Consistent (https://sparks1524.com/2022/04/27/the-writers-craft-keeping-characters-consistent/), the challenge of ensuring your characters stay in character, even as they … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Changing with the Times

On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: Dolphins in the Midst

On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: Dolphins in the Midst (Pensacola, Florida; April 26, 2022) – The ex-USS Ponce (LPD 15) has arrived at her final berth in Texas at the scrapper’s yard. So, it’s time for another ‘On the Waterfront’ sea story about the Proud Lion and the adventures of her intrepid crew, … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: Dolphins in the Midst

Coming in 2023 – LIONFISH!

The adventure is NOT over! An excerpt from the blockbuster mystery novel 'Lionfish,' coming in 2023!--------Abraham Gray knelt alone in his hotel room. He delicately sipped a ginger ale when not praying, trying to settle his stomach. Once his video conference was over, he’d grabbed dinner at the local IHOP before returning to his room. … Continue reading Coming in 2023 – LIONFISH!

Veteran Talk – Mach Two Max Has Gone Ashore

(Pensacola, Florida; May 13, 2022) – Mach Two Max passed away last month at the age of 78, and, while the world is not a ‘smaller’ or ‘lesser’ place without her, it is a different place now that this quiet pioneer has entered the mystic realm of myth. Patricia Maxine Mallette was fluent in three … Continue reading Veteran Talk – Mach Two Max Has Gone Ashore

The Writer’s Craft – Blocking Writer’s Block

(Pensacola, Florida; May 5, 2022,) – Writer’s block is the bane of all writers, a devious felon sneaking up on unsuspecting authors and unapologetically stealing their ability to put pen to paper. Creative disruptions are something we all deal with when trying to develop our next (or even our current) project. We’ve all been there … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Blocking Writer’s Block

The Writer’s Craft – Keeping Characters Consistent

(Pensacola, Florida; Apr. 27, 2022,) – This week I celebrate the publication of And So It Begins, my third Accidental Detective novel! Available in paperback and ebook format on Amazon, this story opens in late 2018 with the newly-retired Isaac Shepherd adjusting to life after the Navy…and then his memories whisk the reader back to … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Keeping Characters Consistent