Blog
Notes From The Writing Desk
Dell writes about the process behind The Zara Project, the genre of cozy science fiction, the role of AI in modern writing, and the personal story that started it all.
Meet Petie Why Every Cozy Novel Needs a Dog (Or Something Like One)
One of the core requirements of the cozy mystery genre is a loyal animal companion. Cats are standard. Dogs appear...
Read More →
Why I Chose Self-Publishing (And What I Wish I Had Known First)
Traditional publishing has a gatekeeping structure that does not favor debut authors writing in new genres. Large houses require an...
Read More →
AI Did Not Write My Book. Here Is What It Actually Did.
I used Microsoft Copilot throughout the writing and editing of The Zara Project, and I want to be specific about...
Read More →
I Write in the Dark. Here Is Why That Works.
Most writing advice tells you to sit at a desk with a notebook or a laptop and produce a set...
Read More →
What Makes Science Fiction Cozy? A Practical Answer
Before I wrote a single word of The Zara Project, I spent time studying what cozy mysteries actually are. Small...
Read More →
The Promise I Forgot and Then Kept
My wife Pat teased me about science fiction for years. She said it had no soul. She said it was...
Read More →