Project Threshold Season 2: Team Berger by Craig Crawford

4/6/2025

Multi-volume, multi-genre author Craig Crawford introduces us to the first book in the second season of the Project Threshold series, “Team Berger”:
Alaska changed everything. Project Threshold lost key people and is still trying to sort itself out. Berger moves up in the ranks and begins training a new leader. He crosses paths with a dangerous psychic but gets sidetracked tracking down Katie and Jessie before they disappear forever. The team goes head to head against something decapitating people in the desert, killers in the skies, and they try to stay out of the path of a vengeful ghost that will not stop . . .

This volume expands the Project Threshold universe in a wonderful way. We are getting to know more members in the organization and learning more about other members. Some even show up off-duty.
One of the good things about the series is that each book and each story can stand alone yet they connect in minor ways that enrich the total experience. Sure you can read them out of order, but there is more pleasure to be had by reading them in sequence.
I don't give spoilers, so I cannot reveal any further details.
Get this book, get all the books and rest assured that more are coming.
4.8 stars from me because I am picky about certain things.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Threshold-Season-2-Team-Berger-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-project-threshold-season-2-team-berger
www.barnesandnoble.com/project-threshold-season-2-craig-crawford

You can connect with the author:
https://x.com/CLCrawfordAuthr Note: this is a new account.
https://www.facebook.com/CraigLCrawfordWriter
https://craiglcrawfordbooks.com
https://projectthreshold.com

I reviewed the first book in this series here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/p-t-team-berger
I reviewed the second book in the series here:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/p-t-team-talise
I have reviewed the third book in this series:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/team-riker-by-craig-crawford
I have reviewed the fourth book in the Project Threshold series, “Finale”:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/project-threshold-finale
I have reviewed another book by the author:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-beginners-guide-to-being-evil-by-craig-crawford
I have reviewed another book by the author: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/zombunny-by-craig-crawford

Copyright © 2025 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

47 Comments

Craig Crawford link

4/7/2025 08:51:11 am

Good morn Mark. We're back at it again. I enjoy are back and forth so its never hard to schedule time with you here 😉😁

Mark

4/7/2025 11:56:10 am

The very same for me, Craig. You have become the long-lost cousin that is back in my life.

I didn't tell our visitors where the quote came from at the end of our interview for the promotion of Zombunny. Here is the quote to refresh everyone's memory: "It's not exactly a code, it's more like suggestions or ideas." I recall it from the movie with Johnny Depp and others, The Pirates of the Carribean". I my not have it exactly right, but that was the gist of it.

Thank you for allowing me to help promote season two of Project Threshold. You certainly haven't lost your edge as a writer.

First question.

On average, how many words do you write at a time or how long do you spend writing in one stretch, in one day?

4/7/2025 12:49:27 pm

Often, when I'm writing I'm in what I call 'the zone' and I'm dialed in. I'll often type 2-3000 words in a sitting. It depends though. Ive got a YA scifi Ive been working on for several years now and the 3rd book was giving me issues. In retrospect, I think it's because my Project Threshold world was taking center stage. However, in the last few months I had a major breakthrogh and have steadily been writing on it. This weekend I typed out over 8000 words. If the story is present and rolling, I can write for as long as it takes to get the words down.

4/7/2025 02:55:21 pm

That is great production! You are probably right about one series stealing the spotlight from another. Some writers work on two or three WIPs as needed. When the inspiration dries up on one they jump on the next one and the words flow again. For writers like that, I suggest stopping in the middle of a chapter when the end of the chapter is clear. Resuming writing from the middle makes it easier for the muse to get in step.

New question.

What type of environment is best for your writing? Noise, quiet, public, private?

4/7/2025 06:27:03 pm

I do usually have 2-3 WIPs going and I do flip when I got stuck or need to think something over. When I return to an unfinished piece, I reread at least the last chapter to immerse back in.

I do officially have ADHD and one side benefit is that I can hyper focus. I can tune out a noisy environment and only "see" my story. I can write in any environment though I do have my "computer room" at home where I'll pull on headphones, queue up music and start typing. It's my primary writing space.

4/7/2025 06:31:37 pm

We have that old friend in common. I was diagnosed as an adult. I think the hyper-focus aids me in my proofreading work. I am also very focused when I am reading and had to learn to unfocus a bit so I could hear my wife when she called me and later my children. The struggle is real. I don't need headphones.

New questions.

Do you have a website or a blog where fans can get to know you and buy your books?

Who did you build it with and why did you choose them?

4/7/2025 09:20:00 pm

Yeah, there are definitely negatives to it and I have had to build my own arsenal of tricks and skills to keep me on task and to remember things. The funny thing is, ADHD seems to be my friend when it comes to writing. My mind jumps around a lot, but it also reminds me of small details and examines my stories as I'm writing them, incorporating all kinds of extras as my mind is flitting over the plot.

It's a mix of pains but also advantages. I've learned to adapt.

As for my site, I've got my own separate site for my other works but for Project Threshold, anyone interested can find links at:

https://projectthreshold.com/

I built the site myself. Both of them, in fact. I got a GoDaddy site a long time ago after I started finishing novels and when Project Threshold came about I decided I wanted a site dedicated just to it. I have my complaints here and there, but my Wordpress site is pretty easy to build pages and add blogs. I've got just enough skills to create on my own for now.

However, from our previous conversation outside here, I am going to look into merging the two sites and I'll probably look for some professional help because I can only do so many things on my own.

This Indie author gig is stretching my skills and capabilities to the limits some days and I just don't have time to figure everything out on my own.

Oh--I do think I've solved my email problem with my newsletter, but you can test that out for me when you get time ;)

4/8/2025 07:20:24 am

Yes. I love solving problems also. There are limits to how much time we have to do that on our own. There are moments when it is prudent to engage someone with the skillset to help us keep moving forward.

The next Project Threshold email will be a good chance to find out. I love those emails by the way. They make me feel like a part of the PT team.

Paying for one site is cheaper than two. Less of your time will be required over the long run also. I finished updating my website a few days ago. It had been a year and a half since the last update. Proofreading comes first.

New question.

Do you have a favorite quote from a book?

4/8/2025 10:59:58 am

Thanks Mark. I've read a lot of newsletters and when I designed my own I realized it was an opportunity to world build. It's made it more fun for me so I'm excited to keep putting them out and I see it as a way to give back to people who take the time to read it.

It's no secret Roger Zelazny is one of my most favorite authors. His Amber series was my baptism into science fiction and fantasy. I always remember the very last line from the first book: A demon wind propelled me east of the sun.

So much was packed into that statement--a prelude to book two but also a feeling of intent for everything he has been through and how it has tainted his expectations. He wasn't sailing forth with regalness or heralded by stallions or even dragons, but a "demon wind", I still love that line.

4/8/2025 11:04:00 am

You're welcome. You will get those bugs ironed out unless an interdimensional entity is messing with you.

I love that line! It is full of meaning. Now, I need to read the book. Thanks. There are already so many books on my Kindle that it's getting heavy.

New question.

Do you have a favorite fictional character?

4/8/2025 02:38:22 pm

Hmm...I'm not much for favorites of anything because these choices change with my mood on any given day.

But--there is one pinnacle character in literature, who, to me, solely saved the world. Samwise Gamgee. Without him, Frodo never makes it to Mordor and Sauron would have controlled everything. Sam never got center stage like Frodo or Aragorn or even Gandalf, but he was the true hero of that story.

4/8/2025 02:50:19 pm

Sam was the unsung hero of the LOTR. I have felt that way for a long time. Especially after Sean Astin's performance in the movie.

I was given a paperback set of the LOTR when I was in 8th or 9th grade. I read the trilogy 3 times and The Hobbit once or twice before graduating from high school. Prior to that it was sci-fi all the time. Now, fantasy runs a close second place in my list of favorite genres to read.

New question.

Do you have a favorite scene in Season Two Team Berger?

4/8/2025 04:37:55 pm

Yes, Sam was the core that held everything together. I love the story, and I agree Sean Astin killed that role. Of course, I also loved the ring wraiths (😇😇).

Honestly my fav is Harris having fits being dragged out in public by Cowler. I keep rooting for Harris to get his life on track. Cowler gives him a lot of crap, but she really gets him out of his comfort zone in a good way. It's not monsters and malevolence but I love their unfolding relationship.

Also the second story where Katie realizes revenge doesn't always go the way you think it's going to. It's a dangerous game to play.

Also maybe a conscious prelude and foreshadowing for another Project Threshold character on the same path???

4/9/2025 02:07:14 pm

The ring wraiths were scary! I was quite afraid of them the first time I read the series!

I find the Cowler Harris combination very intriguing. I can hardly wait to see the next step they take.

Poor Katie! She didn't know when to leave well enough alone. I can get that way also. One construction foreman, on a large project employing nearly 100 tinners, called me his bulldog because he knew I would get it done. Hyper-focus was my friend then.

New question.

Do you have a favorite quote or line from your book?

4/9/2025 04:53:28 pm

I'd say, overall, my favorite duo in P/T is Bodi and Kali because of their constant bickering but since we're discussing Berger's season two book I'll stick with it.

Katie Pendelhaven makes a comment to their new field captain, Aurora Delgado, about what they ran into: "Welcome back to Project Threshold."

Even as that line came out, I laughed because it kind of sums up their world. Those people can run into almost anything imaginable there despite the environment 😇😅. I'm not sure my MCs find it as funny as I do but...

4/9/2025 05:00:05 pm

Heck of a moment for sure! Delgado did well. She was the right person for the job.

New question.

If you could trade places with one of your characters in your book, which one, which scene, and why?

4/9/2025 10:13:29 pm

Hahaha...it's a scary world I've created and I'm not sure I'd want to trade places with any of them 😂😂.

I would appreciate it from the standpoint of seeing behind the proverbial curtain of a bigger reality. However, most of my characters have some issues, either from what they've already, encountered or past experiences that led them into that job.

If you forced me to pick one...honestly I think I'd choose Quincy or Janice because they're behind the scenes and aren't in the thick of it. I dont think I could go into the field like my teams without freaking out 😇

4/10/2025 09:12:39 am

A wise answer! I wouldn't want to do any field work either.

New question.

If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which one would it be, what would you do for three or four hours, and why?

4/10/2025 11:17:45 am

Cassidy Garret from Kurt and Cass' team. She seems the most at home with all the inter-dimensional stuff, the most resilient aside from Bodi and Talise.

Of course we'd talk about her work related things, and probably in a bar with Kurt grousing from his seat, but I think I'd steer her toward conversation toward "god" and get her perspective on how she sees the world and whatever creative force she believes in. I probably don't want Kurt's take but I know full well he'd give it anyway 😅😅

4/10/2025 01:17:27 pm

Kurt isn't afraid to share his opinion whether you ask for it or not. Cassidy is an interesting person. She is very level-headed. I think it would be interesting to talk about spiritual things with her and Kurt.

New question.

When you are writing, is it hard to think of names?

4/10/2025 02:08:09 pm

I think it would be interesting to hear what they think about their creator, if indeed I really am 😉

I willl offer up that before these stories are done Kurt is going to be exposed to a 4th wall break 😁

Names are interesting. Sometimes they just pop right out to me and they come as I'm getting the feel for the character. Other times I have to think about it for a time. I use a site called behindthename.com when I got stuck for names. Before that I had a Baby Name Book to thumb through for inspiration.

For example, Berger's name hit me as I was thinking about the leader role for a team. Has first name came shortly thereafter and just seemed to roll nicely.

For Katie Pendelhaven, she was the newbie and I wanted more of an innocent sounding name (at least to me), and Katie showed up quickly. I started searching surnames and, again, I bumped into Pendelhaven and it sounded like a natural combination.

4/10/2025 04:48:11 pm

Very cute, creator Crawford. ;-)

Fourth wall break. I kind of know what it means in theater and movies. A character turns to the audience and makes a comment relative to them rather than the actors. It goes beyond a narrator, beyond the story. I have to guess it is something similar. That sounds interesting, I can hardly wait to see how it plays out.

Before the internet, I think authors bought a big percentage of baby name books. Now, there are websites devoted to names going back several hundred years organized by region, state and country. They draw upon Church records of births and deaths, land deed and tax records. For those who write historical fiction, these websites have been extremely helpful.

You probably don't need those websites. You have done well without them.

New question.

Has your writing today changed much from your first book?

4/10/2025 09:35:00 pm

In all honesty, I think my 4th wall break is almost kind of backwards...but you'll see. The characters definitely go down the rabbit hole this time around. One, quite literally. I had a LOT of fun writing all of these.

As to your question, my writing has changed so much. My first real novel, called The Dragon Hunters, turned the concept around, and back then I was still emulating the styles of my fav authors without much forethought to my own voice. Or the creation of sentences, paragraphs and scenes. I had the beginnings of a voice and style back then but it was extremely rudimentary.

Now, I build scenes with an eye to consciously achieve the kinds of tempo and emotional gravity I want to portray. Many of the stories I write now...there's no way I could have accomplished those back then. Which is as it should be. Writing is really about learning over time, making mistakes over and over and learning little by little.

And really, it wasn't mistakes so much as the process of learning how to write effectively. Back then, if I managed some emotional oomph, it was great, but it was more happenstance, whereas now, I am conscious of the use of my words to build the images for the reader that I want them to see. And feel.

I will say, I still tend to keep from over explaining things. I try to give enough scenery and background to set the stage and give the readers a rough idea of what the characters look like but I like giving enough leeway for them to form their own images of those things too. One, it's how I grew up reading, and two, I think it brings your reader in closer to the story if they have some say in how they perceive the world and the characters so they can relate to all of it.

4/11/2025 10:54:29 am

I do love a good rabbit hole! I look forward to that. I am that guy that was happy to look words up in a dictionary. Sometimes I would spend an hour in the dictionary before returning to the book I was reading.

Every writer improves with each book they write at least for the first six to eight books. I heard about an old editor, a long time ago, that when accepting a person's first book would throw it in the garbage can and say to the author, "You got that out of your system, now go write a good book." Harsh, but true. The first book is such a learning experience.

I am a firm believer in leaving lots of mystery about the commonest of actions and life for the reader. Explain only what is critical to the plot. Allowing the reader to fill in the blanks binds them closer to the story. You are doing that well.

New question.

Have you ever thought of rewriting an early book, why or why not?

4/11/2025 02:07:36 pm

I never minded and still do not mind crossing paths with unfamiar words. I'll go look them up-it's like getting a new word for your existing arsenal.

And yes--I've heard the same story on said editor. I disagree with his action--is's a snooty reaction. You save that novel to remind yourself of where you started and watch your progression. Andmaybe down the road it becomes the basis for a masterpiece 😉

Which is a great lead in to your question....someday I think I will rewrite my Dragonhunters novel (and its sequel-- Dragon Hunted) using the skills I've accumulated. It'a great premise and there are many parts that have merit...including a "fight" in a city (though the fight is clearly an ambush by a dragon who becomes as ruthless as any human 😉).

I'll just need the time to pull it back out and rewrite it from scratch.

4/11/2025 03:01:54 pm

It could become a masterpiece, no doubt.

I like that you are thinking of rewriting the book. The premise sounds interesting. I love stories about dragons. I read several volumes of the Dragon Riders of Pern early in this century.

New question.

Other than the forementioned dragon story, do you have other unpublished or half-finished books set aside that you may or may not get back to?

4/11/2025 07:25:34 pm

Being a DnD-er from way back, I've always loved dragons too, and I've always had a kind of pet peeve about how they were portrayed early on in Dungeons and Dragons. Lots of hit points but not the fearsome entities I always envisioned from books like The Hobbit.

I came up with the idea that dragons might be akin to gods in power, and they might actually talk to each other. They also wouldn't be real keen on groups running around trying to kill them to loot their homes.

Actually those entire two books started with the city scene I mentioned and I built everything else from there. Still, just beginnings of my novel writing and it needs a complete rewrite...some day.

To answer your question, I have a multitude of novels I need to work on getting published after I'm done with the Project Threshold world. I've got my Black Lion Trilogy which is finished. Fantasy--about Collin, a famous mercenary on the continent of Cy. While everyone sees him as a great hero, he's actually running from his past and hiding who he really is.

Then, in that same world I've got another book called Morana's Blades, about a curious young man named Rabbit who escaped imprisonment and torment thanks to a three person mercenary team going by the name as the title. Except when my MC, Mara runs across Rabbit and hears about this three person powerhouse, things don't add up and she discovers secrets she almost wishes she hadn't for what's been done to him.

And I've got 2 and a half books on a dark scifi called The Adventures of Darby Xanthe, which I really want to get back to. And I will...after I finish the 3rd book of my YA science fiction trilogy tentatively called The Terraformers Trilogy. I'm actually writing on that now and almost finished.

I've got two single books, one called Ghost Boy--the Afterlife Adventures of Teddy Larson, another YA. And I've got a post-apocalyptic novel called The New World. Both of those finished.

So I've been busy. I have no shortage of books to work on, plus I keep writing short stories in between novels. I honestly kind of wish I could retire because I think I would kick my writing into overdrive and complete a lot of projects.

4/12/2025 07:35:57 am

I want to read all of your books! Science fiction is my top favorite genre to read, and fantasy is a close second.

New question.

Where do you find inspiration for your books?

4/12/2025 09:46:33 am

Thanks Mark. I have loglines and short synopses of these stories on my home website: craiglcrawfordbooks.com My "plan" is to start in on any of these as soon as the Project Threshold world slows down.

Project Threshold is kind of my testing ground in marketing and advertising, and if and when I figure this out I'll be able to launch the others.

As for inspiration, it can come from anywhere. I think for my fantasy novels--I grew up reading a lot of fantasy and sci-fi, it was reading other authors that got me thinking in those terms and I came up with my own ideas about what I wanted to write about.

I've been a long time fan of characters like Batman--the broken hero and my fantasy books explore that theme. Collin, Rabbit--they've got so much weight on their shoulders. Collin's friend, Ran, is afraid he's got a death wish with the way he behaves and Rabbit, well, he just kind of lists through life. But I like that theme and I think it's important to explore, and to give hope.

It's another favorite theme of mine--hope in the face of the worst. I think that comes out in the Project Threshold books. At least I hope so. :)

There's an interesting side to inspiration and I still don't know what to make of it. There are times where things hit me almost randomly and I feel like there's something "bigger" feeding me ideas. Recently, I was at work heading downstairs to our mailroom. On the stairs, and not thinking about Project Threshold in any way, a Riker story just popped into my head. Boom. In its entirety, I knew how it would start and where it would go. I do not know what or how it happened but it was suddenly there.

The ancient Greeks used to talk about the Muses who would give inspiration to artists, poets and the like. Sometimes, the way I get ideas, seemingly out of nowhere, I'm getting more and more entrenched in the idea that they're a real thing. Whether it's connecting with God, a higher force, etcetera, I don't know but it's almost a spooky feeling sometimes. In a good way.

The fact is, I trust in it and I don't feel the need to explain it. I just accept it works and I am grateful every single time my "muse" throws a story idea at me.

4/12/2025 12:46:56 pm

I don't know how literary inspiration strikes or where it comes from exactly. So many authors talk about it that I go along with the flow. While I am not a writer, I have experienced inspiration many times. I have noticed that a solution to a difficult problem can easily appear when I am not thinking about it. Particularly when I am engaged in an activity that doesn't need a lot of high-level, mental activity. Routine, mundane activities are the best setting for inspiration to strike. I use the term "muse" much of the time when talking about these things with authors.

Yes, the muse whispers at unusual times also. One author told me her muse showed up regularly at 2:30 am. She kept a notepad and a pencil on her nightstand. Sometimes she could even read her notes after waking up in the morning. Another woman lamented to me that her muse invariably appeared when she was in the shower and struggled to keep the connection long enough so she could get out and write the idea down. She was unsuccessful much of the time. I recommended she buy a Fisher Space Pen and a waterproof notebook so she could write while in the shower.

New question.

What are your earliest memories of writing, how far back does that go for you?

4/12/2025 01:18:33 pm

Yes, it's a strange thing. I've solved problems for stories in the shower. Now, I don't have a problem remembering so I can take my time--it stays until I get it written down so I'm counting myself lucky on that front..

Most times though, inspiration almost always strikes when I'm not actively thinking about writing. It seems when I'm doing physical activities where my brain is either engaged elsewhere or not engaged at all that it comes. I often go for walks when I'm stuck on a story--not to think about it, but to listen to music or enjoy the outside and let my mind just wander.

For your question--it wasn't actively writing but story telling. I grew up with super hero action figures (also Star Wars when those first movies came out) and I do remember creating my own story lines in my head as I played with them. I had my own story boards in my head and the action figures would act out my "plots" such as they were.

I remember my favorite Christmas--there were giant plastic robots coming out called Shogun Warriors. There were 3 of them and they were the only 3 things I put on my Christmas list that year. I was truly hopeful and excited and I distinctly remember the build up to Christmas that year because, as I played, I was building in my head that my action figures knew these new "villains" were headed toward Earth and they needed to prepare. So all November and December my action figure play was centered around training and prep for my heroes...

And yes, I got all 3 for Christmas, which was amazing all by itself because our family did not have a lot of money at all. And yes, the battles in my bedroom were spectacular...

4/12/2025 03:15:05 pm

You are a lucky man!

I think I remember the Shogun Warriors. Our son played with them I adopted a small metal one for a long time. It transformed into a vehicle of some kind, I think.

I am sure those were epic battles!

New question.

Have you had any experience with plagiarism and how did you deal with it?

4/12/2025 04:29:52 pm

I am not aware of an example of plagiarism yet but in this day and age it could be happening.

I did run into a situation where a group was working to get me to advertise with them and I found an author who supposedly worked with them. I contacted her via her website to ask about her experiences and it turned out she never had.

I told her what was up and called them on it too. Shameful but scammers are everywhere.

4/12/2025 08:32:02 pm

Plagiarism is happening in today's market. It's insidious. The scammers are now copying books completely and listing them on Amazon at a lower price and therefore siphoning sales and royalties away from the author. It used to be some scumbag copying an author's book and selling it on their own website or minor platforms. They are getting bold.

Good on you for doing your homework and catching the bums in their lie!

New questions.

Have you gone on any literary virtual blog tours?

Book signings in the real world?

4/12/2025 11:10:47 pm

Yes--before my account got locked, I was getting a succession of "authors" DM'ing me and sliding into having me contact their person or group to get help with marketing. Always a gmail address but I was savvy enough at that point, I'd look up those authors and half the time the real authors didn't even have a Twitter account. Others I contacted to see if it was them and they weren't.

The scammers keep trying different angles to lure people in.

Literary virtual blog tours...I have not. Heard of them but I wouldn't even begin to know how to get involved with it. It's where I'm at in my marketing/advertising. I'm slowly learning about different avenues to get the word out about my books. I'm not afraid to try anything but I still consider myself a newbie despite all my research and the marketing efforts I have tried.

It's a complex game and I am still learning the rules and even about the opportunities to shoot for. It's why I keep thinking of Project Threshold as a testing ground and learning exercise.

4/13/2025 09:11:11 am

Happily, your account is now unlocked. It took three weeks but you prevailed.

I get followed by those people also. If they don't have a blue check mark, I don't give them a second thought and remove them as a follower. I am still being put into large, direct message groups, I report them for spam and leave the group. At least a dozen a day and as many as 40 some days.

Here is a copy-and-paste link about book blog tours or hit the search box below: https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2022/05/04/mktg-14-book-blog-tours

Promoting and marketing a book is a constantly changing landscape.

New question.

How much editing and proofreading do you do in your books before sending them out to beta readers?

4/13/2025 12:03:07 pm

That's been happening to me too. I block the lead person in those group messages and delete. When I got back into my account, I had a bunch :)

Thanks for the link--every piece of information I can get my hands on helps!

As for editing, it's not a sure formula but we'll say 6-ish. When I finish a book/story I immediately walk away from it and work on other things. Then I forget it until it pops back into my head...maybe the muse again? Then I'll go through it looking for the typical grammatical and spelling errors. I catch a few awkward sentences, and I'll make notes to go back in and edit specific scenes or pages. Then, over the next few weeks I'll go over it again and again.

I don't really keep count of how many times I put a book or story through an edit, but I keep going through it until I feel satisfied with the current version. Then I'll fire it out to people.

I don't really use Word features to edit, like Review. I like digging in on my own and finding things. Though, when I feel satisfied with the story, I'll run it through Word's Review for spelling/grammar and see if I've missed anything. I'm a pretty good speller overall so I catch most things. There's always a pesky word here and there that gets by me, or an odd usage, like "from" vs. "form" that are harder to catch.

Once in a while, if I really can't get a handle on a scene or sentence, I'll use the audio feature in Word to say passages aloud. It actually helps a lot to hear the words out loud--and not from my own voice.

4/13/2025 03:17:04 pm

I bet you had a truck full! One morning not long ago, I woke up to 30 of those groups and accumulated another 20 or so during the day. I used to block the leader and report for spam. Since you lost your account for three weeks, I only report the large group DMs for spam. I still block the others.

Sending a semi-finished story to beta readers is a good idea. No point in overloading them. Everyone will bring a different personal filter to the story.

From and Form are pretty common typos. I have blogged about many different typo combinations and have barely scratched the surface. Homophones, like to, too, two and tew are subjects of many other blogs on my Words For Thought page elsewhere on my website.

Using the Read Aloud feature is a smart move also. I have another 12 tips for self-proofreading on my aforementioned blog also.

New question.

What are your three favorite genres to read for pleasure?

4/13/2025 04:39:20 pm

Thanks--I'll read your other tips too! Every tool I can add, the better :)

My favorite genres to read...

#1 is horror right now, though that can bleed into almost any other genre. I bounce back and forth between books and podcast stories on Youtube. I've found several good authors via Youtube who narrate their own stories or tell others.

#2 is cryptozoology. I got hooked on cryptids, and specifically the Loch Ness Monster when I was a kid. It started with checking a book out from the school library on the subject and I was forever enthralled. I've branched out since then and I have quite an extensive library of books on my shelves now, including some hard to find volumes on the subject.

And, from my Project Threshold series it's probably easy to tell they're an inspiration for my stories. Though I am always trying to come up with my own critters and monsters. For Project Threshold 2, for example, the 3rd story in Berger's book combines natural lore on the Superstition Mountains but I also add my own take on the cause of the disappearances and decapitations :)

I listen to several podcasts on cryptids too and it's really intriguing to me, some of the things people report seeing. I'm going to be the skeptic and say a lot of it, and most of the sightings are a combination of misidentification, pareidolia and hoaxes, but mixed in with that, there are some encounters which defy reasonable explanation. At least to me ;)

So cryptozoology definitely works its way into my fiction...reading and writing.

And #3--fantasy. Early on, I read lots of mysteries like Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. There were a few of those books that danced with the paranormal, and those especially got my attention. However, upon hitting junior high school, I was brought into the fold on science fiction and fantasy, and fantasy became my guiding mentor.

I still love great fantasy, even though my present tastes lean toward horror. I dive back in occasionally and I will immerse again--I have a feeling when the Project Threshold stories finish themselves and I swing back around to writing and publishing fantasy again.

There's nothing like walking into a world of magic and dragons and medieval mayhem...

4/13/2025 07:36:44 pm

I like my horror in mild doses. Perhaps, I scare easily, I'm not sure. Things that go bump in the night get my blood rushing!

I love dragons also. Such curious creatures and sometimes benevolent in the stories, depending on who is writing. They feature in some mythologies from different cultures, they might have been real long ago. There is the bombardier beetle, it is real and mixes two chemicals in its body with an explosive, burning effect on predators. Perhaps dragons had a similar binary system.

New question.

Has writing changed the pleasure of reading for you?

4/13/2025 08:06:38 pm

I see dragons as almost godlike in the sense that they are larger than life entities, kind of like the ancient pantheons in Greek and Norse mythology. They command a lot of power and some wield it benevolently and others, not so much.

Always remember the movie (and still watch it about once a year), Dragon Slayer. In that, Vermithrax Pejorative is a decrepit, bitter dragon and something you definitely didn't want to mess with.

Concerning writing and reading. From the writer's perspective, my reading has changed but it hasn't diminished my desire to read. I love reading a story and seeing another writer's command of words to lay out a story that keeps me mesmerized. Yes, I can pick up on literary hiccups and other missteps, at least in my opinion, but I can tell when a writer is passionate about their story. You can feel it in the way they create with words.

I love finding new authors that wow me, and there are a lot of unsung Indie authors struggling to find their audience. I think, over the long haul, they will, but it's always about steady effort over time.

The biggest hurdle in being a writer is time. I don't have time for all the books piled up by my bedside, and some nights I am exhausted after writing and do not even have the energy to read. I need quiet relaxation. Some day when I retire, I hope to chew through books and at least stay on par with my TBR pile.

4/14/2025 07:51:13 am

There are a lot of talented writers but many of them can't survive the reality shock that publishers aren't beating on their door with a lucrative contract in hand. They have written a wonderful story or two then turn away from writing with disappointment in their heart.

I struggle with time management also. I don't allow myself nearly as much time reading as I want to.

New question.

How has writing changed your life?

4/14/2025 10:01:07 am

Honestly, writing is as important to my life as having arms or legs. I make time for it every day in some form.

It serves as my passion but it's a source of fulfillment, entertainment, therapy, and it's a unique form of communication to the rest of the world.

I cannot imagine my life without it. So, to answer your question, it has shaped my life in untold ways and probably in ways I'm not even conscious of. However, it is part of what makes me "me."

4/14/2025 10:45:48 am

Writing sounds almost as important as breathing to you. Wonderful! I don't recall anyone answering that question as deeply in a very long time. It could easily be the deepest answer I have seen. I am not going to comb through the past interviews to find out.

Last question.

Who was the first person to inspire you to write something to publish?

4/14/2025 12:13:37 pm

In answering, I didn't realize just how interwoven writing is in my life.

As to your question...I always credit Roger Zelazny and his cronies for getting me started writing, but in terms of getting published? It was Dad. He was a creative but with music. He was in a band and trying to get going but he got married and got a day job and his creative dream kind of slipped away.

I wasn't really interested in music beyond listening but as I got older, he saw me writing and supported my passion. So getting published is a salute to him for sure.

4/14/2025 12:23:38 pm

I didn't realize how important writing is to you also.

Real life has a way of interrupting our plans and dreams. No question. When I was 19 or so, I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish, most notably becoming an architect. It was very slow going because I couldn't bring myself to take out student loans. A year later, I didn't want to stop dating the cutest girl I had ever seen. A couple of years later we were married and setting up our home. Where were we? Lists, we were talking about lists. Some lists are more important than other lists.

Thank you, Craig, for being a fabulous guest on my website. I am very grateful to be able to help you promote your books.

Until next time, keep on writing! I know you will.

4/14/2025 01:55:24 pm

Thanks, as always, Mark. I really enjoy these discussions on writing and all things related...and not. I get a ton out of these sessions as you get me to really decide the whats and hows and whys on writing.

Take care.

My Spidey sense tells me we'll cross paths again soon...😉

Project Threshold Season 2: Team Berger by Craig Crawford

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