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Quick monthly update in crammed month

Jason Haskins

Oct 5, 2019
2 min

Quick monthly update in crammed month

The countdown is on. A final countdown? No. Nothing that dramatic. It's the countdown to the release of a new novella, titled Of Snow Forts and Santa. Available to purchase in paperback or to download on November 15, 2019. Keep an eye on this website, my Amazon author page, and various social media channels for updates, pricing, and more info about the book. (Including a synopsis, which I am still putting the final touches on.) It's been a busy month of rewrites and editing s

Arriving this holiday season: A new (shorter) novel

Jason Haskins

Sep 1, 2019
3 min

Arriving this holiday season: A new (shorter) novel

Hot summer days are nearly behind us and -- many of you will likely disagree with this -- but I am thinking of snow. I mean, if Starbucks™ can roll out their pumpkin spice products already, then I can think about snow. You're right. Autumn comes first. And I love the fall so I'll hold off thinking about snow, for now. It does lead, however, to the reason for the wintry photo to kick this update off. Today, I'm providing an excerpt from my upcoming novel, one I've been working

Spin around and take a look: it's suddenly August

Jason Haskins

Aug 3, 2019
3 min

Spin around and take a look: it's suddenly August

It's hard to believe seven months in 2019 have already been stamped in the history books. Time is funny that way, in that it's always flying by, even when you take a moment to savor it, to embrace it, and, importantly, live in the now. As a kid, time plays funny games with a person. Your life is basically divided between school and not school, at least for portions of it. That wasn't just me, right? I had sports mixed in, from as early as first grade, and other activities as

Celebrating Idaho Gives Day and a new play reading

Jason Haskins

May 2, 2019
3 min

Celebrating Idaho Gives Day and a new play reading

Each year for the past six years, right around the early part of May, the non-profit organizations in the state of Idaho have a day of giving. Or, specifically, 24-hours of coming together and bringing awareness to a multitude of non-profits in hopes of garnering donations and support. In 2018, Idaho Gives Day saw donors give money to 570 organizations, totaling over 1.5 million dollars. One of the great things about this day is donors choose how much to give and where to giv

March in the Treasure Valley

Jason Haskins

Mar 4, 2019
3 min

March in the Treasure Valley

There was a span of 12 hours, in the last week of February, in which the Treasure Valley received 2-3 inches of snow, followed up by steady rain, and finished up with sunshine. Volatile? Yes. Out of the normal for this time of year? Not likely. We're not here to discuss weather, however. We're here to discuss happenings around the Treasure Valley in the month of March. At the top of the list? Alley Repertory Theater's production of Indecent, by Paula Vogel. (I worked as a dra

Engaging the boosters, half-speed ahead

Jason Haskins

Feb 2, 2019
3 min

Engaging the boosters, half-speed ahead

Boy, January 2019, you sure went up and disappeared quickly. One day, a person is setting out with eyes up, ready to attack a new year with gusto. Really get out there, put the nose to the grindstone, and get stuff accomplished. Oh, hey, it's now February. Wasn't it just yesterday a Christmas letter was posted and eggnog was chugged at incredulous rates? There are moments I really desire -- and I think many of us can agree -- that more hours could open up in the day or, at th

2019: Welcoming a new year, new challenges

Jason Haskins

Jan 1, 2019
3 min

2019: Welcoming a new year, new challenges

Sitting here in my cramped apartment -- where the walls creep closer every year -- I'm taking a chance to reflect on 2018 and the successes and rejections it delivered. Reflection takes center stage this time of year for me, usually beginning near Christmas. Or, to be more specific, the action intensifies. Throughout the year, I often find myself reflecting, whether it be on the events of a certain day or a situation that happened further into the past. A writer probably spen

Extracting a slice of the rainbow

Jason Haskins

Dec 3, 2018
3 min

Extracting a slice of the rainbow

"I've always taken 'The Wizard of Oz' very seriously, you know. I believe in the idea of the rainbow. And I've spent my entire life trying to get over it." - Judy Garland There's certainly something to be said about the life of Judy Garland. From finding stardom at an early age to being an icon to battling demons for most of her adult life, Garland was truly a person to behold. A product of the studio system of 1930's Hollywood, Garland's fame reached a new stratosphere back

Escaping the heat of July and moving into a scorching August

Jason Haskins

Aug 4, 2018
3 min

Escaping the heat of July and moving into a scorching August

A journey across a handful of western states at the end of July/first of August brought me to the Utah Shakespeare Festival, where I saw a performance of Othello at the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre. The show did not disappoint. Othello is near the top of the list for me as far as plays by William Shakespeare go, but one I had not yet seen performed. Unless you count the Mekhi Phifer, Julia Stiles, and Josh Hartnett version O from back in 2001, you know, when adapting

July: Taking care of business (mostly every day)

Jason Haskins

Jul 1, 2018
3 min

July: Taking care of business (mostly every day)

Summer has rolled in. And with it, a chance to do a bit of writing while in the company of nature's serenity. The process of writing can be often formulaic at times, whether the act of writing occurs at a specific time of day or a specialized routine happens that allows the words to flow. A journey from the first word to a finalized work can be exactly that: a journey. Twists and turns, starts and stops, and so much more leads a writer to expected endings and openings to unkn

April: Novels, plays, and more (plus a little time to breathe)

Jason Haskins

Apr 3, 2018
3 min

April: Novels, plays, and more (plus a little time to breathe)

March 2018 has fully been entered into the history books and with it, the recent release of my second fantasy novel, The Blue Gem. After a stretch of seemingly non-stop edits and rewrites between the start of the year and the book's release date, April promises to offer a window to catch my breath. Only for a moment, though, as the writing and other ventures continue to move forward. The Blue Gem is a fantasy novel 3.5 years in the making, though in reality the title, charact

March: The beat goes on (and on)

Jason Haskins

Mar 2, 2018
3 min

March: The beat goes on (and on)

There was a big part of me that wanted to provide this week's update as this: "The Blue Gem isn't quite ready. Check back soon." I realized I owe a bit more than that. Yes, I could be working on the book instead of the quick update but I decided there is plenty of time in the day. Did I somehow manipulate time and space to create extra hours in the day? No. I have simply decided sleep is overrated. So hi. Welcome to an update for March. The Blue Gem is still scheduled to arri

Hello December, what'cha knowin'?

Jason Haskins

Dec 2, 2017
2 min

Hello December, what'cha knowin'?

Sitting here, waiting for the Boise State Broncos to battle the Fresno State Bulldogs for the Mountain West Conference Championship, I decided I'd provide my monthly update for December. The month of November was spent on a variety of projects, a little bit of down time over Thanksgiving, and failing miserably in most of my fantasy football leagues. I mentioned this last month, but the editing of The Blue Gem has begun. It's a slow process but over the past few weeks I have m

Launching into October with a full plate ahead

Jason Haskins

Oct 1, 2017
2 min

Launching into October with a full plate ahead

The path of being a writer--and of writing--was more than likely set in me long before I acknowledged it. It was something I did in my free time during my junior high and high school years, but never a true focus. That changed after high school as I began exploring what I'd really like to do with my life. It turned a passion into a full-fledged choice that would turn into much more than a hobby. Being a director, on the other hand, is not something I had ever really considere

Exiting August and leaping into September

Jason Haskins

Sep 3, 2017
3 min

Exiting August and leaping into September

Heroes and idols--whether they are parents or friends, celebrities or famous people--hold special places in the hearts of those looking up to them. Sam Shepard was not only someone who stylistically left an impression on me, but a man who entertained me as well. Shepard passed away last month. It's odd, as I climb the stairs of life, to watch so many people who I've idolized or looked up to pass on to their next journey. It's an inevitable part of the journey, yes, but one wh

An August update: the latest on writing and more

Jason Haskins

Aug 5, 2017
2 min

An August update: the latest on writing and more

The summer is winding down and writing seems to be amping up as temperatures hover around triple digits. A year ago I was beating the heat and the dog days of summer...by traveling to Las Vegas and enjoying temperatures even hotter. August is only a few days young and despite the heat am already feeling accomplished. The completion of the first draft of The Blue Gem happened and the process of typing it all up/editing has begun. The 1st draft took nearly three years to comple

Writing the words, wording the writing

Jason Haskins

Jun 3, 2017
3 min

Writing the words, wording the writing

Barriers. Bridges. Blurriness. All are part of the above photo and all are not only a part of writing, but a part of life as well. The month of May has flown by, making it seem like only yesterday I was writing of getting back to fundamentals. Time flies when you're staring down at a notepad or a computer screen. Okay. It's not as a desperate or lonely as writing that seems. There is a certain amount of isolation involved as a writer, needing the time and space to be alone to

Words upon words, served with a side of words

Jason Haskins

Mar 4, 2017
2 min

Words upon words, served with a side of words

Sitting down and (sometimes) forcing words out is a good thing. The sentences, paragraphs, or dialogue don't have to be perfect the first time around. That's what an edit is for. Sometimes I wish I could listen to my own advice. Gray skies are high above and rain pours down as we continue to thaw out from winter. Under most circumstances, these types of days are my most productive when it comes to writing. Rainy days are a favorite to begin with so writing naturally follows s

The End of the Year Push

Jason Haskins

Dec 17, 2016
2 min

The End of the Year Push

photo credit Brandon Freeman The end of the year often finds finds a person scrambling on an endless pursuit for more time in the day. I am no different. There are Decembers in which I set aside most writing, either because of lack of time, lack of motivation, a seasonal gloom that sometimes washes over me or all of the above. There are times when too much clutter fills the mind. This year, I have made the effort to carve out time for writing and also, for myself. And because

Keeping at it, one word at a time

Jason Haskins

Nov 19, 2016
3 min

Keeping at it, one word at a time

Onward and upward, as the say, is the goal. It can be with a job, in life, or even in fun. No matter the case, striving to move is all part of the journey. A journey that brings us to the monthly update. After The Totalitarians, a play I assistant directed, closed about a month ago, I found my nights free to concentrate on some neglected projects. Plays in need of edits, novels to finish, and works to promote and submit had mostly gathered dust. It was time to focus again. Th

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