Diana X. Moga

Diana X. Moga
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Book Picks

Book Picks

Twenty-Thousand Leagues is not What You Think

I had Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea sitting on my bookshelf and decided to read it. The story isn’t what I thought it would be, plus it moves too slowly for contemporary readers. Same with the Disney movie staring Kirk Douglas. But, the book changed the Science Fiction genre when Read more…

By Diana, 4 weeksMay 30, 2022 ago
Book Picks

Pulp Novels Sell. Here’s a Pulp Novel ‘How To,’ Book

There’s lots of reasons to write pulp novels. One reason is that pulp novels sell, and a writer should never discount what readers want. If you’re a beginner looking for a quick book that will improve your storytelling, here is James Scott Bell’s book, “How to Write Pulp Fiction,” available Read more…

By Diana, 4 monthsMarch 9, 2022 ago
Book Picks

You’ll Love How This Book Explains the Internet

I came away after reading this book with an ‘aha’ feeling about the intenet. I learned about this book a while ago on NPR and it came to mind recently when I wanted to find a book about the internet. Or rather, the physical internet. This morning I went running Read more…

By Diana, 4 monthsFebruary 21, 2022 ago
Book Picks

The Blade Runner Novel Has an Odd Title

The Blade Runner movie is based on a novel with the odd title, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? This novel started the franchise with the original 1982 movie staring Harrison Ford, and more recently, Blade Runner 2049, produced in 2017 staring Ryan Gosling. The original novel is something of Read more…

By Diana, 9 monthsOctober 5, 2021 ago
Book Picks

A Sampler of War Novels for Service Members

This is a short list of war novel picks for service members. They don’t all feature Americans, or American service members for that matter. But a little empathy goes a long way, and sometimes we’re not the best ones to tell our story. I’m switching gears from science fiction to Read more…

By Diana, 1 yearJune 2, 2021 ago
Book Picks

‘Dune’ is Weird and Confusing, and That’s Okay

Arrakis. Dune. Desert Planet. Paul Atreides. Bene Gesserit. Gom Jabbar. Mentat. Maud’Dib. This list of strange words goes on. Dune is confusing and weird, but lots of world-building fun. If none of it means anything to you, don’t worry. It didn’t mean anything to me either when I first started Read more…

By Diana, 1 yearMay 18, 2021 ago
Book Picks

For Soft Science Fiction That’s Fun to Read

I would categorize Axiom’s End as soft science fiction that’s fun and entertaining to read. I came across it while browsing Barnes and Nobles when I spotted a handwritten note from an employee under the plastic where the price tag normally is. Their recommendation drew my attention. The Premise It’s Read more…

By Diana, 1 yearApril 13, 2021 ago
Book Picks

Sampler of Sci-Fi Books From A Military Woman

Here are some sci-fi book picks from a military woman, and that woman happens to be me. That’s not to say these books feature female characters or something. It just means that whatever flavor of military woman I am has influenced this list. I’m limiting candidates based on date of Read more…

By Diana, 1 yearMarch 29, 2021 ago
Book Picks

If You’re in the Military You Must Read This Book

Actually, if you’re in the military, or interested in national security, geo-politics, or foreign affairs at all, you must read this book. Military people tucked away in high-level staff sections love to speculate on the threat of China. Authors Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis have confronted that collective sense Read more…

By Diana, 1 yearMarch 21, 2021 ago
Book Picks

My Top 3 Unusual Book Recommendations From 2020

This morning I’m at a primitive campsite in one of Florida’s state parks. Firewood crackles and hisses in front of me in its ordinary and mesmerizing way. I’m pleased with my fire-making skills. Last night I had managed smoking wood but no flames. Nick watched, unimpressed, as I blew into Read more…

By Diana, 1 yearDecember 29, 2020 ago

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Diana

Hi there, welcome to my site. I'm a writer and reserve military officer. I write fiction, professional essays on military topics, and review books and movies. I live in Florida with my husband, two kids, and two cats.

We celebrated my mom’s birthday today (she is also named Diana), and my uncle’s birthday, with a combo birthday cake. Penny took this photo of me in the patio. Welp, today makes 15 years of holy matrimony. Happy anniversary to us ❤️Even though today is a pretty regular day, it’s a good day all the same. Here’s to sticking together through ups and downs, thick and thin. PME complete ✅ Happy Sunday, all. I have been sequestering myself from the internet these past few weeks as I focus on finishing this draft of my manuscript. If social medial taps into our instant gratification, reptile-brain, then book writing calls upon our think-deeply-on-something-forever-and-ever-until-something-clicks, brain. I did some work for the Marine Corps this weekend, here I am with my hubs and straight-faced child after I showed up for my dad’s birthday party. Be well 🙌. Happy Monday, all. I finished reading, “Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet,” this morning. I recommend it if you’ve every been curious about the internet. Blum goes through the history of the internet by way of all the internet’s physical locations. It’s surprisingly refreshing. For a space that feels so abstract, the internet is anything but. I’ve been reading this book lately and I’m only half- way through because it’s kind of a slog. But this is THE book, they say, about character archetypes and the mono myth. This is just a fancy way of saying that all stories are the same. I dig it. I buy the argument. Still all the mythology is a lot to take in, but it’s a must read if you’re into character archetypes and such. It’s a rainy day here in Florida today, and despite the fact that my kids’ soccer practice is canceled, normal life keeps getting in the way of reading my manuscript and pressing on with revisions. If you didn’t know, I have a military+science-fiction+coming of age novel that I’ve been working on. It’s both a passion project and a serious one. Sometimes it kicks my ass. I hit an author-ly milestone this morning. It’s the, “you have an actual story here but you still have more revisions to do,” milestone 😅. This is my second round of professional edits for my book manuscript. It’s New Year’s resolution time.
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