fiction online

• "Footnotes"
  My first published story (Fantasy & Science Fiction, August 2001) – a result of my graduate work in history or an antidote to it?  Still not sure.
• Here some people try to translate "Footnotes" into Chinese.  How'd they do?
• "The Cross-time Accountants Fail to Kill Hitler Because Chuck Berry Does The Twist"
  A blog bonus story, written at the prodding of and including suggestions from my blog readers.
• "Moons Like Great White Whales"
  My science fictional answer to "Hills Like White Elephants," from the archives at Strange Horizons.
• "The Moon Is Always Full"
  Apparently Strange Horizons only buys stories from me with "moon" in the title. 
  Note to self: d'oh! – write more moon stories. 

essays

• "Creating a Novel Workshop"
  About five years ago, with the help of some friends, I started an annual week-long peer workshop for novel writing called Blue Heaven, after Himmelblau House, the Kelleys Island bed and breakfast where we stayed.  We've learned a lot since then, and have tweaked the format some, but the basic structure is still the same.
• "The Artful Infodump"
  This post I made to a writers mailing list years ago about skillful examples of exposition remains one of the most visited pages at my old website. 
• "The Omnicompetent Man in Speculative Fiction"
  People still link to this equally old essay too. 

poetry online

• snapshots (one woman) | our modern city | accidental series | the zoo
  Before I started selling short stories, I had several dozen poems published in small literary magazines.  A few of these poems are still available online.
• The Novelist's Lament, or that middle muddle poem
  A doggerel barked in the night -- Seuss beware!
• Do your Newberys hang low?
  During the Newbery Award kerfluffle, I invited my blog readers to comment... in verse. 

other Charles Finlays you may be interested in
(or "why I use my middle name")

• Charles Finlay discovered the cure for yellow fever. Science, not science fiction. 
• Charles Finley owned the Oakland A's.  Whos' your designated hitter, baby?
• Charles Finlay is a jazz musician. Look out – sound!
• Charles Finlay is an information security engineer who's LinkedIn.
• Charles Finlay is an attorney in Toronto. Lookit that picture – handsome must come with the name. 
• Charlie Finlay is interviewed for the Glens of Antrim oral history project.
• Charles Coleman Finley is a research doctor at a medical school who used his middle name online up until a year or so ago.  Dr. Finley – I'm sorry for screwing up google for you! Like it wasn't bad enough trying to distinguish yourself from that yellow fever guy. 
• If you're a Charles Finlay, or a Charlie or a Chuck, or if you know one who might be interesting enough to list here, let me know.