Category: Book News

I’m in a war with my middle-grade fantasy novel. I’m only a few chapters in and already it is refusing to be what I want it to be. Or, rather, what I intended it to be, at least. As I’ve mentioned on here before, I began writing this book (working Title: Dragon Thief) because I…

  I feel a bit like Lucy at the chocolate factory, stuffing my face and shirt with truffles to keep them from crashing to the floor. Like chocolate, the things I’m juggling right now are things I love, so I can’t complain too much. It’s a good problem to have. Still, I need to find…

Whew, life has been coming at me fast recently. I’m back in writing class, for one thing, which means reading up to 60 pages a week of my classmates’ writing and typing up feedback for them. I’ve also been marching around town like the rest of the newly energized populace, carrying signs and chanting. In…

I don’t know about all of you, but MAN I NEED A PICK ME UP RIGHT NOW! I wish I could give the world a hug, or buy you a coffee or an expensive chocolate, but my arms and funds are limited by distance and… well, funds, so instead I’m giving you a chapter. It’s…

One way that for writers to develop and fine-tune their craft is to do writing prompts. A prompt can be as simple as a sentence or a picture, or sometimes just a part of a sentence. For example, if I said, “When Anna woke up that day, she had no idea….” No idea what? That…

Inspiration is an odd phenomenon. Many writers refer to their “muse,” that ephemeral something that gives them ideas. I’ve never felt like I had a muse, whether tangible or intangible. That’s just not how I visualize the creative process for me (so if you have a muse, go on with your bad self and enjoy…

I have a gift. Just one. I discovered it at a young age. I have now passed it on to my eldest child. Come close and I’ll tell you… * * * * *whispers* I am a very fast reader. (A bit of a let down? Sorry. This is real life. You want magical gifts,…

Hello friends, My apologies for the lack of anything on this page recently. The holidays are, as everyone knows, a hectic time of year. I have also recently noticed some changes that need to be made to my manuscript (See? Printing it out was magic!) so I’ve been hard at work moving a few scenes…

How do you choose a book? After you pick one up, what makes you open to the first page? What makes you keep reading after you start? Well, a good first line never hurts. examples: “He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air.” The Maze Runner, by James…

I do 99% of my writing on my laptop. I know that writing by hand is worthwhile and can trigger creativity in an entirely different way than happens when you type, but my handwriting is atrocious and inefficient so I just can’t. My kindergarten teacher failed miserably when teaching proper pencil grip and it’s too…