I was first inspired to write during Mrs. Shea’s fourth grade class when she had us pen a short story and read it out loud in front of the class. I will be forever grateful to her for helping me find my passion at such a young age. So it seems apt that today, the […]
I told someone that my second novel is coming out in October. Here’s what he said (via email): “Will I be able to get it on my Nook? Or in store?” (Notice the order of those two phrases.) I was driving through the winding roads of my apartment complex, and I spotted a young woman […]
Just a quick note to let you know that I have a Forgotten April reading group guide available, which is perfect for book clubs. Download it now by clicking on this link (it opens a PDF): Reading Group Guide – Forgotten April. This, of course, brings me to my next point: now that summer is […]
…it’s an art contest. — Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? I had this quote taped to various walls and mirrors in my apartment until I no longer needed the reminders. Toiling away for years on something doesn’t necessarily make the something better. There are no awards for “novel that took the longest to write” […]
Okay, so this isn’t an original concept. Many smart writers like Zoe Winters and Dean Wesley Smith came to this conclusion before I did. But it’s true: writing is easy. For many of you writers out there (and even you readers), you’re probably thinking I’m nuts, since it goes against everything we’ve been told. That’s […]
I try not to listen when people talk about no-no’s in writing, mainly because there aren’t any no-no’s, at least when something is written well. Tell me a “no-no,” and I’ll find an example of a book that broke the rule well, at least according to this reader and critic. But I’m human. So I […]
Guess what? I’m working on my third novel, back to putting in a minimum of 1000 words a day. I’ve found a new rhythm that’s working quite well: I get up at 6:00 a.m. and go for a walk, about a mile. Come back, make coffee, sit down, and continue with my work-in-progress. I do […]
Note: This post is more for fellow indie writers, but it will apply to any readers out there who own businesses or who work in small businesses and are involved in some of the financial decision making. If you’ve worked in a business long enough, you’ve probably heard this happy-sounding little acronym ROI: return on […]
July was a fun month. I spent the bulk of it working on revisions for my second novel, What Happened in Granite Creek, which comes out in October. I was also on a virtual blog tour for Forgotten April, and, at the same time, the reviews started coming in fast and furious for da book. […]
Been in the weeds working on revisions of novel #2, which is coming out in October. Also, I’m in the midst of a virtual book tour in support of Forgotten April, where I make all sorts of stops at fun blogs and talk about things related to writing, reading, and my journey as a scribe. […]