First drafts are not meant to be read. They are clumsy and embarrassing, filled with trite dialogue and bumbling prose, riddled with clichés. I’m working on a first draft now. It’s terrible, I promise. You will never, ever see it. If the book … [Continue reading]
What I Wish I’d Known about Publishing a Book
Posted on June 10, 2015 ·
Today marks the one-year anniversary of The Fourth Wall’s release, and boy have I learned a lot about marketing in that year. While I still feel incredibly lucky to have had a book published, I know I’ve made mistakes trying to get that book into … [Continue reading]
How Sweet the Silence
Posted on May 8, 2015 ·
I read something the other day about how we have a better chance at accomplishing goals when we keep them to ourselves. That struck home, because the first time I wrote a book I didn’t tell anyone. Not my kids, not my husband—not until I had a … [Continue reading]
Book Review: Scar of the Downers by Scott Keen
Posted on April 22, 2015 ·
I know. Gorgeous cover, right? The book is fabulous too. Scar of the Downers is Scott Keen's debut novel, and I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Here is more information on the book--including where to buy it--and my five-star … [Continue reading]
New Beginnings
Posted on April 2, 2015 ·
Gabriel’s teacher recently invited me to talk to her second grade class about being an author. She had read my novel and, having particularly liked the first pages, hoped I could frame a discussion around word choice and the importance of … [Continue reading]
This Is Why We Write
Posted on March 19, 2015 ·
On Tuesday I was treated to a presentation of The Fourth Wall by a group of 7th graders who chose the book for their quarterly language arts project. That goes straight to the top of the list of amazing and utterly surreal moments in this author’s … [Continue reading]
Meet Me at the Festival
Posted on March 9, 2015 ·
This Saturday is the perfect day for hanging out at a book festival. Okay, ANY day is perfect for hanging out at a book festival, but I’ll be signing books at this one and I’d really love to see you. Here are the details; click the link for more … [Continue reading]
The Essentials of Storytelling
Posted on January 30, 2015 ·
My son hates to write. By write, I mean the physical act of taking pencil to paper and shaping the letters that form words that form paragraphs. He’ll get there; it’s simply that his hand can’t keep up with his mind, which is whirling with stories, … [Continue reading]
My Most Important Resolution
Posted on January 1, 2015 ·
Last New Year’s Day, determined not to set myself up for failure, I chose only one resolution. It worked; I’m happy to say I kept my promise to read 52 books in 2014. I started the year with Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane and ended … [Continue reading]
When Our Characters Feel Real
Posted on December 17, 2014 ·
My friend and I met at the library on Saturday, in theory to exchange pages and give thoughtful critiques on each others’ writing. That didn’t happen. What we ended up doing was talking a lot about our current writing projects. She … [Continue reading]
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