Strap On Your Seatbelt: The Ups and Downs of the Writing Life
Monday didn’t start out well. Sitting in my email box was a rejection from the SOKY Book Festival. I’ve received plenty of rejections as a writer, but this one stung, probably because it was unexpected. DEADLY SETUP, my recent release, had already been awarded a silver medal by the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, and LEISHA’S…
Read MoreSeason of Gratitude, Season of Sadness
As I write this, it’s Christmas Eve, and I’m so aware of all the people and things in my life I’m grateful for—my husband, my children and grandchildren, my amazing sisters, dear friends, the choral group I sing with, and of course, my writing work. Snow is on the ground, our holiday lights twinkle, and…
Read MoreWhere Do Characters Come From? Guest Essay by Mystery Author Skye Alexander
I’m so delighted to welcome Skye Alexander to my blog today whose second novel in her Lizzie Crane cozy mystery series, What the Walls Know, was just published by Level Best Books. In her guest essay, Skye thoughtfully discusses the centrality of characters in our work and our lives as writers. Following her essay, you…
Read MoreIt Should Have Been a Great Week
It should have been a great week… and in many ways, it was. My local Sisters in Crime chapter had a wonderful book signing event at Barnes and Noble, my family and friends made me feel very loved and appreciated on my birthday, and my husband and I put our Christmas tree up and got…
Read More“All You Need Is Love” – John Lennon
I recently spent a week visiting my younger son and his family. They live in a teeny-tiny house in Denver that makes my husband’s and my first 900 square foot house seem positively palatial. But what their home lacks in size is more than made up for by its richness in warmth and affection. I’m…
Read MoreMeet Award-Winning Indie Author Amy Pendino
One of the joys of being an active member of Sisters in Crime is getting to know so many talented authors like Amy Pendino. Her newly released novel, WILD HORSES, continues the riveting stories of two strong women from different eras. Below are Amy’s responses to my interview questions, followed by her bio which includes…
Read MoreAuthor Linda Lovely Loves “Smart, Independent Women” Like Kylee Kane in NEIGHBORS TO DIE FOR
Author Linda Lovely figured out the perfect setting for conflict, murder, and mayhem—homeowners associations! She’s just released the second novel in her HOA series, NEIGHBORS TO DIE FOR. Adept at writing in multiple genres, Lovely talks below about her latest release and her writing career. First off, congratulations on the release of your second novel…
Read MoreMarlene Anne Bumgarner Pens Powerful Memoir
I’m delighted to welcome author Marlene Anne Bumgarner to my blog. I loved her memoir which took me back to coming of age in the 1970s. Below are Marlene’s responses to my interview questions, followed by her bio and contact/buy links: For our readers unfamiliar with your memoir, Back to the Land in Silicon Valley,…
Read MoreSeinfeld Revisited
To this day, I’m a huge fan of the classic TV sitcom Seinfeld. One of my favorite episodes is when Jerry discovers that although he reserved a rental car, when he arrives to pick it up, it’s not there. “It’s not enough to take a reservation,” Jerry says. “You have to keep the reservation.” I…
Read MoreOutside My Comfort Zone
“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” L. Doctorow I’ve always enjoyed Doctorow’s simile, but up until recently, I never thought it applied to me. When it comes to plotting my novels, I’ve been…
Read More