Over the years, I’ve read essays by cancer survivors who’ve called their harrowing journeys through life-threatening illnesses a “gift.” Cancer, they report, afforded them a new appreciation of life and their loved ones. I do not have cancer. And yet, I think I finally get what these survivors were talking about. Last month, I had…
A few weeks ago, slickly written, effusive pitches from “book marketing experts” began appearing with astonishing regularity in my inbox. Here’s a sample opening of one: Hello Lynn, What struck me most in Missing Mom is how you turned your own experience of loss into a novel that doesn’t just entertain but speaks directly to the ache…
I’m so delighted to host bestselling, award-winning author Judy Penz Sheluk on my blog today. Her writing advice is spot on! One Author’s Advice on Writing by Judy Penz Sheluk One of the most common questions I get asked, both at events, and during author interviews, is if I have any writing advice. I always…
Guest Essay by Lindsey Williams, Music Educator and Author I’m so delighted to welcome Lindsey Williams to my blog today, whose story and journey are so inspiring. Stories: An Antidote to Burnout On Writing Where the Valley Widens: A Teacher’s Journey Through the Ages by Lindsey Williams When I was young, I would sit…
I always tell folks that I rarely write short fiction. For whatever reason, my ideas seem to come in novel length, like MISSING MOM, which I’m excited to share won the 2025 Readers’ Favorite Bronze Award in the YA mystery category. But last month, I was invited…
Having spent considerable time dealing with intrigue and warring faculty on college campuses, I’ve never been able to resist mysteries set in academia, like those penned by Kelly Brakenhoff. I loved learning about Kelly’s latest release, her career and children’s writing as an ASL interpreter, and her favorite writing advice. First off, congratulations on the…
As authors, we think about setting as a major aspect of our characters’ lived experience, but setting also matters for us as we do our writing. In her guest essay, Carol talks about the places she writes and where she created her new series, the Coyote Canyon Mysteries, which begins with her recent release, Exposure.…
I’m delighted to welcome paranormal mystery author Margaret Morse as a guest essayist on my blog. Margaret’s mysteries feature an attorney with magical abilities. Add a Witch or a Ghost to Your Story by Margaret Morse Are you ever temped to include a ghost or haunted house in your stories? If yes, you’re…
It’s a pleasure to host J.H. Jones today as she discusses the central importance of community: Walking Your Path with Your Tribe By J.H. Jones Writing can feel like a solitary path—just you and your story idea. It’s personal work, often quiet and internal. But the truth is, while the writing itself might begin alone,…
In addition to the pleasure of learning more about wonderful authors and their works, I also love learning about things I’d never even known existed. In her debut mystery, Elle Jauffret features a character with a rare neurological condition, Foreign Accent Syndrome. Jauffret skillfully uses this condition as a way to explore issues of identity…