The Writing Life
Ask an Author! Inquiring Minds Want to Know
One of the things I hadn’t fully anticipated about becoming a novelist is the frequency with which folks ask me questions—not only about the work itself, but about where I get my ideas, what my writing process is like, and what a typical writing day is like. This past week, I learned I would be…
Read MoreThinking about Endings, Beginnings, and Balancing Twin Passions
I know January 1st is supposed to be the beginning of a new year, but as a long-time teacher, my year has always started when school begins in the late summer or fall and ends when school gets out. As the end of the semester draws close, I have my usual set…
Read MoreSometimes You Just Have to Ask
Folks often don’t believe me when I tell them I’m an introvert. After all, I’m a lively pistol of a teacher. I love to laugh, and I’m a good listener and empathetic friend. But like all introverts, I need my alone time to fill up my tank. This is a handy quality to have for…
Read MoreWhat Really Matters
I’ve yet to meet a writer who says, “Yippee! Another rejection!” While rejection is an inevitable part of putting our work out there, it’s never fun. When I got one of those dreaded “No’s” last week, I went through my usual three bags of Oreos during two days of total dejection. Who in their…
Read MoreGhosts from Our Past
Deb Shapiro, the publicist for Page Street, arranged to offer a giveaway on KidsBuzz/Shelf Awareness for my newly released novel, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU. She decided to have the entries sent directly to me, presumably so that I could begin building an email list of readers who were interested in my work. This…
Read MoreI Love Being Wrong: Book Signing Bliss
Most authors can tell you stories about their less than successful efforts at doing book signings. In fact, a Sisters in Crime friend from our local chapter, Derby Rotten Scoundrels, shared this hysterical YouTube posting by Parnell Hall about his experiences. So, when Deb Shapiro, the terrific publicist hired by Page Street, set…
Read MoreActs of Love
I once read a story about a writer who so detested his wife that he plotted to kill her. Since she was a devoted partner who delighted in cooking him gourmet meals, this seemed surprising. Until the author revealed late in the story that there was one thing the wife had never done. She’d never…
Read MoreThere's Never a Good Time to Write
The young woman standing next to me in the coffee line at church was a gifted writer. She’d done a reading of her poetry several months before, and I’d been blown away by the lyricism and elegance of her work. At the reading, she’d talked about how much she was enjoying getting back to…
Read MoreYou Never Know Until You Try
I’m getting so excited about the release of my second YA novel, It Should Have Been You. The official release date, January 30, is less than four weeks away! Who knew that this was the path my life would take? If you had told me in my dancing days that I would ever write a…
Read MoreWriters: We're a Supportive Group!
When one of my dear writing friends, Ellen Birkett Morris, got an agent the other day, I think I was almost as excited as she was. Despite being an award-winning short story writer with an outstanding reputation, it wasn’t easy to find an agent for her first novel. I can definitely relate! Yet, in the…
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