The Writing Life
Thinking about DEADLY SETUP
On July 5, I send another novel, Deadly Setup, into the universe. I’m getting ready for the two questions writers get asked most frequently: What’s your story about? And what inspired it? In answer to the first question, Deadly Setup is about seventeen-year-old Samantha (Sam) Hunter, the daughter of a New England heiress, who goes…
Read MoreTemporarily M-I-A
As some of you know, I had some pretty major spinal surgery in late February. The surgeon had warned me that I might have some trouble walking initially because of his entering through the psoas muscle. Well, yes! My right leg and foot are totally non-functional, and I am doped up on pain meds. This…
Read MoreThe Ups and Downs of the Writing Life
I’d submitted the first ten pages of my middle grade novel for a paid critique at an upcoming Mid-South SCBWI Writers Conference. I had high hopes for these pages and felt I’d really nailed the voice of my protagonist. Cue the violin music, because this does not have a happy ending! The critiquer shredded my…
Read MoreThree Lovely Writing Things!
As a writer, I have plenty of discouraging days—when the words don’t come easily, something comes up that takes me away from my desk, or a rejection arrives in my inbox. But this past week, what I felt was overwhelming gratitude. First, I got to write every single day, and unexpected ideas crept into my…
Read MoreWhy I Love Featuring Guest Authors on My Blog
It’s the beginning of a new year, and I’ve been busily putting the word out to my writer’s groups, Sisters in Crime and publisher connections, and my Seton Hill University alums and faculty that I have openings for guest author blogs in the coming year. I enjoy alternating my own personal weekly blogs with those…
Read MoreWhen It Comes to Time, It’s All About Choices
As some of you know, I’m president of Derby Rotten Scoundrels, a chapter of a mystery writing organization, Sisters in Crime. One of our goals has been to expand our social media presence to attract new members. The other day, the newly installed group’s publicist inquired as to whether I was on Twitter. “Well, sure,”…
Read MoreThe Writing Life: Sometimes We Just Have to Keep Believing
Last month, I got the news that my recently released YA novel, LEISHA’S SONG, received the bronze medal in the YA mystery category from the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards. The Moonbeam Awards are about “Celebrating Youthful Curiosity, Discovery and Learning Through Books and Reading.” To say that I was thrilled is the understatement of the…
Read MoreThe Magic of Libraries
Like so many writers, libraries hold a special place in my heart. From the time I was a little girl, a trip to the library meant entering a magical world filled with countless delights—all those inviting books that could take you to different places and lives, some similar to your own and some so different…
Read MoreComfort Food for Writers and Other Humans
The writing life has plenty of ups—those days when the words tumble out like Niagara Falls, the moment you type “The End” on a manuscript you’ve labored over for months, and that “yes” from a publisher. But there are also some downs—when it feels like your word faucet is on the fritz, or a rejection…
Read MoreEven Book Fairs That Are a Bust Have Their Benefits
At six AM last Saturday morning, I packed up my suitcase of books and SWAG (bookmarks, cookies, etc.), loaded my car, and travelled eighty miles to participate in a book fair. The fair coordinator told us authors she was expecting a big turnout. We needed to have at least ten copies of each of our…
Read More