The Writing Life
What I Needed to Hear
Have you ever read or heard something and thought, “Wow, that’s just what I needed to hear”? That happened to me this week reading Elise Bryant’s delightful debut YA novel, Happily Ever Afters. Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson loves writing romance stories and sharing them with her best friend, Caroline. But when her family moves to a…
Read MoreVirginia Woolf Was Right
In 1929, Virginia Woolf published her famous essay, A Room of One’s Own, in which she argued that if a woman is to write, she must have money and a room of her own. I’ve certainly been aware of money as a factor in being able to focus on creative work. In the years when…
Read MoreMeet Susan Bell
Today, I’m delighted to introduce readers to a dynamo member of Derby Rotten Scoundrels, the Ohio River Valley chapter of Sisters in Crime. Below is her bio and her responses to my interview questions. Susan Bell was born in coastal California, then proceeded to travel the country in her role as daughter of a Naval officer.…
Read MoreThinking About My Forthcoming Novel: Why LEISHA’S SONG Matters to Me
I’m thrilled that my third YA novel, Leisha’s Song, comes out on June 15 from Fire and Ice, the YA imprint of Melange Books. To tell you a little about the book, here is a brief description: Leisha knows something’s wrong. Her beloved vocal coach at boarding school would never have resigned and disappeared like…
Read MoreThe Second Question Writers Get Asked Most Often
“Where do you get your ideas?” may be the most frequently asked question writers get asked, while the follow-up is often, “Do you base your characters on anyone you know?” When I get asked that, I have to say the answer is both “no” and “yes.” No, I’ve never created a character that’s a…
Read MoreSharing Updates
As I write this, I’m recovering from inhaling way too many helpings of the delicious Thanksgiving dinner my husband made for us. My waistline may never be the same, but it was worth it. Feeling very grateful for his food and most especially, for his love. I don’t know how I lucked out to marry…
Read MoreBetter Late Than Never
During my years as a dancer, we never went on stage for a performance before we’d had at least one technical rehearsal followed by a final dress. I was really missing those days on Thursday when my IG Live presentation for Page Street in celebration of NaNo (National Writing Novel Month) didn’t occur at its…
Read MoreChasing the Pandemic Blues Away: Celebrating a Good Week
Just when I was about to slide into one of my “My life has been cancelled and I miss my grandkids” breakdowns, some lovely things happened this week. First off, I typed “THE END” on the first draft of my fifth novel, tentatively called Missed Clue. It needs tons of work. But, as I learned…
Read MoreWriting Updates and Reflections on Writing Outside Your Identity Group
I’m excited to share that at long last, Malice Domestic’s anthology, Murder Most Theatrical, is available for pre-order from Wildside Press and will officially come out on October 1st. My short story, “Missed Cue,” appears in the anthology, and its setting in a dance company reflects my love of the dance world I spent decades…
Read MoreBack Story Matters in Fiction– and Life
Like all fiction writers, I strive to create characters readers will care about. But that only works if I care about the life experiences that have shaped them. To do that, I’ve found it essential to delve deeply into their backgrounds. Much of what I learn will never appear in my novels, but my characters’…
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