Happy Valentine’s Day! If you weren’t reading the blog last February, here’s a re-post of last year’s take on literary matchmaking. If you were reading the blog last February… well, read it again! Maybe you’ll have some new couples to suggest in the comment section. …………………….. With Valentine’s day tomorrow, most book bloggers will be writing […]
The One Type Of List You Should Be Making
When I was a child, I remember wandering into the home office of an adult I knew well, and finding a list of priorities taped to the wall. They were numbered, with the top priorities up high and lesser ones on the bottom. I remember thinking, “That’s weird. Why would someone need reminding about what’s […]
Love Your Day Job
One morning last week, I woke up to a rejection in my inbox. I’m as accustomed to these emails as any writer, but this was a particularly rough moment for me. I’d been riding high, because several agents have requested my full manuscript recently, and I was hoping that meant an offer would be coming […]
What Work/Life Balance Really Means
Here’s what I don’t understand about the term “Work/Life Balance.” What is work, and what is life? If we spend roughly 40% of our lives working, then isn’t work one of the greatest parts of our lives? Work/family balance, or work/home balance might make the term clearer; but what if your […]
January Book Review: The White House, a Bakery, and Blogging
Welcome to the monthly book review! At the end of each month, I review the books I’ve read. Enjoy! The Book: The Residence: Inside the Private World of The White House by Kate Andersen Brower The Category: Nonfiction In Three Words: Presidential Staff Secrets Biggest Takeaway: I love reading history from new angles, and this was one I’d never […]
How I Create Characters
One of my blogging goals for 2016 is to “show my work.” Last week, I wrote about how to brainstorm a book idea; this week, I’d like to share how I create characters. Whether I write historical fiction, YA literary fiction, or short stories, my trademark is writing from multiple perspectives. So my first step […]