Many of you know that I’ve been writing historical novels for what seems like forever, but haven’t yet published a book. There have been times that I’ve felt less ambitious about it, and times when I doubted my own ability to achieve my publication goals, but overall I’m committed to making it happen. For those […]
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Finishing Draft 1: Then Vs. Now
Last Wednesday, I reached the end of Blizzard, draft 1. (For more details about the book’s plot and characters, return to this post.) I was powerfully reminded of the way I felt when I reached the end of draft 1 of Waist on the auspicious date of 12/12/12. I was exhilarated then; I thought I […]
March Writing Life Update: Agent Acquired!
It’s been awhile since I’ve done an update on my writing life, but there hasn’t been much news to share… until recently. In this first quarter of the year, I’ve been working steadily on two long-term projects: the new nonfiction website/book, and my next historical novel about the Blizzard of 1888. (Contrary to my original […]
“The One Tool All Writers Need…” on DIY MFA
Hi everyone! I wanted to share the link to my most recent column over at DIY MFA: The One Tool All Writers Need This is a subject I was contemplating earlier this month, as I received rejections (or silence) from literary agents and from short story publishers. Rejections are not only common when you’re writing, they’re […]
Dear Mr. Fiction: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
I’ve slowed things down with Mr. Fiction, at least for the time being. But I always knew it wasn’t going to be a complete breakup; even though my new focus is going to be the nonfiction book, I’m having a relationship with fiction on the side. For one thing, I still have a complete novel that I’d […]
I Got Knocked Down: A Story of Rejections and Hope
The original title of this post, as I planned it on my editorial calendar, was “How to Stay Sane and Keep Writing During The Holidays.” I still think that’s a great title. Problem is, I don’t feel qualified to write it right now. I’ve fallen off my writing horse this past week. I’ve stumbled, and I’m […]