Intro: This post is inspired by one of my favorite writers, Gabriela Pereira, “instigator” of DIY MFA. Besides writing the column “Be Well, Write Well” for DIY MFA, I’ve also agreed to be a part of the team helping to promote the new DIY MFA book coming out this summer! I’m super-excited to read it. […]
fiction
My Character Changed Course: Rose and Her Father
I’ve been working on a short story inspired by one of the old Life magazines I picked up at an antique mart earlier this month. It’s about a girl named Rose starting a new school in the early 1950s, just after her father was killed in Korea and her mother was forced to join the […]
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 […]
How To Brainstorm A Book Idea
People often ask writers how they get their ideas. I’ve read and listened to many author interviews, and most say that a character or place comes to them first, and they create the story from there. That’s never been the case for me. I’ve always needed to choose the structure first; that’s what inspires me, […]
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 […]