My small-pub-sister Cherie Colyer is launching her book Embrace today. Here’s the blurb: Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But… Read More
I’ve followed Nathan Bransford’s blog for a couple years now, and one thing I love is the occasional “pulse taking” polls that he conducts. Totally unscientific, yet sample size is large, so there is something to these numbers. And they’re showing that the ebook revolution we’ve been talking about for the last year is a very real thing (from Nate… Read More
I don’t usually review movies, and this isn’t so much a review as a cautionary tale about how the most brilliant idea can be destroyed by a lack of good worldbuilding and attention to detail. I’m talking, of course, about the movie In Time. Brilliant idea, here’s the blurb: In a future where people stop aging at 25, but are… Read More
I have no art education, couldn’t tell a Matisse from a Van Gogh, but I know what I like. I am a “reader” in the art world. I believe that art is a tremendously personal experience. Someone once told me that the only thing I needed to know about art was how it made me feel. Being a logical Vulcan-type… Read More
E-books and self-publishing are upending the publishing world. Don’t take my word for it – Friday’s WSJ article sums it up nicely. With Kindles sales increasing four-fold on Black Friday this year, I’ve seen estimates of the 8 million Kindles currently in use jumping to 25 million after Christmas (Amazon doesn’t release its numbers). With $79 Kindles and $99 Nooks,… Read More
Looking to stock up some reading material for the holidays? (I’ve been cramming my nook full of new titles in anticipation of some reading time, once my current draft is finished.) Two Indie friends have books releasing today: Fellow Indelibles author Lisa Nowak is releasing her contemporary boy-POV novel Getting Sideways, the sequel to Running Wide Open. It’s a great… Read More
I’m a geek (of the science and Star Trek varieties). My husband is a geek (of the engineering and model rocket flavor). We’ve spawned three miniature geeks (small, medium, and large). Even though I now consider myself a WORD NERD, we still have a lot of geek gifts of Christmases-past in our house, including barometric pressure gages, enough rocketry explosives… Read More
Have a writer on your Christmas list? Or are your family and friends always wondering what to get you, besides secluded time to write and a new notebook (paper or electronic)? Here’s some ideas to put on your list or pass along for your favorite writerly friends. Moleskin Covers for Your iPad! From Roger Parker’s post on Best Gifts for… Read More
Fellow author Talli Roland, with two previously small-press published novels, is taking the leap into self-publishing with her latest release, Build A Man. Talli’s previous releases have been fun-filled, creative events that made me in awe of her (and furiously taking notes). This round is no exception as she has created an online poll for people to vote on features… Read More
I am totally that Crazy Aunt that gives books for Christmas. (And Birthdays. And any other excuse I can think of.) I was this way long before I was an author, but it reached epic proportions after I had my own children and was surrounded by kidlit. Everything from gorgeous picture books to delightful chapter books to gripping middle grade… Read More
It’s a Christmas Themed week! And there are lots of cool things ahead. Last Friday, I kicked off the Holiday Theme by throwing a giveaway for anyone that posts a picture of Open Minds on my FB page (open until 12/20, so check it out). Today, I’m over on Goodreads doing an author Q&A about my books, writing, and publishing…. Read More
Do you have a copy of Open Minds? Post a picture of the cover (be creative!) on my FB page to win this: $10 B&N Gift Card + Open Books, Open Minds Wrist Band (pencil not included) to keep … or to give away for the Holidays Giveaway open until December 20th! Are you subscribed to my author newsletter? If YES: Look for… Read More
When I announced I was participating in National Novel Writing Month the same month I was launching my book, several people commented that they were impressed (and were probably thinking, boy is she crazy). It was a bit crazy, but I am so glad that I did it! (Yes, I met the 50k mark, although I’m certainly not done drafting Closed… Read More
I’m excited to be a part of The Indelibles, a group of 20 Indie authors who are launching their books this fall. I’ll be able to tell you more when we officially launch the group after the first of the year (mostly because everyone is so busy launching their books right now), but I have to say, there are some… Read More
I firmly believe that stories aren’t just entertainment or distraction, but an essential part of our how brains operate. As Kenneth Burke says, Stories are equipment for living. And now the scientists are proving this to be more true than we realize. A Scientific American article titled In the Minds of Others dives into the impact of stories on our brains,… Read More
At the last minute, I jumped on board with a New Author Blog Hop! I’m not so “new” but my newest release is… Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros… Read More
Shannon Mayer hosted a November Indie Cover Art poll, and I entered Open Minds … and we lost. 🙂 But truly, everyone who participated was a winner, with hundreds of views and 80+ votes and great exposure for all the Indie titles. And the winner was … Moonlight on the Nantahala (A Paranormal Romance) by Michael Rivers … Read More
Throughout the launch of Open Minds, I got a lot of positive feedback about the book, but also about the launch itself. On Friday, I asked if my loyal blog readers had any questions for me, and they came up with some great ones! Here are the answers … Laura Pauling asks: “Me me! I have a question. What surprised you… Read More
The tour is coming to a close. As I mentioned in my interview with Sherrie Petersen, I think next time I will trim up the Book Tour (same number of stops, but over a shorter time frame). The tour was targeted at reaching new readers, not the faithful (wonderful, awesome) readers of my blog, who had already partied hard with… Read More
Fellow Indelible author Jessie Harrell’s YA retelling of the Eros and Psyche myth, Destined, releases today! I am to excited to buy this book! I mean, just look at the cover … Gorgeous, right? Jessie talks about cover design at Oasis for YA, and I love the story of how she avoided the usual “same stock photo” problem – something… Read More
I’ve long appreciated the importance of Book Bloggers – their reviews help readers find books that they love and help writers spread the word about their works. With the rise of self-publishing, I think Anne R. Allen (in interviewing Danielle from There’s A Book) gets it right: Book Bloggers can serve as a new kind of gate-keeper. When I set… Read More
Is it me, or is National Novel Writing Month attracting a lot of high-profile people this year? I mean, Nathan Bransford is doing it, and so is John Green (via Ava Jae)! Has it suddenly become “cool” to NaNo in a way that it wasn’t in previous years? Has Water for Elephants (originally a NaNo novel) lent credibility, or is… Read More
The Open Minds blog tour rolls on, but I want to bring another book launch to your attention! Dark C.A.R.M.A. I’m excited for the Dark C.A.R.M.A. ladies (C.K. Bryant, Ali Cross, RaShelle Workman) kicking off their collective Launch Party today! These ladies are YA authors who have banded their resources together to launch their books, a trend that is gaining… Read More
The Blog Tour continueth, with more guest posts and sundries … WEDNESDAY, November 9th Book Lovers Inc. Today, I am guest posting on Book Lovers Inc: “Writing For an Audience” in which I talk about the coolness of writing a sequel while people are reading the first book (yes, writing and promoting at the same time is not just a… Read More
The Open Minds Book Blog Tour continues apace, with lots of goodies queued up for your sampling pleasure. SUNDAY, November 6th Letters Inside Out (YA Book Reviews) Yesterday, Amanda at Letters Inside Out posted her review of Open Minds. “Open Minds is the type of book that keeps you guessing and makes you wonder just what you’d do in the same… Read More
I’m reposting the details of the Blog Tour today, with updated info about the contest timelines. In short, there’s lots of chances to win an e-book (and in some cases paper) copy of Open Minds during the Blog Tour, so be sure to stop by and enter. Summary of Giveaways this week: Word Spelunking Book Blogger E-Book Giveaway, open until… Read More
OMGOSH YOU GUYS!! I am so deeply touched by all the outpouring of love, support, and downright awesomeness across the blogosphere for Open Minds’ Virtual Launch party!! Over 100 tweets, over 250 blog comments (and they keep coming), fistfuls of FB postings … I’m completely overwelmed by the support of all the Party Hosts and Party Hoppers and just plain… Read More
Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly… Read More
The Virtual Launch Party is almost here! Once you’ve trick-or-treated and packed away that Star Trek Godzilla Ghostbusters costume, stop by on November 1st for some virtual confetti and a whole lot of fun! With over 40 Party Hosts joining the celebration, you’ll find: Posts about #keepingOPENMINDS (brightening the blogosphere with stories of tolerance making the world a better place) Reviews… Read More
The awesome M.A. Leslie had the grand idea to sponsor an Internet Book Fair! A bumper crop of self-published books have come out this fall from my author-friends. This surge of authors choosing to self-publish (including yours truly) before the holiday season is an interesting phenomenon. Self-publishing seems like the new trendy cool thing, but when lots of people independently decide to give something a try, there… Read More
***************************************************************************** WINNERS!! Winners of the 2 copies of paper ARCs of Open Minds are …. Sharon Mayhew and Vic Caswell!! Thank you to everyone who subscribed and sent their well wishes for the book! ***************************************************************************** picture credit Writing centers me. Amid the flurry of activity that comes with releasing a book, I’m still writing. Not because I love it (I… Read More
*******CONTEST OFFICIALLY CLOSED*********** Less than two weeks to the release of Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) on November 1st! When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving… Read More
Spool up the FTL (Faster Than Light) drive, we’re breaking the laws of physics again. I’ve been so caught up in science fiction that I didn’t have a chance to share this tidy little science fact: Neutrinos Go Faster Than Light (maybe) Scientists, being conservative types, are still taking measurements, double and triple checking their slide-rules to make sure they didn’t… Read More
Short and Sweet: Matt and Alex are running a blogfest with north of 160 blogs linked together. Holy Cats! We’re supposed to recommend 3 blogs and why you should visit them. Adam Heine: Father to orphaned children in Thailand, kick butt writer of ninjas, mechs and Air Pirates, Adam has an uber-helpful blog with tips on writing, querying, and generally… Read More
I started my week of celebrating middle grade science fiction with a guest post from Greg R. Fishbone (author of GALAXY GAMES) about the hole on the bookshelf where MG SF should be. In some ways, this is a longing from my childhood. I read so many great SF books, from luminaries like Frederik Pohl, that I want to recreate… Read More
A week celebrating middle grade science fiction wouldn’t be complete without stretching across the planet to writer Simon Haynes, who Midwest Book Review calls the “the Australian Terry Pratchett.” High praise indeed! I was excited when Simon agreed to interview on my blog, and not just because I have a weak spot for British humor and Australian accents – he gets a… Read More
Continuing with my theme week of highlighting middle grade science fiction, today I’m recommending a charming self-published book that feels like a classic SF adventure only updated for today. In other words, awesome. Noah Zarc (Mammoth Trouble) by D. Robert Pease is a rollicking space adventure that jumps through time with the Zarc family as they try to save animals (yes,… Read More
I’m continuing my spotlight of middle grade science fiction with this book recommendation, which is also part of the lovely Christina Lee‘s Kick B*tt 2011 Debut Author Spotlight Although here I am, breaking the rules again, because while Rip Tide came out in 2011, the debut first book (Dark Life) came out last year. But Rip Tide is AWESOME, which… Read More
Long time readers of my blog know that I am a fan of science fiction and have complained about the dearth of science fiction on middle grade shelves (and not just because I wrote one). Over the next week, I’ll be spotlighting several MG SF authors and their books (both traditionally published and self-published), because I would love for there… Read More
Thank you to everyone for the tremendous support and enthusiasm about my post announcing my young adult paranormal/SF novel Open Minds (releases Nov. 1st! Yay!). The love of the blogosphere left me a little choked up on Monday. You guys are THE BEST! (If you missed the post, please pop over to join us for the Virtual Launch Party!) This is my first… Read More
Coming 11-1-11 …. Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best… Read More
I was going to repost Taking the Road Less Traveled, because I’ve got a crazy busy week and it’s one of my more popular posts … but then I realized my head isn’t quite in that same space anymore. In the four months since that post, I’ve grown less worried about my children’s forays into the creative arts and more concerned… Read More
One of the cool things about having a book out? Getting to participate in things like this: Baskets full of Omnific author’s books in a raffle for MS There’s a special bond between authors at a small press, as we all have a common shared experience. My publisher, Omnific Publishing, encourages their authors to share ideas and support each other, and they… Read More
Why You Pick Books… Thanks to everyone who shared their book picking habits! The results (in my very non-scientific assessment) are: Author Rep/Signing/Series (25%) Personal Rec/Gift/Book Clubs (20%) Cover/Blurb (11%) Blogs (11%) Friend’s Book (11%) Read to Review/Research/Writing (7%) Goodreads (5%) Price/Borders Sale (4%) Publisher (4%) Book Reviews (1%) We clearly are a bunch who like to buy our friends’… Read More
It appears that Goodreads will now make book recommendations (based on your previous ratings and selected genres), much like Netflix. Goodreads doesn’t (apparently) pull in other reader’s interests, but can a “friends also read” category much like Amazon’s “customers also bought” be far behind? Which brings me to the topic of “How do you find your next book?” If you’re… Read More
Inspired by Lynda Young’s 14 Lies We Tell Ourselves About Writing, which has the positive lies that we tell ourselves to make life easier (we think), I’d like to add the four negative lies that keep us from accomplishing what we could. 1. The Lie: I’m a talentless hack who will never be able to write anything worth reading. The… Read More
picture credit I listened to an inspirational TED talk by Simon Sinek (via Robin Sullivan) and it’s changed the way I think (seriously, it’s that good). Simon endorses a Why-How-What perspective of explaining who you are (as an author, company, movement). Most organizations (and people) start with What they do, then explain How they do it, and (maybe) get around… Read More
Picture credit I stumbled on this post (via Natasha Hanova) by Donald Maass, Scott Bell and Richard Volger about Story Structure (which is filled with awesome and you should read the whole thing), but this part leapt out for me: Q: You three Story Masters each teach universal principles but also singular techniques. What dimension of storytelling is most important to… Read More
My library put on a local author event over the weekend. Which is all kinds of awesome on their part, not least because they invited me to come sign books: I always love signing books and all the friends and family that come out to support me! But the most amazing part of this event was my chance to meet… Read More
I’m squeaking in on the Random Acts of Publicity meme put together by Darcy Pattinson and championed by the lovely Elana Johnson. We’re supposed to BLLuRT (Blog, Link, Like, Review, Talk) about our favorite books, but I’m putting a twist in and talking about all the sequels that have recently landed on my Nook and bookshelf, waiting to be read. Series are all… Read More
Getting my kids to write was slightly less painful than delivering them into the world, but a lot more frustrating. Because it goes on for years and years and years … When I tell people that Dark Omen wrote a novel and is now working on the sequel, they give me this knowing look, like, Well, of course! What did you… Read More
I wasn’t planning on blogging today, but when I learned about the great contest being held by The Charis Project to fund a land purchase for their orphanage in Thailand, I had to spread the word. I’ve been supporting The Charis Project for a while because what they’re doing resonates so strongly with me. Not only are they helping orphaned… Read More
The E-Revolution continues to bring dramatic changes. Ideas are coming fast and furious about ways that e-books will reach and change the children’s book market. Nook has introduced the free Nook Study for e-textbooks and touts e-textbooks as a way to save money. Reading on cell-phones may be the cure for the digital divide, and people can now highlight passages… Read More
I have a crazy long TBR list. Don’t believe me? Check this: Friend Me on Goodreads I use Goodreads to keep track of all the books I want to read, but I also have stacks of physical books, and my nook is filled with purchased books, library books, and manuscripts from awesome writer friends. I love reading. Love it so… Read More
Where would Harry be without his invisibility cloak? In detention, in Snape’s office, most likely. Tiny rings that bend light. What once was considered magical is now scientific reality, as scientists just figured out how to hide more stuff in broad daylight. There have been invisibility devices of a sort before: a fancy projection system (think the green screen weatherman) that… Read More
I’ve signed up for the Third Writer’s Platform-Building Campaign! Here’s the blurb: Basically, the Campaign is a way to link those of us in the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Campaigners are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the… Read More
Picture Credit Intuition is often either knocked as superstitious (by Logic Brain types) or embraced as a mystical power (by Creative Brain types). (p.s. my brain is half of each; they fight a lot.) I’m beginning to think intuition is our own personal superpower. On vacation, I picked up a magazine at a local bookstore in Leadville, CO, and read… Read More
On Monday, I recommended a great new middle grade book, The Man in the Cinder Clouds, and today we have author Rick Daley as a guest to talk about the path that The Man in the Cinder Clouds took to publication. In previous Notes from the E-Revolution, we talked about how authors these days were mixing it up, combining self and… Read More
If middle grade e-books are the next big thing, Rick Daley is right on time. The Man in the Cinder Clouds, Rick Daley’s delightful Christmas Tale, is a story within a story within a story. I love how Rick weaves these three plots together, each dependent on the other, nested like Christmas Dolls. In the first, we follow Jason to the… Read More
I’ve found a theme song for the E-Revolution: Make It Up As You Go by the Plain White T’s. I’m partial to the whole Wonders of the Younger album, especially the title song, which is a ballad to kidlit, if I ever heard one! Moving on … E-Readers for Kids While on vacation, I took a quick tally at the airport:… Read More
My husband thought I was crazy when I suggested taking our three boys to Boulder’s Shakespeare Festival while we were vacationing in Colorado. But they were staging The Comedy of Errors and I couldn’t pass it up. Plus, when queried, the kids were all for it. At which point, the husband gives me this shifty-eyed look, like I set the whole… Read More
The problem with being a science fiction writer is that those darn scientists keep leap-frogging ahead of us, discovering actual cool stuff that’s even more amazing than what we dream up. You know what they say about truth being stranger than fiction (because fiction is restrained to the plausible, while truth doesn’t care if you can believe it or not)…. Read More
In the last 9 – 18 months, the publishing world has been turned on its ear – e-readers are on the rise, e-books are outselling paper books, Borders is closing. These are seismic shifts. It feels like vertigo every time I open my browser. Notes from the E-Revolution is a new semi-regular feature on the blog (on Fridays),where I’ll be… Read More
Lately, you may have noticed a few things spruced up around my blog: some new tabs that make finding information about me and my books a little smoother. The sidebar’s cleaned up a bit. And the tags on the side are more descriptive of my author brand, with phrases like middle grade, science fiction, and writing journey. For a while, I’ve owned the… Read More
Today we have author Kris Yankee as a guest to talk about her new middle grade book Saving Redwind. I’m all about connecting kids to books they’ll love, and I can tell just from the description that this is the kind of adventure my boys would like. Who wouldn’t love to find a magical place hidden in the wallpaper? (Personally… Read More
Thanks to everyone who left comments while I was on blog-cation! We were traveling around Colorado, doing all kinds of cool things, including … … checking out the Butterfly Pavilion in the most humid room in all of Colorado … … climbing the snow pile (what? August?) … … reveling in the glory of the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains …… Read More
This week, I’m on a blog-cation! So I’m reposting some of my top posts. I may be able to sneak some quality WiFi time in when my husband isn’t looking, but probably not. So please feel free to discuss amongst yourselves! [Editor’s note: This post is over a year and a half old. It’s still basically relevant, despite the surge… Read More
This week, I’m on a blog-cation! So I’m reposting some of my top posts. I may be able to sneak some quality WiFi time in when my husband isn’t looking, but probably not. So please feel free to discuss amongst yourselves! Taking the Road Less Traveled* (originally post May 23, 2011) *Apologies to Robert Frost Sometimes I wonder what compels… Read More
This week, I’m on a blog-cation! So I’m reposting some of my top posts. I may be able to sneak some quality WiFi time in when my husband isn’t looking, but probably not. So please feel free to discuss amongst yourselves! Showing Emotion: Boys vs. Girls (original post April 13, 2011) Picture credit On Monday (April 11, 2011), I talked… Read More
Worm Burner, age 10 and resident Tech Support, asked if I would teach him C++ this summer. Sure, no problem. Except that the last time I used C++ was during my Ph.D. dissertation and my summer plans did not include hours in front of the terminal re-learning how to program. Normally, I’m all about fiction, but today I want to… Read More
Thanks for voting this last week about the comments. Results below: Pop-Ups Win! Wait, that’s not what the poll says … Sadly, Blogger ate a bunch of votes in the middle of the week, or Embedded would have had more votes. But Either is fine was a strong contender all along, and since pop-ups seem to work for everyone, I’m… Read More
I’ve been reading Kristen Lamb‘s book Are You There Blog? It’s Me, Writer and thinking a lot about blogging, branding, and author promotion. (I discovered Kristen via Laura Pauling, whose mere mention of her name sent me scrambling for more information. Laura’s just that good.) Kristen’s writing style is fun and goes down easy, and it’s fair to say I… Read More
First there was the flood. That was looking bad when the water was coming in faster than I could bail it out, but we recovered and only the ugly basement carpet was sacrificed. Then there was the power outage. That was looking bad when the temperatures were rising and the kids were hot and antsy, but we were back out… Read More
It was brought to my attention that some people have trouble with the embedded comment option, i.e. they have to click through a bunch of times, switch browsers, do a small dance, and make an offering to the Blogger Gods … just to leave a comment. Now I think it’s terribly important that everyone leave comments, but really, Blogger? It’s… Read More
I wasn’t going to post today (life and writing are interfering with blogging), but I came across this: Two District 15 Schools Awarded Laptop Grant This is my local school district (which has 20 schools and of which I was an elected board member for four years). It doesn’t sound all that exciting until you scroll down and realize that… Read More
This last couple of weeks, there has been a lot of promotion on Ink Spells! Between the Anthology Promoting Breast Cancer Research (see my guest post on PK Hrezo’s blog), the Military Family Giveaway, and the just concluded BlogFest 2011 (Winner is Alison! Congratulations!!), there’s been a lot of giveaways going on here. Nathan Bransford recently suffered some backlash for promoting… Read More
Welcome to BlogFest 2011, with over 200 giveaways in a series of linked blogs. I get dizzy just thinking about it. Here’s the master list, or just check out the next five blogs at the bottom of the post. ~*~ Epic love doesn’t have to involve paranormal creatures. This singular thought inspired me to write Life, Liberty, and Pursuit. My… Read More
“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” -Sylvia Plath This is one of my favorite quotes, and time and again, I feel the strength of it. If I wrestle with the path I’m on, self-doubt creeps in and my ability to write takes a hit. While there are many things that can cripple your confidence, there are only a few… Read More
First, don’t forget the Summer Breeze Anthology to support breast cancer research, and my giveaway for military families (a copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit and a gift card) – please spread the word! John Locke (not really) I’ve read a lot of blogs this last week about changes in the publishing industry. As the fabulous Laura Pauling says, it’s… Read More
I’m guest posting today on Lisa Sanchez’s blog for the Sizzling Summer Author Extravaganza. There I talk about Long Distance Romance and how our military families sacrifice so that their loved ones can serve. As a small thank you to military families, I’m giving away a copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit, plus a $25 Barnes&Noble Gift card – but… Read More
My publisher, Omnific Publishing, has partnered with the Save the Ta-Tas Foundation to release two Summer Lovin’ Anthologies – Summer Breeze (young adult) and Summer Heat (adult). These romantic short stories will whisk you away on a sweet escape, and all proceeds will be donated to Save the Ta-Tas to support breast cancer research! WIN and WIN. Here’s my short fiction piece in the Summer… Read More
Oh, my lovelies, I have so many cool things in store for you this hot July. (Well, maybe it’s hot in your neighborhood. Palatine’s still trying to break 80. And avoid premature-death-by-hail-stone.) Ahem. The Sizzling Summer Author Extravaganza is here! Fellow Omnific Author Lisa Sanchez is hosting a month of guest interviews and giveaways. Here’s the complete list of upcoming… Read More
My week at the Write by the Lake workshop is the best investment I’ve made in my writing career. Part workshop, part retreat, part quality time with a writer friend, it was a booster shot for my writing, as well as a validating experience. This was different from conferences where you meet other writers, agents and editors. It was a… Read More
I’m a huge fan of reading aloud to children, from infancy until they tell you to stop (hint: this never happens). But when the story I’m reading is my story, a special kind of magick happens. Now that THE FAERY SWAP 1st draft is complete (*balloons* *streamers*), I’ve started to read it chapter-by-chapter at bedtime to my three boys (ages… Read More
Even when you don’t think kids are paying attention, they are. This doesn’t just apply to hushed discussions of upcoming birthday presents or coded messages about impending bedtimes. Kids “get” the themes in books they read and movies they see, often more than you would ever expect for their age. This struck home for me when Mighty Mite and his… Read More
I don’t think of myself as someone who holds themselves back, but it turns out I was wrong. That happens (but only occasionally). 🙂 I relentlessly hunt down my writing weaknesses and tackle them with every writer weapon tool I have. A weakness is safe only as long as it is hidden – if I can see it, I can… Read More
First, the Write by the Lake workshop/retreat was AMAZING. But it’s good to be back and I will be blogging about my lessons learned in future posts. Today, I want to share the story of publishing my son’s book. Last fall, Dark Omen (age 12) started a new novel, encouraged by his 6th grade teacher’s Exquisite Corpse project (where kids… Read More
A virus laid siege to my body this week, so I didn’t make my goal of finishing the rough draft of Sekrit Project. In fact, I’m still not back on solid foods, so this will be short. First, THE WINNER! BRYAN RUSSELL Bryan wins a book of his choice! Something I know he will love. Thanks to everyone for all… Read More
I’ve been checking in for the last 8 weeks about Sekrit Project, the middle grade fantasy that I’m drafting (see my awesome writing partners Sheri, Margo, and C. Lee). This week, I’m in the final push to complete the MS before I go to my writing conference Write by the Lake next week at the Univ. of Wisconsin (can’t wait!… Read More
Today is my day to host the Summer Treasure Hunt. Click here to find all the cool things you can enter to win (books, gift cards, critiques). Today is your last chance to enter to win a copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit. Here’s what you do to enter: 1) Find the answer to my treasure hunt question. QUESTION: How… Read More
This is a short piece of fiction I wrote for one of my favorite blogger friends, Lenny Lee, to spread some of the Lenny Lee Sunshine (Patent Pending). Because he loves animals, and he always makes me smile. Stop by Lenny’s blog and leave a hug for him. (Also: follow the #LennyLeeFest hashtag to find other posts for our special guy.)… Read More
Last week I finally dipped my toe into e-loaning. I’ve had my Nook for over a year, and go to the library all the time (also the bookstore, in person and electronically), but it took me until now to get over my hesitation to e-loan. I’m glad I did – although it was a bit complicated to set up, now… Read More
This is my Week 7 check-in of my ROW80 challenge to finish the rough draft of Sekrit Middle Grade Fantasy project by June 14th! Eek! That’s two week away! Check out Sheri’s Progress Here Check out Margo’s Progress Here Check out C. Lee’s Progress Here After being stuck in the Middle Muddles, a tremendous burst of writing occurred last week. Do you… Read More
AllRomance.com is having a site-wide sale of all their books, 50% off today and tomorrow (sale ends 5/30 11:59 pm). All of Omnific Publishing’s books (my publisher!) are carried by AllRomance, including my book Life, Liberty, and Pursuit: Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (a teen love story) E-book: SALE price $3.50 (regularly $6.99) Life, Liberty, and Pursuit is a story about… Read More
The summer spree of book giveaways is starting! I like this treasure hunt, not only because I am participating (June 6th is my giveaway day! see below), but because you don’t have to wait till the day to enter – YOU CAN ENTER AT ANY TIME for the prizes that you want. Given how crazy life can get, I like… Read More
Stolen from Julie Musil’s Post on Validation (read it!) Validation through Friendship I’m attracted to people who are honest (with kindness), who are open (with humility), and who find ways to teach others around them (in small and large ways). I think they validate me – a term my mom, the psychologist, uses to describe something that affirms the positive… Read More
This is my Week 6 check-in of my ROW80 challenge to finish the rough draft of Sekrit Middle Grade Fantasy project by June 14th! Check out Sheri’s Progress Here Check out Margo’s Progress Here Check out C. Lee’s Progress Here The Middle Muddles – they have grabbed hold of me and dragged me into the muck! I thought with all my plotting… Read More
*Apologies to Robert Frost Sometimes I wonder what compels me to take that weedy path, the one that’s overgrown because few people go there. Sometimes I tromp across a meadow that doesn’t have so much as a deer trail, just because I think there should be a path there, and darn it, someone’s got to be the first. What is… Read More
First, regular commenter Victoria Caswell (aka aspiring_x), who won my book Life, Liberty, and Pursuit in the newsletter contest, posted a tremendously sweet review over at her blog Hairnet and Hopes. Thanks, Vic!! Some of the best ideas for posts come from commenters and followers. Yesterday, a Facebook friend asked if I thought her MG story idea was overdone or… Read More
Star Trek and Buttercream Frosting I love writing. The passion I used to reserve for Star Trek and buttercream frosting (combined??) I now lavish upon this obsession I have for the craft of writing. It takes over my movie watching (five minutes into The Matrix last night, someone tells Neo, You’re one of those people who thinks you’re special, aren’t… Read More