In many ways, 2019 was a year of treading water for me. There were accomplishments, milestones, victories and losses but the revolution of the sun and of myself was mostly in an ability to stand my ground. In the personal, we lost my grandfather-in-law, the adopted grandparent who loved and guided us, who united my … Continue reading Reflecting on 2019 with 2020 Hindsight
Writing
YA Is A Useless Genre
I bet you came here ready to have a fight. But please, let me assure you that I have no beef with "YA" books. I just think it's a rating, not a genre. YA stands for "Young Adult" and was initially used by bookstores and libraries to provide a space for readers who were no … Continue reading YA Is A Useless Genre
All Thrills, No Frills: Feminine Horror
It's time to get spoopy! My book feeds are full of people reading horror novels, scary movies are on every television, and here I am to talk about what I (and I think others) define as "feminine horror." When we think about horror, we think monsters, psychological thrillers, and body horror. I think lately, however, … Continue reading All Thrills, No Frills: Feminine Horror
Live Creatively – Stop Writing
If you've done much writing at all, you'll have heard advice from dozens of professionals on how to write with all your talent and stay on schedule. There are exercises and outlining rules and reminders that it's not about inspiration, it's about perspiration! And today I'd like to add my own. My favorite way to … Continue reading Live Creatively – Stop Writing
Two Years Is Enough Anticipation
A while back I spoke of my concern with my third book's title, due to a few unrelated yet troubling posts made by other authors and asked readers of my blog or other social media sites to help me select a name. So I'm pleased to announce that I've finished the first draft of my … Continue reading Two Years Is Enough Anticipation
Those Who Do the Work
Labor Day always makes me a bit morose. It's the end of summer, and it's supposed to be a day to commemorate the efforts of those who fought for workers' rights--the 8 hour day, OSHA, age restrictions, unions and so on. And yet tomorrow so many of the people still the least protected will continue … Continue reading Those Who Do the Work
Kill Your Darlings – Not Like That, You Murderer!
You've heard the expression "you have to kill your darlings," right? I think there's a lot of confusion about which darlings and how much killing should be involved. Originally, the saying was meant to help remove "precious" scenes. Anything that doesn't contribute, is "so beautiful" but wordy etc. should be ruthlessly removed by the hopeful … Continue reading Kill Your Darlings – Not Like That, You Murderer!
Whistle While I Work
Okay, this is kind of a misnomer. I can't whistle. The closest I get is blowing raspberries, but I can tell from how people studiously ignore me that that has the opposite of the intended effect. But I do have music I listen to. I try to spice it up every now and then with … Continue reading Whistle While I Work
Suspensive
People don't like "nice" things. There are a jillion books, movies, songs and even a couple religions about this concept, and it seems like it's a pretty human constant that we're only happy when we know we may not stay happy. We are the reasons we can't have nice things. What can I say! We're … Continue reading Suspensive
Make Editing Fetch
I hope everyone had a good Father's Day. It can be a tough day for a lot of people, so I hope it was spent with people you love and who support your emotional health. One of the things my dad taught me how to do is to critique creative things in a manner that … Continue reading Make Editing Fetch
The Summoner Sisters 