Ten years ago, I got the call…well actually it was an e-mail, that every writer hopes for. The one telling you a publisher would like to offer you a contract for your book. I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for The Wild Rose Press. I told Rhonda when I contacted her about…
Category: Writing How Tos
An Interview with USA Today Bestselling Author Dianne Harman
I’m happy to announce my author interviews are back and if you’re a fan of cozy mysteries my first interviewee needs no introduction. She’s topped the bestseller lists on both Amazon and USA Today. Say hello to Dianne Harman… This Writer’s Life (TWL)-You’ve had lots of careers, art appraiser, yoga instructor…what made you one…
Use Astrology To Create Characters with Janet Lane Walters
Have you ever struggled to create a captivating character that stands out from the crowd? Today’s guest bloggers tells us all about using astrology… When I use Astrology to cast my main characters, I use the Sun sign, the Moon sign and the Rising sign. The Sun denotes the person’s inner self. The Moon…
“Guilty!” Not. Tips for Writing Legal Suspense, by V.S. Kemanis
Today author and guest blogger V.S. Kemanis has some tips for writers who want to add authentic courtroom drama to their stories… “Write what you know” is the advice we often hear as writers. The wisdom of this maxim is often debated, not to mention its meaning. For me, the best and wisest meaning…
Banish Your Writer Shortcomings with Madeline McEwen
I was moved by a previous post here—“Writers Block Fact or Fiction”—and reflected on how events affect our lives so profoundly, and yet so differently. While that writer understandably found herself unable to write following the death of her father by contrast I have always escaped whatever troubles me through the craft of writing…
Doing the research right By J. H. Bográn
Doing research for your book can be a chore or it can be fun but as today’s guest blogger tells us, it has to be done right… Many memes are doing the rounds on the internet that poke fun at the research habits of writers. For most of them, the punch-line is…
PJ’s Top 5 Self-care Tools for Writers
PJ Sharon has some great tips about self care all writers need after spending time at the keyboards… Ever wish you had a massage therapist on call for those times your knots have knots and your neck and back make you feel a hundred years old? Well, unless you’re a bestselling author making a…
Monday Motivation
“Nobody’s a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better. It’s hard to stay on top.” – Paul Coffey I thought this quote is true of anything you do in life but especially relevant to being an author. Becoming a good writer and getting published takes time. (Even if you’ve…
That Fickle Witch, The Muse by Dee S. Knight
Welcome Dee S. Knight who knows all too well about the thing called the muse… We all know about that magical, mythical creature called The Muse. When she’s happy, we as writers are also happy. When she’s having a snit, well, let’s just say life ain’t much fun. Writers need to find ways…
Suspense versus Surprise with Chris Eboch
Ever wanted to pack more suspense into your stories, Chris Eboch has some valuable tips… A few years ago I had the chance to ghost write a novel about a certain famous girl sleuth. Not only was that fun, but I learned something valuable from the editor. She asked me to look again at…