ALL WORK AND NO PLAY makes Jill a dull girl, so I look forward to playing with my new best bud, Finn, our 7-month-old English Cream Golden Retriever. He is such a delight. It took me forever to name him, but when our grandson Sawyer was born on the same day, Finn for...
EVER WONDER HOW YOUR WRITING COMPARES to famous authors? Whether you are a working author, or someone who would like to be, who wouldn’t want to know how they measured up to Stephen King, Maya Angelou, Barbara Kingsolver, Arthur Conan Doyle, Norman Mailer, or W....
HOW DO YOU WRITE A BOOK? In one form or another, this is the question I often get asked. How do you think up characters? How do you keep all the story lines straight? But the main question people ask is how do you find the time? How do you fit writing into your life?...
ALL WRITERS NEED REVIEWS. They are essential for sales, of course, but they are also a great source for information as you’re working on your next book. Writing is a craft, and just because you have a natural talent for it doesn’t mean your skills can’t improve. All...
WRITING A LOVE SCENE IS TOUGH! In this book, the third in my Logan McKenna series, I’m trying to hit the right balance: sensual, but not graphic, and definitely not bodice-ripping romance novel stuff. I’m aiming for enough passion to make you want to go...
BIG TOPIC TO COVER in 1000 words or less. We’ve heard all the songs, seen all the bumper stickers, and put up all the posters in our dorm rooms. All we need is love. Love conquers all. But what is love, and, how, as authors, do we deal with it in our writing? Maybe...
A self-admitted book addict, Valerie was the kid with the flashlight under her pillow. A life of travel with exposure to many different cultures led to a pervasive interest in people, with degrees & teaching credentials in Cultural Anthropology & English.
A self-admitted book addict, Valerie was the kid with the flashlight under her pillow. A life of travel with exposure to many different cultures led to a pervasive interest in people, with degrees & teaching credentials in Cultural Anthropology & English.