As AI rapidly evolves, so does its use by students, CEOs, sales managers, entrepreneurs—and, well, just about everyone. So how do authors use AI? For research, plotting, or even writing parts—or all—of the book for them, in their own voice? I’m glad you asked. The...
HOW’S YOUR BOOK COMING? When friends, family, or fans ask me this question, I usually stop and look up at the ceiling for a beat—visualizing all the characters I am creating but also all the dangling plot lines and corners I’ve written myself into and...
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR STORY IDEAS? I get asked this question often and it’s an easy one to answer. When something grabs my attention, I naturally want to learn more about it. And before I know it, it works its way into one of my books. The details I learn while...
HOW DO YOU CREATE YOUR CHARACTERS? This is one of the questions I get asked most often at book fairs and live events. Do you use people you know and just give them different names? Neighbors? Family? Ex-lovers? All authors are different, but for me, the short answer...
SINCE THIS BOOK FEATURES COMMERCIAL CRAB FISHING, I thought I’d better learn to cook and clean—or clean and cook, depending on who you talk to—my very own crab. Dungeness crab is the star of the fisheries here on the Oregon coast and oh, so delicious! I usually...
November 2017 4:30 p.m. Bundled up against the cold, I’m out exploring the old-growth forest behind our house. Dusk is coming on. I enjoy the soft, cushioned silence, but suddenly, my Spidey sense makes me look up. Impossibly balanced at the top of a very tall,...
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.