There’s nothing like getting away to refill your creative juices. My husband and I went to the Cayman Islands for Christmas, visiting family and old friends. We also managed to sneak in plenty of time at the beach. Bright sun, white sand, clear sea. Sitting there, watching the sunset, the surf grabbing my toes… It…
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Writing is solitary. Just us with a computer and a head of ideas. But we’re not really alone. And going to a writing conference is a wonderful way to celebrate that. Of course, seminars at writing conferences are great learning opportunities. Query letters, characters, plot, dialog — I’ve learned about all these at conferences. But…
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The launch of a new book is the greatest thing, but when it’s the debut book from a new author, it’s especially sweet. That’s why I’m THRILLED (yes, it deserves all caps) to be part of the cover reveal for author Lindsey Schiebe‘s first young adult novel Riptide. Here’s the description of the book: 17-year-old…
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I’m not big on reality TV shows, especially ones where contestants are mean to each other to get others voted off, but on the recommendation of a friend, my husband and I have tried The Voice and I must admit, we’re hooked. As great as the performances are — and seriously, there are some great…
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As printing and digital technology gets better, it’s easier than ever for writers to get their work to readers. I applaud writers who take the leap, perfecting their work, hiring editors and designers, publishing and promoting the story to readers. It’s a tough road as the writer wears so many more hats, but it can…
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New author Adam Sidwell has an amazing story behind his debut novel, the self-published Evertaster, and he’s here to tell us how he got his middle-grade adventure book to Amazon’s No. 1 spot for Children’s Mystery. Before Adam gives us the scoop, he’s represented by literary agent Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Trident Media Group, and she…
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This has been a weird week for me in writing. My big high was finishing my revision on Tuesday, three days earlier than I had expected. It felt great to get to the end again. And I feel good about the work I did. Getting to the end in a big revision feels just as…
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It’s launch day for the second novel from author Shana Burg, Laugh With the Moon (Delacorte Books for Young Readers), and Shana has graciously stopped by to answer our writerly questions. Partly based on her own experiences traveling to Malawi, Laugh With the Moon tells the story of 13-year-old Clare Silver, who feels that mourning…
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I’m starting a new Friday traditional on my blog, the Friday High & Low. Every Friday, I’ll check in and give you my writing high and low for the week. My high this week, is actually last week’s, but I was too busy to post it then. And I’ve got two: First, I won the…
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Let’s face it, writing is hard. That blank page staring back at you expectantly, the blinking cursor daring you to put it to work. And your brain going I think I can, I can’t, I think I can, I can’t… With all that, it’s no wonder that we writers clean and do laundry, among other…
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