Can you have too much angst in a romance? The same conflict, which, rehashed again and again, continues to thwart the happily-ever-after of the protagonists? Many would say no to that question, but I would disagree. I recently finished reading a historical romance that made me want to scream in frustration. This sprang from the […]
Writers and Their Pets “Dogs are better than human beings because they know but do not tell.”–Emily Dickinson There is a long and wonderful history of the relationship between writers and their pets. Edith Wharton and Virginia Woolf loved their dogs; Ernest Hemingway his cats. Charles Dickens loved his pet cat, Bob, so much he […]
A piece of advice writers hear frequently is to read in the genre in which you write. Sometimes it’s even, “Read ONLY in your genre.” I definitely take exception to that. Reading primarily in your genre is probably a good idea, but if we limit ourselves to that, we’re missing out not only on great […]
I can hardly believe it’s been nearly a year since KISSING SHAKESPEARE was released! And on Aug. 6, I’m celebrating the release of the paperback. In honor of that occasion, I offer here, drum roll please, a deleted scene from the book. Last year, after KISSING SHAKESPEARE made its debut, YA librarian Joy Davis published […]
Quarreling lovers. Or soon-to-be-lovers. Or once-upon-a-time were lovers. In any scenario, they’re definitely locking horns with each other in some way. My husband and I got into an argument on this subject. Well…not exactly an argument; more of a disagreement. We were watching the new HBO drama Newsroom, I think episode four. I’ve really […]
Tomorrow my critique group is meeting here at my home. Aside from dressing in Halloween costumes and gorging ourselves with snacks, we have a manuscript to critique. A year or so ago I wrote about the experience of having my own manuscript, Kissing Shakespeare, critiqued by my group. To say I was somewhat stressed is […]
My heart pounds out an irregular rhythm. I try but fail to suck in one of those deep, cleansing breaths that are supposed to be so calming. Short gulps of air are all I can manage. Sweat breaks out on my forehead. My limbs feel heavy, immobile. Job interview? Nightmare? Am I being chased by […]
An admonition writers always hear from speakers at conferences is to stick with the venerable “said” as a dialogue tag. Other writers, editors, agents, creative writing teachers, and the authors of writing craft books–all seem to agree. Every time I hear or read this piece of advice, it seems the very next time I pick […]