novels of suspense, romance and intrigue
Toward the end of 2019, I got really productive and finished two first drafts, which was gratifying, and then started editing them, which is painstaking, and began to think about marketing, which is downright painful. And now here I am, writing a post to remind myself why this part needs to happen. After I came… Continue reading Inspiration vs. Motivation
Just this past Wednesday, I finished writing my latest novel. I've talked before about what a high it is to finish, and this week that was an especial treat, since my day job threw some interesting (code for "yucky and upsetting") curve balls my way. Day jobs have a tendency to do that, and it… Continue reading A New Direction
Writing can be a lonely and discouraging experience at times. Those inescapable dark days when we feel like we'll never amount to anything and can't write worth a damn (even though we know it's our lying, double-crossing internal doubter talking), or when someone, even kindly, manages in word or action to dismiss or diminish what… Continue reading The Very Best Days
I think you could safely call it a slump. It's a nice descriptive word, slump. It sounds like what it is. Lately I've been somewhat underwhelmed with myself as an author, besieged by doubts. Who did I think I was, that I could really do this? At some point someone will catch onto the fact… Continue reading The Downsides of Writing: Underwhelm and Self-Doubt
I love finishing a book. There's really no greater thrill than getting to those last pages, seeing the story form into a whole. Even with the looming task of editing (I really dislike editing) ahead, there are few more gratifying experiences in life than knowing the first draft of a book is complete. I'm not… Continue reading The Sticky Patch
I'm now well into writing the tenth book in the series. In June, my seedling of an idea blossomed into the beginning of a story, and I dove headfirst into the first half. Chapter after chapter flew down, characters took form and were brought to life. And then last Monday, I opened the 41,000-word file, scrolled to the… Continue reading The Plot Beast
I find myself at the edge of an idea, an idea that's slowly beginning to take root and wind itself through my imagination. I have 281 words written down and no more tripping off my fingers, but the idea continues its delicate, unhurried movement across my mind.Something new... Along the same lines as my other… Continue reading Beginning, Again
