I hate interruptions when I’m writing. The deeper I get into a story, the more I become a part of the story–I am the protagonist, the villain, the secondary characters. I am living where they live, seeing what they see, feeling their emotions. That is until… The phone rings. My … Continue reading
Tomorrow I leave for Green Bay, Wisconsin to attend this year’s Writers’ Police Academy. This is my third WPA, but my first in Wisconsin. (It used to be held in North Carolina.) writerspoliceacademy My experiences in the past have been fantastic, and, looking at this year’s schedule, I’m sure I’ll … Continue reading
I have a friend whose first novel was recently published. Now she’s been asked to give talks to several different organizations: an historical group, a library, and a book store. Her questions are: What does she need to do prior to the talk and during the talk? These are the … Continue reading
I’m always trying something different, sometimes because of outside changes (lose a publisher or hear about a new publishing opportunity), and sometimes for variety (write sexy romances, sweet romances, romantic suspense, straight suspense and thriller). Back in the mid ‘90s, my Silhouette editor told me about a new line that … Continue reading
At Sleuthfest 2017, held in Boca Rotan, Florida last week, I heard both encouraging and discouraging words about the publishing industry. Some presenters (agents, editors, and authors) listed the increase in small, but viable, publishing houses as a plus and that many writers were now going hybrid (published by traditional … Continue reading
It would be so nice if all a writer needed to do was write. But, of course, life isn’t that easy. On September 20th I had surgery on the middle finger of my right hand (and yes, I’m right handed), which resulted in a week of one-finger typing and some … Continue reading
Nowadays most writers post on Facebook, tweet or retweet on Twitter, write blogs, blog hop, hold contests, put on Facebook events, create video chats, and… Well, the list goes on and on because writers are constantly trying to find ways to reach readers. And the advantage of the Internet is … Continue reading
Last week I put on my first (and maybe only) book party. I couldn’t call it a book release party since my two books actually came out the end of May and first of June. But it was a party, and I did sell books. The idea of having this … Continue reading
Last weekend I participated in a writing retreat held in Traverse City, Michigan. I’ve attended the Mid-Michigan RWA Chapter’s “Retreat from Harsh Reality” more than twenty times—even chaired it for a few years—but this was a totally different experience. This was truly a writing retreat. Rather than sneak away from … Continue reading
One of the sessions I attended at the Writers Police Academy was Robin Burcell’s (www.robinburcell.com) “Forensic Art and Witness Recall.” She started the session by telling us a little about herself. Her career began before she even officially became a police officer. While still a student at the police academy … Continue reading
What a fantastic four days. This was my second Writers’ Police Academy and I still wasn’t able to work in all of the interesting and informative sessions. Thursday night we watched Eli Jackson and her sister demonstrate how to disarm someone if they have a gun pointed at you. After … Continue reading
One week from today I’ll be heading to Greensboro, NC, to participate in my second Writers’ Police Academy. (http://www.writerspoliceacademy.com/) From Thursday to Sunday, I, and a slew of other writers, will have access to law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, and martial arts experts, as well as several NYT’s authors. I’ve already … Continue reading
The main thing I learned is I’m not ready to own a gun. Through the Writers’ Police Academy, an MWA conference that included a special session at a shooting range, and a conceal carry class I took several years ago, I’ve been taught how to handle a gun. So there … Continue reading
Yesterday I drove 165 miles one way to speak to a book group. Approximately 100 women were in attendance, and the event included a nice lunch and the opportunity to sell books. (This isn’t a book group where the speaker’s book is read and discussed. In fact, while I was … Continue reading
