In the summer of 2017, I attended ThrillerFest—the International Thriller Writers annual conference. A senior editor from Publishers Weekly (PW) was interviewed during one of the luncheons. He offered insights on the magazine’s book review process. I began to wonder what it would be like to review books for the publication, to have the privilege… Read more »
Have you noticed we’ve been revisiting the theme of family lately? It’s for good reason, though. Our original case study on family introduced the theme and how it can be explored in stories. Then our more recent posts have investigated it further, and from different angles. If each post were to represent one of the… Read more »
Strong female characters have been all the rage the last several years, and it’s been great seeing girls kick some serious behind. But girls don’t have to swing a sword or beat the villain to a pulp with their bare hands in order to be strong. There are many kinds of strength and many kinds… Read more »
Today I have the pleasure of hosting Rowenna Miller on the show! Rowenna is a midwestern born and raised fantasy author and has a Master’s in English Film and Literature because she can’t shut up about stories. She is also a historical reenactor and seamstress, specializing in the late eighteenth century, and writes fantasy shamelessly… Read more »
Mentoring has become a hot topic in the kidlit community. It seems like every few months a new program to match aspiring authors with established ones is announced. Why the desire for such programs? What are the benefits, and what should you look for in a mentor? Mentorship can accelerate a writer’s growth and open… Read more »
When I first moved to Washington, D.C. at the end of the summer in 2012, I was at the end of my first and only college relationship—I just didn’t know it yet. A month-long “break” turned into a break up and I was broken. Though a significant part of that brokenness came from someone I… Read more »
As with any creative endeavor, there is a certain amount of inspiration that needs to happen in your writing: the beautiful melding of your varied experiences turned into something new and wonderful, yet familiar and accessible. The problem comes when you, as a writer, think that work can only be done when you have that… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today’s episode is extra-awesome because I’m speaking with not one, not two, but three fabulous ladies, who have had hand in bringing a truly buzz-worthy novel to life, on the show! First we have author Samantha Downing, whose debut novel My Lovely Wife has been getting a lot of attention. When… Read more »
Welcome to the final article in this three-part “Ten Rules for Writing Killer Romance” series. If you missed Part One and/or Part Two, please click the preceding links. The reader of your romance novel has enjoyed close to three-quarters of your awesome story. You have successfully tortured the poor soul by disrupting what has become… Read more »
An author brand is more than just a fancy website. It goes beyond color schemes, fonts, and a logo. Sure, these things are all part of the bigger picture, but they don’t reflect your brand as a whole. But, what exactly is a brand? And how can you develop one as a writer? In simple… Read more »
