Hey there word nerds! In today’s episode I bring you live to ThrillerFest 2018, where I have once again assembled a panel of five debut authors from this year’s class. I am so excited to be speaking with L.A. Chandlar, Paddy Hirsch, Cheryl Reed, John Copenhaver, and Joanna Schaffhausen, and sharing our panel discussion on… Read more »
Our author voices are made up of a combination of modes. The four main ones being dialogue, description, action, and internal thought. Those are the most common modes balancing fictional prose. Too much of any one mode—clumps of description, trains of dialogue, pages of action, and dumps of internal thought—bogs down prose and makes it… Read more »
I have a tendency to over-correct in my editing process. This is especially true when I receive feedback from critique partners, and it’s difficult to get centered enough within myself to know what’s actually working and what isn’t. Even when I’m not receiving critique, I tend to be self-critical and perfectionistic (not sure if that’s… Read more »
Reading makes us smarter and healthier. It influences the way we think and learn. It has a positive impact on your brain, encouraging mental stimulation and slowing the process of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Reading polishes our writing skills, no matter if we write academic essays, web content, or fiction. In plain English, books make us… Read more »
Today I am thrilled to have Tami Charles on the show! Tami is a former teacher and current full-time author of picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, as well as nonfiction. As a teacher, she made it her mission to introduce her students to all types of literature, but especially diverse books. While… Read more »
I’m a long time fan of Stephen King and his particular way of telling a story. In the mid-80s, shortly after I began working at my local library, I came across the novel Thinner. I picked up the book. As is my habit, I didn’t look at the author’s name; I only read the title… Read more »
My grandmother recently passed away at 99 years old. When she was born, in 1919, the average life expectancy for a white American women (higher than that for males, or people of color) was 56 years old. As a child, the idea of a 99 year-old person, let alone her own ability to live to… Read more »
Do you know what entices a reader’s brain and what frustrates it? I enjoy learning about how brains work, and as a writer I particularly appreciate Lisa Cron’s book Wired for Story, which uses brain science to explain how to create a satisfying story. I have combined what I’ve learned from Wired for Story with… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Maxine Rosaler on the show! Maxine has had fiction and nonfiction published in some pretty prestigious markets including (but not limited to) The Southern Review, Glimmer Train, and The Baltimore Review. Her stories have also been cited in editions of Best American Short Stories… Read more »
In the last speculations, I introduced you to Kim Hudson’s The Virgin’s Promise, the feminine archetypal structure and promised that I’d analyze two stories in my next column. I decided to explore Ever After, the Cinderella movie starring Drew Barrymore for my first selection. The Virgin’s Promise is a screenwriting tool, first and foremost, and… Read more »
