Hooray! You completed your manuscript. Congratulations, it’s time to celebrate. And then begin the next step, the self-edit before sending your polished baby to beta readers, an editor, a writing coach, and certainly before moving toward the publishing process….
The Your first sentence can spell the difference between a reader who keep turning pages or one who puts the book down. Can your writing pass the Holly test? Can mine? As a young adult, one of my daughters was particularly picky about reading material. If the first…
You have a story to tell. A message to share, but how do you start writing? You can write, and here’s how to begin. Before you begin to write, save time and effort by knowing these four things. What is your idea? Who is your audience? How does your idea,…
A writers’ conference is an opportune time to talk with editors, publishers, agents, and authors. Understandably, many writers feel nervous about discussing their ideas and work-in-progress with these industry experts. But with some strategic preparation, you…
Authors today have more options than ever before when it comes to bringing their work into the world, including the independent publishing path. The publishing landscape has expanded well beyond the traditional gatekeepers, offering new pathways that didn’t exist even…
Take a look at your manuscript. Does your first line compel the reader to take in the first paragraph? Is the opening paragraph an incentive to read the first chapter? Remember Your first line prompts the reader to read the first paragraph. The first paragraph…
“Are you part of a writers group?” A local writer and I sat on my front porch while she interviewed me about my recent release, What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Say. The question immediately brought memories of being new in town. When I attended a meeting…
How to you write story-enhancing mentors and what is a mentor’s role? Of the four characters generally found in story – protagonist, sidekick, antagonist, and mentor – the role of a mentor gets its name from Homer’s classic tale, The Odyssey, when the mentor…
Authors have more choices about how to feature their work than ever before. Essentially, the three most common tracks are traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, or independent publishing. Traditional Publishing Traditional publishing typically requires: 1. An…
In Unnatural Cause, I wove in a long-unsolved family mystery that dates back to World War II. My very smart coauthor, Max Garwood, is a patent attorney and inventor. Max pitches brilliant plots to me and I craft a novel from his ten bullet points. Unnatural Cause, the…
When I’m not writing, I parasail, scuba dive, skydive, snorkel, and haven taken (but not passed) pilot training. My greatest adventure has been being called Mama by seven awesome children and Mimi! by my Grammy awards.
Visit the companion site, singlemomcircle.com, for more encouragement and resources for parents.
“Opposite words and conflicting desires clash in this action-packed, page-turning suspense.” – Richard Paul Evans, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of 45 books including The Christmas Box.
