Category Archives: writing

Dream Big, with Elephants!

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

One of the comics I have cut out and stuck on my board is a decade-old strip meant for kids, “Mudpie” drawn by Guy Gilchrist, who also does “Nancy.” I’m one of those who reads the whole comics page, whether … Continue reading →

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. . . From a Certain Point of View

Posted on September 26, 2012 by

Hands up everyone who immediately recognized the source of my title quote?  Okay, that was an easy one. In a post a couple weeks ago, I referenced the special difficulty of writing a book in a single point of view … Continue reading →

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“Avengers” and the vulnerable superhero

Posted on September 19, 2012 by

I went to see “The Avengers” again recently. Don’t ask how many times I’ve seen it–I’m not an addict, I can quit any time.  Really. The film got me thinking about the role of vulnerability in heroes.  Any time you … Continue reading →

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No More Bad Villains!

Posted on September 12, 2012 by

During a critique session this weekend, a writer friend said she wanted to know if readers found her protagonist “too stupid to live.”  This is an issue we think about often in relation to our protags, but not often enough … Continue reading →

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Review: Thieftaker

Posted on July 29, 2012 by

Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson My rating: 4 of 5 stars A tense, engaging read. There’s been recent interest in historical fantasies with American settings, and this was a nice addition to that elite group. Jackson creates an off-beat character with … Continue reading →

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Writing Down the Darkness: The Evil Within

Posted on July 13, 2012 by

So the guy next to me on the plane is watching a horror film, one of these creepy, psychological things where guys keep dying in nasty ways—not slasher ways, but more personal, with visions of their loved ones in their … Continue reading →

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When Revision Goes Too Far. . .

Posted on June 20, 2012 by

Just finished a fourth round of revision on the first book.  Empirically speaking, this sounds like too many rounds, to me–I’ve never been keen on revision.  (You may recall my method for revision which involves lots of beer and stomping around … Continue reading →

Posted in editing, fiction, revision, Uncategorized, writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dear Author: Your Opinion Doesn’t Matter! (and Rightly so)

Posted on June 13, 2012 by

I was thrilled last week to get an email from my editor opening the conversation about the actual publication of Elisha Barber, the first book in “The Dark Apostle” series.  It was the moment I’ve been waiting for for years–finally … Continue reading →

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The Insidious Creeper of Plot Inconsistency

Posted on May 18, 2012 by

It’s that time of year again–when the poison ivy starts to pop up in all kinds of places and I’m out there with a spray can of my own poison trying to take it down.  Every time, it reminds me … Continue reading →

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Why Your Book Stalled at 100 pages

Posted on May 1, 2012 by

As I talk with other writers, (especially newbies) I often find they have a book (or several) stopped dead at about 100 pages or 25 to 30,000 words.  They have thrown up their hands in despair. This project which once … Continue reading →

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