Killing my Patronus
If I had a patronus it would definitely be a bear. I know this because a bear I conjured up in mind—and wrote into my novel—crawled off the page and intervened in my real life. But yesterday, that bear died….
Category: Writing
The Thrill of Discovery, The Agony of the Fact
I decided to write a historical novel because I wanted to get completely out of my day-to-day life and contemporary everything—terrorism, the failure of capitalism, modern marriage, childhood and adolescence, politics, racism, climate change, you name it. Did I have…
A Pantser Turned Plotter
I took a research trip in mid-September. The trip itself was amazing. I spent time with archival information. I saw photos of the woman whom I’m modeling my protagonist after. I felt my main character in that room with me….
To Writers, Especially White Ones
You are going to get it wrong. It is as fundamental to the craft as rejection, procrastination and gravity. A pursuit that requires you to put yourself into the heart and brain of another human being will lead you to…
YA Wednesday: Neo-Nazi Trump Supporters Go After YA, Banned Book Week, Why Diverse Books are Banned, Frequently Banned YA Books
It’s banned book week. YA novels are often banned for reasons centering around diversity, sexuality, and ‘bad’ language. But teens need diverse role models, books that depict sex realistically and honestly, and books that reflect the language they actually use.
Review: Scrivener for iOS
After keeping its Mac users in suspense for years, Literature & Latte has finally released Scrivener for iOS. Now, when you take that research trip to Death Valley, you can bring your novel with you on your iPhone or iPad…