Young Adult Fiction Round-Up
With so much change for the better happening out there in the world – the #MeToo movement, the March for our Lives gun control rallies, the rise in LGBTQ+ books and authors of color in YA literature, to name a…
Doctor’s Orders
After a head injury, a lifelong word-lover – a voracious reader and dedicated writer – is forbidden by her doctor to read or write. She’s instructed to instead fill her time with “mindless activity such as television, which requires no…
The Novel Pitcher’s Playbook
Baseball pitchers rarely rely on a single pitch. They mix things up with fast balls, changeups, curve balls, knuckle balls, sliders, sinkers, and cutters. They consider who they are pitching to, how many strikes they have, how many outs, how…
Making Magic: 6 Steps for Creating A Magical System
Conjure, enchant, shape-shift, or summon—endless possibilities exist in the world of magic. Cast a spell, fight a dragon, wave a magic wand, but don’t forget the ruby slipper, the mermaid, and the unicorn. And then there’s time travel and scrying…
CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL DARLING-KILLER
A few months ago, I attended a one-day seminar on revision. The lecturer started off by asking the audience to describe “revision” in one word. Everyone laughed when somebody said, “Hell.” Except me. I know not everyone out there shares…
No, Your Imposter Syndrome Won’t Magically Go Away
I was sitting on a bare mattress thinking about Oreos when the call came in. “Oh hai,” the agent dude said. “I’d like to represent you.” “Cool,” I said back. “Thanks for that.” And then we pretty much hung up…