In this video Joan shares some advice to aspiring writers. She says that if you really want to write and you enjoy the process of writing, then do it, no matter what. If you have to force yourself to write, if you look for excuses not to write, then maybe you should explore another career. […]
Calling all Mystery Readers! Do You Try to Solve the Mystery Puzzle?
I was talking with a colleague the other day about books. This is something I do quite often. I said, “Even though I figured out who did it, the book was still good.” She responded, “I never try and solve the mystery.” That made me wonder. Do most mystery readers try to solve the mystery […]
A Book That Will Stay With You #MeBeforeYou
If I could give a book more than 5 stars, it would be this book @jojomoyes #mebefore you Click To Tweet JoJo Moyes created a haunting story with characters that resonate. Had I realized what the story was about before I read it, I may not have embarked on the journey. I’m glad I did […]
A Title That Says It all–#MeBeforeYou
I just finished reading #MeBeforeYou and was enthralled @jojomoyes Click To Tweet The book captured me with it’s simplicity and depth. As a writer I learn the most from reading. Fiction writers who don’t read fiction have no business writing novels #writingtips Click To Tweet Indeed, we all learn from each other. My last post […]
Tips from the First Sentence in The Girl on the Train
As a writer, I not only read books, all kinds of books, but I also learn from them. At times I’m unaware of the learning, but some books are so full of beautiful writing, that I find I’m marking page after page (or highlighting, depending on your reading medium). I found The Girl on the […]
Lessons Learned from Writing Nonfiction to Fiction
Many people ask me about how it is to go from #writing nonfiction to writing #fiction. I thought I’d share some of my thoughts and experiences in several blog posts. Today I talk about some of the biggest writing challenges. The next post will deal with the #publishing differences. What are the differences in writing […]
What The Girl on the Train Teaches Us about Characterization
Having just finished The Girl on the Train, I wanted to share some tips about characterization. Paula Hawkins did an excellent job of creating three distinct characters, each with a voice of her own. Let’s see what we can learn from this best-selling author” @paulahwrites Click To Tweet Hawkins writes with an alternating point of […]
Review–Just What Kind of Mother Are You?
With a title like this, who wouldn’t read the book? I picked it up @PaulaDalyauthor novel not really sure what it was about #amreading #review Click To Tweet Indeed, not being a “mom” myself, I had some trouble relating to the Lisa’s sense of guilt. The book begins with a missing child. The child is […]
New Mystery Release–The Devil’s Music by Pearl R. Meaker
I’m excited to welcome fellow mystery writer, @PearlRMeaker to my blog today #amwriting #authorinterview Click To Tweet She is releasing her first novel, The Devil’s Music on May 1st. You have an opportunity to hear about it first today and to learn more about Pearl. Be sure to pre-order her book. If you’re the first to […]
Chatting on Twitter about Books and More #Scribechat
Last week I hosted my first Twitter Chat. It was a new experience for me. Several people joined the chat and shared their views and questions. In a fast and furious hour, we talked about The Clock Strikes Midnight–the theme, title, characters and the road to publication. We also talked about writing habits. I learned […]
