A Christmas story… We awoke on Christmas day to a quiet house. Our kids had dispersed this holiday and left us alone to celebrate with each other. After a strong cup of coffee and a light breakfast, we illuminated the tree lights, turned on Jingle Bells, and opened our gifts. The late morning sun shone […]
Twitter or Facebook–A Good Place for Writers to Hangout?
Writers must work hard at developing their fan base or their platform #amwriting #writingtips Click To Tweet This is no easy task. It takes time and dedication. In the end, however, it’s worth the trouble. One of the choices writers must make is to decide which social medium gives them the best visibility. In the […]
How Do Your Characters Handle the Holidays?
With the holidays right on our doorstep, I thought it was a good time to look at the timing in your books. How do your characters handle the holidays? Do they purchase gifts? Do they see family members they may only see once a year. If you write murder mysteries, do tempers rise and murders […]
#MyBookReview 5 Stars!!! A Man Called Ove
Every once in a while you read a book that really floors you #amreading Click To Tweet It evokes every emotion, laughter, anger, frustration and tears. The story may not grab you like a thriller, but the book is one you’ll tell all your friends about. It’s one you’ll think about and never want to […]
My Favorite Books of 2016
This year I read a number of books that are worth mentioning #amreading #2016 Click To Tweet Readers love to learn what other readers enjoy. Recommendations about books are the best ways to find new reading material. I not only spend a good bit of my time writing, but I also spend time reading. I […]
Writers Using Scrivener or Not?–Pros and Benefits
If you’re a writer, you’ve probably heard of Scrivener @scrivenerapp #writingtips Click To Tweet This is a writing tool designed to help organize the unfocused, creative minds of writers. I wonder how F. Scott Fitzgerald or Faulkner might have responded to something like Scrivener? My initial reaction was it would take me too long to […]
When You Just Gotta Laugh
I’m sure few writers will tell you that they enjoyed reading the critiques from their editors #amwrting Click To Tweet Most of us would rather pull our teeth than open the document that’s been nitpicked apart. But, I have to say. Some of my errors are really funny and I’m grateful to my readers for […]
The Durrells in Corfu. Lessons about Confidence and Taking Risks
I’ve been watching a new #Masterpiece series, #DurrellsPBS in Corfu #TV @masterpiecepbs Click To Tweet It’s the story about how a young widow and her four children pack their bags and leave England for the island of Corfu. The oldest of the Durrell children is Lawrence Durrell (Larry to his family). He is a […]
#MyReview of Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
If you are hankering for a novel that will hold your attention and then shock you, grab this book! @jodipicoult Click To Tweet It’s the story of a young girl, Jenna, whose mother has disappeared. She hasn’t seen her mother for ten years. At the age of 13, she decides to do all she can […]
I See Murderer Everywhere. Do You? Thoughts on Writing Mystery
As a #mystery writer, my mind turns to murder nearly all the time. Click To Tweet Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t go around killing real people, just imaginary people. The fun part is if you don’t like someone, zap, you can knock them off with the click of a button on your keyboard. […]