I am now a little more than two weeks away from launching Moonlight and Oranges. But before I go into more of that, please join me in welcoming the glorious, smashing cover design for Moonlight and Oranges, designed for me by Isaiah Qualls. Isn't it gorgeous??? If I could look back and say what were the five most important things I did to bring myself to this…
I can actually say it: My novel will launch next month! The edits are finalized, the marketing details are being solidified, we're scoping out a venue for the book launch party for friends and family, and bit by bit, the Booktrope team and I are preparing the world to receive Moonlight and Oranges. This book was a product of much love, sweat, and tears. The inspiration to write…
I am on the verge of an international adventure in the beautiful country of Italy and I don't think there's any way I'm going to get over there and not write. I have a gorgeous notebook I received as a gift especially for this trip and the settings of Rome, Florence, and Venice are bound to be rich places to use it. What I will write about, I'm not…
You've heard me say this: Keep writing, no matter what. But what if I'm sick as a dog, with a fever and a headcold and I can't stop blowing my nose for fear of asphyxiating on my own mucus? That was me last week. Gross! Too much information! I hear you say. I know, I know. But every now and then, even we writers get deathly illl. How are we supposed…
Most published authors can't avoid the interview question--where do your ideas come from? The frequently give the simple (often maddening to beginning writers) reply of "Everywhere." If you've read or listened to interviews, you'll hear stories of inspiration striking authors while driving, taking a shower, mowing their lawn, eating lunch...insert mundane activity here. But they're right. A person who is actively searching for inspiration, and dedicated to faithfully recording the…
Give a song lyric and a one sentence pitch for what your story is about. This was the prompt that lead me to enter the writing contest hosted by Larry Brooks at www.Storyfix.com The idea inspired me. Writing contests are great practice for presenting yourself, but it's even better when they stir something inside you. A week later I was in for a delightful surprise. I sifted through the words…
I was entranced by the candid, encouraging and graceful presence of Natalie Goldberg earlier this month. She spoke as the keynote at the Write on the Sound Writers' Conference in Edmonds, WA the first weekend of this month and the theater was packed. Natalie is very famous for her book Writing Down the Bones. She began her talking by jumping right into her process of discovering herself and becoming…