What do you get when you make two woman with very different stories collide in the middle of an awful night? This is when writing gets really fun! Marni and I met after I'd just launched Moonlight and Oranges,when she was on the verge of launching her first novel Memoirs Aren't Fairytales, a harrowing story of a young woman's struggle with heroin addiction. We hit it…
I was gone at a writing retreat last Friday, thus the missing of the Friday Five, but we’re back! This week, you’ll get three things I learned, a picture, and a bonus (because I’m excited to share it with you!) 1. If you’re someone who loves a schedule, make sure to let others know that you still love and respect them, even if they’re not as…
I'm about to open a new part of my site for photos of my readers and fans who have their own copy of Moonlight and Oranges and want to do something fun to document it. If you have your own copy of the paperback or a Kindle download, you're eligible to enter. I will be giving away a bonus scene featuring the beloved Yuki and loyal…
I have so much news to share with you, I'm making a special "news" post! James and I just returned from an AWESOME time in Cabo San Lucas, and I'm proud to say that we both feel closer because of it. The photo I've attached to is him and me having an awesome time on our snorkeling excursion. I don't think I've ever had so many…
Moonlight and Oranges has successfully left the harbor! For those of you interested in seeing what a book launch party can look like, please enjoy the pictures that I'm sprinkling liberally through this post. We rented the lower banquet room at Razzi's Pizzeria in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood. (It's free of charge to rent the room, which is amazing for writers on a budget like me.) We…
It's here! Moonlight and Oranges is officially for sale on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com in both paperback and eBook! You can look to the right of this post at the snazzy link that takes you right to Amazon.com to purchase it. Now that the moment has finally arrived, ("This is real, Elise. You're not dreaming. The numbness and disbelief is perfectly normal and proportional to how badly you've…
When I first began writing, everything was about extremes. I focused on making my characters as beautiful they could be, having as much fun and excitement as possible, and the bottom line was that I kept myself entertained. I wrote because I found storytelling exciting, and all of my stories had the requirement that they continuously enthrall my imagination. My first “writing” was actually illustration with a few…
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…
My best lessons and indicators for what I should improve or refine in my work are sitting right in front of me, plain as day, in my last creation. In my case, this means that directions for improving my writing can be found in the last piece of writing that I completed. I'm in the process of reading Art and Fear, a book that my author friend…