Category: Contemporary Women Writers
Why I Write, Katie Kennedy
I write because I want to make things better, and stories teach us what to do when you discover the ring is evil, or just where papa’s going with that axe. I loved hearing my dad tell of driving down to Mississippi to register black voters in the Freedom Summer of 1964. He and a […]
Why I Put Dogs In My Fiction
Every time I attend a book club or read at a bookstore I am asked “Why do you include dogs in all of your books?” In fact, I didn’t include animals in my novels until my second book, ‘Lost & Found’ when a black Labrador with a heroic personality walked onto the stage of my […]
From Multiple Rejections to #1 BestSeller
Typically, the word rejection carries a negative connotation. It might conjure feelings of inadequacy and subsequent withdrawal for some, or strengthen in others the will to overcome whatever the obstacle or hurdle to stand in the way of achieving a perceived goal. Most authors encounter rejection in some way, shape or form in their pursuit […]
The Song that Wrote the Book
I loved everything about HBO’s adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies. I shivered at the ominous crashing of waves beneath the precarious bridge Reese Witherspoon drove across in the opening credits. Felt the chill first notes of “Cold Little Heart” by Michael Kiwanuka, the perfect soundtrack to all those rich folks’ deceits and machinations. […]
Shades of Brave In Memoir
If you write memoir or personal essay you’ve no doubt heard this: You’re so brave. As if memoir is about confessing to having had certain feelings or experiences. When I first began publishing personal essays, I understood the comment but was perplexed by it because it seemed so far from my intentions. I didn’t feel […]
Fictional Characters to Murder or to Marry
Actually, I found this a worrying exercise for it turned to be much easier to find a character to do away with than to marry. In my teenage years, I badly wanted to kill off Jane Austen’s Emma for she was ‘handsome, clever and rich’ and I was most definitely was none of those things. […]
The Writing Is The Best Part
Many people tell me that they’ve always wanted to write a book but don’t think they could actually do it. I always encourage them to try. Each of us has a story to tell, it’s just a matter of finding the time. What I don’t tell people is this: The writing is the easy part. […]
Playlists: Music as a Portal to the Past
Ever hear your high school prom song and land square on your butt in the middle of the dance floor wearing that poufy confection with shoulder pads you thought looked awesome in the 80s? Or tear up when your wedding song plays on the oldies station at the hair salon? Or maybe reminisce about the […]
Writing Biography: How Obstacles Made Me A Better Writer
Invariably, the first question I get asked at book signings is how did I learn about Louise Arner Boyd and why did I write about her? While it’s difficult to identify that exact moment when the spark was lit and I committed to writing her life story, it all began in the remote wilderness of […]
How Life Gets In The Way Of Writing
THINGS happen in threes. Seriously. Scientific fact. One based on years of meticulous research and general observation by me. And my mother. And her mother before her. And, er, all my friends. Births, for example. You never hear of a single birth. Start any conversation about babies, and before the topic has been exhausted, you’ll […]
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