Category: On Writing
Want to Know a Secret?
Suspense Author Kimberley Troutte Tells All Where Her Story Ideas Come From I’ve been doing this writing gig since the start of this millennium. One of my favorite things is talking to readers. The top two questions I am consistently asked are—“Where do you get your ideas for your books?”—and with my fulltime day job, […]
On Writing Vaccines and Bayonets: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War
“Don’t speak. Just listen. Grab the kids and an overnight bag. Be ready in ten minutes. My husband was calling from his office at the American Embassy. No time to ask questions. Not safe to ask.” Those are the first words I wrote, a memory seared into my brain. I had never intended to write […]
On Writing Unconventional Routes: Around the World from Boardrooms to Backpacks by Gillian Fawcett
As a first-time author, I relished the opportunity to write creatively and explore the ins and outs of the publishing community. I’ve learned a great deal along the way that goes well beyond simply writing the book. My inspiration to write about traveling the world for business came from my husband, though it was my […]
The Impact of Sexism and Caricatures: A Personal Revelation
By Angela Greenman In frustration I push my chair away from the computer and march from the room. I’ve been struggling with my protagonist’s relationship with her adopted daughter in the sequel to my debut thriller, The Child Riddler. The protagonist, Zoe, is a badass spy/assassin. She’s a ruthless killer who acts and speaks without […]
Adventures on Land and Sea, Carole Bumpus, Excerpt
Adventures on Land and Sea: Searching for Culinary Pleasures in Provence and along the Cote d’Azur (Savoring the Olde Ways Series, Book 4) Fans of Peter Mayle and Janine Marsh will enjoy this exploration of medieval villages, cultures, and recipes of France’s Provence. This travelogue is Book 4 in the author’s best-selling series, which has […]
Using the Senses in World Building
By Michelle Cameron World building in historical fiction (or, frankly, any other kind) requires the writer to pay a great deal of attention to what life was like during whatever period they’re writing about. Of course, it goes without saying that substantial research helps the writer to understand how people dressed, what they ate, how […]
Go Team or No Team: Thoughts and Advice on Writing Collaborations
By Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne One of the biggest drawbacks of the writing life for most authors is that it’s by and large a lonely profession. Unless you count conversations with fictional people, most of an author’s career is spent alone in front of a computer . . . which is perhaps why many […]
Writing IS Community
By Carol Van Den Hende Writing has a reputation for being a solitary pursuit, so it surprised me what a community it creates! You see, I picked up writing again in my adult life for myself, as a place of solace during a difficult time. I wasn’t pursuing publication for any external goals. What I […]
Authors Interviewing Characters: Lori B. Duff
DEVIL’S DEFENSE A gripping courtroom drama that explores the struggle between morality vs. professional obligation, Devil’s Defense will appeal to fans of female-lead courtroom dramas like The Good Wife. Jessica Fischer wants nothing more than to build her law practice in small-town Ashton, Georgia. She’s well on her way when the local town hero, football coach Frank “Tripp” […]
From the Left Side
By Nan Reinhardt No, I’m not talking politics, I’m talking literally from the left side. That’s how I see life because I’m a lefty. And not just left-handed, but extremely left-handed. Don’t ask me to do much of anything with my right—it simply ain’t gonna happen. It’s not always easy being a lefty in a right-handed […]
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