Tag: featured
My Publishing Journey: Judge Marylin E. Atkins
FAMILY & FRIENDS INSPIRE COURAGE & DESIRE TO EMBARK ON MY PUBLISHING JOURNEY Before they even know the most painful parts of my story… For the last ten years, my daughters, Elizabeth and Catherine, had been urging me to write my life story. “Marylin, you should write a book!” people declared for decades upon hearing about […]
Are Children’s Books Real Books?
I’m being facetious obviously. Because, hell yeah. But I’ve seen the way people react or don’t react when you mention that your book in progress or recently published book is a…children’s picture book. Most recently, someone contacted me to find out if I’d written any new books. Before I could twist my mouth to mention […]
From Academic Writing To Podcasting And Fiction
This year I published my first fiction book, but it’s a long way from being my writing debut. In 2010 I submitted my PhD thesis, and around that time I wandered into a career as a research developer and proposal writer. These days, as well as writing fiction, I work with researchers to help them […]
How Growing Up In A Haunted House Inspired My Writing
People really didn’t believe me. They still don’t. But she was real. The ghost was real. And I saw her. Often. It scared me. At first, anyway. But then she became such a unique part of my home, that I almost didn’t notice her shenanigans, like banging kitchen cupboard doors, turning on all the lights […]
A Prose By Any Other Name
(Or, one girl’s guide to genre-busting and following your intuition) When I am asked what my book is about and I explain that it’s the interwoven stories of a genetic scientist and a prehistoric shaman there can be some interesting reactions. Often the initial response is a surprised ‘oh?’ (Even from people who may be […]
Writing Is My Lifestyle
I love questions. They direct your thoughts and help to create momentum along a particular path. I was asked, “What is your writing process?” and I thought, “I don’t have one.” However, that is – I know – a way of avoiding self-examination and answer formation. I also know that answering will gift me with […]
Share Your Opinions: Why Book Reviews Matter and How You Can Help
“Together we can change the world, one good deed at a time.” ~~Anonymous Whether you’re an author or not, one of the kindest gifts you can give to any writer is a constructive honest review. It doesn’t have to be long or literary or quote specific passages unless you’re writing for a site that expects […]
Why Publish?
I never set out to write a novel, let alone publish one. So how did I end up here? That’s a question I often contemplate. My shy, introverted self loves writing in the privacy of my own mind, knowing I never have to share it with anyone else if I so choose. Suffice it to […]
Decluttering, Literally and Literarily
I’m decluttering. Husband and I are in the throes of getting our house ready to sell, and we are sorting through 35 years of accumulated stuff. A lot of the stuff is things we want to keep—books, always books. Last year, we donated nearly 100 books to a local charity, so what’s left, about four […]
How To Be Patient, or “Why Hasn’t Your Book Been Made Into A Movie?”
Since becoming a writer, I slightly dread family gatherings. In many ways, “How’s the book going?” is a perfectly normal question to ask, but it isn’t an easy one to answer. I reply with variations of “great, thanks”, but I’m really thinking, which book? The one I’m drafting, the one I’m copy-editing, the one just […]
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