Reviews
Once upon a time, reviews were written by book-industry professionals and newspaper columnists, and many bought books based on such recommendations. Well-known authors' opinions still carry weight both in the…
Musical Inspiration
The muses can sing to me in many ways, triggering ideas for a new tale. One of the more unusual inspirations for me was a video by a music company…
Hope
In fiction as in life, a person needs hope―even if it is simply the unconscious assumption that he or she will live to see another day. Moreover, even a story…
Mistakes
It's frustrating to find mistakes after publishing. And somehow they get through. The most aggravating to me was discovering that I had inadvertently labelled chapters improperly, doubling Chapter 3, and…
Series of books
Book series are generally connected in some way. This is true for my Twin Tales, which follow the lives of members of two families. I have not written them in…
Character names
I have been asked how I select the names of characters. Sometimes I look through a phone book or newspaper (the bridal and baby-brag pages provide some interesting contemporary names). …
Paper vs Digital
Many people I know prefer to read print books. They like the feel of the paper, some even like the smell of a standard book. I have to admit, I…
Time to read
Some of my friends and acquaintances have expressed an inability to “find the time” to read, or a lack of “the motivation” to read, or difficulty recalling the story line…
Reading with a dictionary
Do I use too many big words? Some say that writers should choose vocabulary that would be appropriate for someone in grade school. Certainly, those writing non-fiction, and especially how-to’s,…
Fame
Some of my friends and acquaintances express a belief that I “could be famous.” Do I want to be famous? Not particularly. But being successful is not necessarily about fame. …