November’s bright nights lead to chilly, sparkling mornings here in the Northeast, the time of year I really hunker down after summer’s many distractions. I’m revising my mystery, having received recommendations from a publisher on presenting my heroine in a different way. One of the key influences in my writing life was a fiction writer […]
Eyes On It!
Tweaked, poked, and polished, the second book in my mystery series now rests in the hands of an editor. She will evaluate the plot and characters, offering insight into the book’s overall readability. If any loose ends, plot holes, or other issues arise, she’ll point them out. Her suggestions aim to ensure that readers will […]
The Process
What’s my writing process? I’m steady when it comes to my writing time. This is a typical morning: Up at 6:30 a.m. Coffee. Sit or stand at desk, depending on lower back’s opinion. Open online notebook and current novel draft to make it official before dilly-dallying. Check email & headlines. Weather. Review notes to determine […]
A Great Opening
“It would be another thirty minutes before they found the bodies.” That’s the first line of the second book in my mystery series. I like that line. I’ve been revising and improving the manuscript this week, but I’m leaving that line alone. A lot of weight is placed on first lines, the opening one or […]
It’s the Wait
How many times can you tell a person, “I’m working on the first book in my mystery series” before they think you’re just pretending? The life of a writer is a quiet one, and the action taking place on the pages is never apparent until a book is released to readers. I’m in one of […]
Disaster Looms
Get ready for an epic disaster tale! I just finished writing a novella featuring my favorite protagonist, the handsome scientist Emerson Crandall. It, of course, includes his clever daughter, Courtney and the adventurous woman he adores (from afar), Maddie. Writing up to 3,000 words a day, I hammered out this disaster-packed story quickly and easily, […]
One Month: One New Novel
Mysteries on the Brink
Hooray! I finished the first draft of the second book in my two-part mystery series. (Okay, that sounds like a complicated bunch of numbers– first draft, second book, two-part. Sorry! I’m thinking it’s not great to confuse the reader with my opening line!) I completed the first of the two several months ago and sent […]
Onto Book 2! And Your First Look at the Back Cover Description!
It’s a rare feeling to have confidence in your creation. When I write, I oscillate between ecstasy and despair. Sometimes I write hard, on a roll, the words burbling out, and I think, “Readers will love this!” But then I have a tough day and think, “I’ll just have worms for dinner.” That’s why getting […]
First Proofing! A Writing Update
I just sent the first draft of my latest novel through Word’s “editor,” a tool that theoretically corrects grammar and spelling. This is huge! It means the finish line is in sight on this 80,000-word mystery that has tested my creativity and logic as well as my ability to deviously keep multiple secrets from a […]
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