So, wait? It’s time to go? Really? Really really? Okay, deep breaths, Deb Erika. You can do this. And you know why I can? Because I know you readers are going to LOVE the new Debs of 2013, and I know we are leaving this gorgeous dance floor in their expert hands—(er, feet?). But I can’t lie. I’m going to miss this place. A whole lot. Those of you who’ve…
Oh, I am so glad this week has arrived! Those of us here at the Ball have known for months how awesome Deb Linda’s IN A FIX is and now we can finally share our excitement with the rest of the world! (Just check out my Goodreads review for more gushing!) I read IN A FIX over the summer when I was in desperate need of a little distraction and…
Bad habits? Oh, I’ve got ‘em. Just ask my husband. (On second thought, don’t.) Since we’re tackling the subject of those bad habits this week at the Ball, I thought I’d delve into some bad writing habits that I am still trying to break. (I say trying in the event that these very same words and or/phrases should end up in one of my future novels.) There are certain words…
If there is a Holy Grail in writing, I would say it’s finding one’s Voice. So why is it so elusive? Well, for one thing, it’s not something you can really describe, yet it’s something you MUST have to establish yourself as a writer—Um, huh? Much like the often-tossed-around term “High Concept” (which I am STILL not entirely sure I get, by the way) “Voice” can overwhelm and intimidate, terrify…
This week on the Ball we’re talking Friends. Yesterday Deb Joanne rounded up some of her favorite imaginary friends so today I thought I’d share my thoughts on writing friends in our novels. (Hint: It’s not as easy as it seems.) But it should be! I mean, we all know how to be a friend, right? We all know why we have the friends we do and what we love…
Recently, I was at a book signing and when it came time for the Q & A, a member of the audience asked me and the other two authors in attendance what we thought was the best way to promote a book. We three looked at one another and paused, considering our answers. Why did we hesitate? Because the fact is, there is no one right answer when it comes…
This week’s theme here at the Ball is guilty pleasures (Not to be confused with last week’s theme of heat, which did happen to involve some guilty pleasures from Deb Linda—can you imagine the eye candy she’ll spring for THIS week??) We all have guilty pleasures. Some of us love reality TV and won’t admit it. Some of us blast Motley Crue when it comes on the radio. Some of…
In our house, “heat” can refer to many subjects. First, there’s the weather. (We live in North Carolina. Yep. Enough said.) Then there’s the food. (My husband is, as I’ve said many times before on this blog, a native New Orleanian who refuses to dilute his spices for anyone—so over the years I have felt the burn of a yummy hot dish like this:) or this: Then, of course, there’s…
This week’s theme could not come at a better time, as it finds me having gotten away with my family to my home state of Maine! My debut novel LITTLE GALE GUMBO is set on a fictitious island off the coast of this beautiful state and now I’m nearing publication of my second novel, THE MERMAID COLLECTOR, which is also set in Maine—this time, in a coastal town called Cradle…
We’re talking about Fathers this week at the Ball, so since I took advantage of Mothers week to talk about the mothers in my novel, I thought it only fair that I take this opportunity to address the fathers. For those of you who have read LITTLE GALE GUMBO, you know that the story deals in extremes when it comes to fathers. On the one side of the coin, there…
