It’s finally here! Lyn Liao Butler’s cover for THE TIGER MOM’S TALE was released this week and it’s gorgeous! And make sure you sign up for Lyn’s newsletter so you don’t miss any updates. Elizabeth Gonzalez James’ cover for MONA AT SEA was also revealed this week at Vol.1 Brooklyn. Way to go Lyn and Elizabeth! Denny S. Bryce is interviewing Stacie Murphy, author of A DEADLY FORTUNE…
World Building in the Real World
When writers talk about “world building” they mean more than just setting. Setting is where a story takes place. But a fictional world is setting, history, the special rules of that particular place, the people who inhabit that world, as well as the general tone or atmosphere that sort of floats over every page. The setting of the Harry Potter books is England, but in order to build her fictional…
Cover Reveal for THE TIGER MOM’S TALE
I’m so excited to finally be able to share the cover of my upcoming debut, THE TIGER MOM’S TALE, on sale July 6, 2021 from Berkley/Penguin Random House. It’s been a long time coming. My book was pushed back due to the pandemic, right after we finalized the cover in April. So I had to wait six long months before I could reveal it to the world. Without further ado,…
Chicago That Toddlin’ Town – My Story World
Location. Location. Location. (Oh, the song in the title is NOT from the 1920s, but the 1950s, but it’s so iconic:)! (Also, note photos were snagged from DuSable to Obama WTTW article: From Riots to Renaissance, The Black Metropolis) The story world for WILD WOMEN AND THE BLUES begins with a journey back in time. My debut novel is historical fiction, so as you might imagine, the past (and the…
Interview with Catherine Wallace Hope, author of ONCE AGAIN
This week’s interview is with Catherine Wallace Hope whose book ONCE AGAIN releases tomorrow! Congratulations Catherine! Read below about ugly crying over books, the story behind her title, the in-depth research she did for the book, and more! ABOUT CATHERINE Catherine Wallace Hope grew up in Colorado, the setting for her thriller Once Again. She earned her degree in creative writing at the University of Colorado. She also delved…
[News Flash] October 4, 2020
Thank you so much to Diane Zinna for joining us to speak about her debut novel, THE ALL-NIGHT SUN. And thank you to Laya Vivian Smith for her interview about her new book, THE LUMBERMILL. So many good books to read, and so little time! Way to go Denny! Wild Women and the Blues was included in NetGalley’s list of 21 Highly-Anticipated Books Hitting Shelves in 2021. Ehsaneh Sadr…
A DOOR BETWEEN US: A love letter to Tehran
Why did I move to Tehran in 1996? I’m still not sure. I hadn’t set foot in the country since we’d left in ‘81 leaving memories of Iraqi bombs and traumatic family imprisonments behind us. I suppose I was young and wanted adventure. I wanted to reconnect with my father’s family and homeland. And I had romantic notions of being of service in some way. The first days, weeks, and…
Interview with Laya Vivian Smith, author of THE LUMBERMILL
This week’s interview is with Laya Vivian Smith whose book THE LUMBERMILL released just last week! Congratulations Laya! Read below about her proudest writing moment (in eighth grade!), advice for her younger writer self, the in-depth research she did for her book, and the heartbreaking loss of her long-time first reader. ABOUT LAYA Laya V Smith is a member of International Thriller Writers, SCBWI, AWP, and LUW. Through no…
Lyn’s World (or Her Novel’s): From NYC to Taiwan
I lived in New York City for over fourteen years and have worked there for over twenty-five years (wow I’m old). So it was only natural for me to set my debut, THE TIGER MOM’S TALE, in Manhattan. But I was born in Taiwan and knew I wanted to portray my homeland, so I had my MC, Lexa, travel back to Taiwan to claim her heritage. The Upper East Side…
[News Flash] September 27, 2020
Diane Zinna was our guest author this week, talking about her novel, THE ALL-NIGHT SUN, available now. Tune in to our Instagram account this Wednesday, September 30 at 2pm ET when Elizabeth Gonzalez James will interview Zinna about her novel, Ari Aster’s Midsommar, and her path to publication! Early reviews are coming in for Greta Kelly’s THE FROZEN CROWN and they are glowing: Ehsaneh Sadr has two great events…
