When I first read the prompt for this week’s blogpost, I thought, “deleted scenes? Do I have deleted scenes?” As a dedicated plotter who outlines and re-outlines every beat and scene of every story I’m working on, my editing is more about paragraph and sentence structure than the actual story. But then I went back and looked at an early version of DOOR and right there in the first chapter…
This week’s Debutante Ball topic is dedicated to deleted scenes. We all have them. It’s an inevitable part of the editing process. There’s even a tried-and-true writing adage about it: kill your darlings. Many, many darlings were ruthlessly murdered throughout the drafting process of THE FROZEN CROWN. At the time it was painful, culling these scenes from my still-maturing manuscript. We all have ideas of what our books are, but…
I used to be a pantser. Meaning, I had no outline, no direction in how I wrote a first draft. I came up with an idea and started writing. I only had a vague idea of a plot, didn’t know the characters well, didn’t have a clear direction of where the story was going. That’s how I wrote my first book. And to be honest, it wasn’t that good. For…
This week’s interview is with dear friend and author Amanda Skenandore, whose award-winning historical fiction explores painful episodes in the American experience with great sensitivity and insight. Her forthcoming book, THE SECOND LIFE OF MIRIELLE WEST will be out in July and was inspired by the true story of a Louisiana leprosy hospital where patients were forcibly quarantined. Below, Amanda talks about the research she did at the national leprosarium,…
I’m so excited about this week’s interview with David Heska Wanbli Weiden. I got to read an advance copy of his book, WINTER COUNTS, last summer and immediately fell in love with this story about Virgil, a Native American vigilante fighting to keep heroin off his reservation. Below, David talks about the meaning behind his book’s title, the people his characters are based on, and his next big project. Enjoy!…
This week’s interview is with Elizabeth Everett whose debut novel, A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE will be released next week. Preorder now! Below, Elizabeth talks about the story behind her book’s title, advice for her younger self, her editing process and her love of early mornings. Enjoy! ABOUT ELIZABETH Elizabeth Everett lives in Upstate New York with her family. She likes going for long walks or (very) short runs to…
There are so many articles out there documenting the trials and tribulations of the publishing industry. And for good reason. The journey from first draft to published book is a loooonggg one—often filled with crushing blows. And it can be hard to shout out about the highlights. Not only because it can feel cocky, but also because—until your book actually gets released—no one really understands what the big deal is….
This week’s interview is with Heather Chavez, whose thriller NO BAD DEED tells the suspenseful story of a woman who’s husband has gone missing and who is trying desperately to protect her family from a deadly stalker. Below, Heather shares secrets about her main character, her proudest writing moments, her daughter’s sweet reaction to her book deal, and about that time she went on Oprah! Thanks for joining us Heather!…
I’m so excited for this week’s interview with Jody A. Forrester, whose memoir GUNS UNDER THE BED tells of her transition in the late sixties from love child to peaceful Vietnam War protester to joining a communist organization whose ideology embraced violence against the ruling class! Read below for more about Jody’s incredible background, the story behind her book’s startling title, and her path toward writing. Thank you Jody! …
Good morning! First, I’m writing this post at 5:30 AM. That’s about the time I rise this time of year…I’m a seasonal creature, so my sleep pattern shifts. I am an early riser in the fall and winter and am down for the count around eleven o’clock. But my sleep habits aren’t the topic today. The question before me is how do I deal with distractions and such. Well, here…
