My problem, friends, is that I’ve spent too much time being a realist. I was realistic about my prospects when I graduated college, and instead of throwing myself into writing novels, I became a journalist. Instead of going out to LA to pursue a film career, I took the more realistic path of starting a local company that produced weddings, corporate video and commercials. I’ve been a realist all my…
Want to succeed in writing? Look for help from the older fictional white guys you see in movies. Advice #1 arrives from Albus Dumbledore of Harry Potter fame. Dumbledore has zillions of inspirational one-liners, but my favorite comes from The Chamber of Secrets: “It is our choices, Harry,” he says, “that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” The writing connection? In my experience, writing books…
I’m supposed to be writing about self-care and relaxation and the art of not writing. Um, I don’t think I’m in any position to give anyone advice about this. I agree everyone needs down-time. I wish I took more breaks. When I’m stuck in my work-in-progress I usually go outside with my camera and take a photograph, or take out the dog for a walk. The fresh air and the…
Two things of which I’m sure: 1) drinking water helps cure many ailments, 2) distractions help me write. I have a docking station for my laptop which gives me the luxury of connecting to two computer monitors simultaneously. Unless I’m editing something which requires a bit more screen space, I typically use one for the Word doc and the other for entertainment. I’m presently watching YouTube music videos, though Pandora…
This week, to celebrate the Oscar awards, the Debs are writing about our celebrity dream readers. Every year I attend the GrubStreet Muse & the Marketplace writing conference the first weekend of May. They usually have a session called Literary Idol, which is a bit like American Idol, with a panel of editors and agents that listen to the first page of a story, give it a yea or nay…
Congratulations to Rebecca Thomson for winning Georgia Clark’s online book marketing course THE PRO-ACTIVE AUTHOR. Jenni L. Walsh is thrilled that BECOMING BONNIE has been included in a 2017 Most Anticipated list! Read her interview with A Glass of Wine and enter for your chance to win an early copy of BECOMING BONNIE, along with Bonnie and Clyde keychains! Tiffany D. Jackson is on an exciting trip to South Africa. We hope…
Fun facts abound this week! Which is kind of a lot of pressure. What if my facts aren’t fun? What if the fun* parts aren’t facts? I’ve told you all so much already. What is there possibly left to spill? Normally this is where I’d retreat to my bourbon and gummy bears to find my inspiration, but husband and I have decided to try to modify our diet in hopes…
Historical fiction requires a completely different mindset. To lose yourself in another time, it helps to experience it. To write MODERN GIRLS, I needed to block out the twenty-first century and pretend I lived in the first half of the twentieth century. So I immersed myself in the spirit of the 1930s, using every sense I could. I looked at the paintings Dottie sees at MOMA. I listened to music…
Our theme this week is regrets, but here is the thing–i’m not big on regret. We are all human and we all make choices both good and not so good and we learn from them. I am a firm believer that every experience in your life has made you who you are now. So, instead, i’ve decided to share a few things I never regret doing: hanging out with friends and family eating…
When it comes to movies based on books, people tend to fall into one of two camps: “read the book afters” or “read the book firsts.” I’m one who reads the book first. It excites me to learn that one of my favorite books is made into a movie. I tend not to argue with directorial straying, and I rarely object when the film cannot capture the story in its…
