Beginnings and endings are my favorite parts of books to write. Not just because with one I am starting a new exciting journey and the other I'm finally crossing the finish line. Endings we'll talk about another time, but beginnings... Beginnings I love because I get to use a relatively small amount of real estate... Continue Reading →
Epilogues are another of my favorite tools as a romance writer. I don't feel they are necessary or even as helpful for many other forms of fiction. However, with romance, they are almost a must in my opinion. According to Writer's Digest there are six common uses for epilogues: Wrapping up a story's events after... Continue Reading →
Isn't it funny how the right advice comes along just when you need it? Kind of like when you learn a word you'd never heard before, and suddenly you hear it everywhere? There are piles of advice I've received over the years as a writer that I could list here. But if I did, I'd be... Continue Reading →
The character is the heart of the story in my writing world. I figure out the characters long before I figure out the plot. Maybe because memorable characters are what I look for in books, movies, and shows I love. Maybe because I feel like who a character is will determine how they react to... Continue Reading →
Between deadlines, releases, running AOAD, my gig as a VPA, and momming, I've had several author friends ask how I do it. How do I keep on top of everything? First of all...I don't. I am not superwoman or a magician. Things fall through the cracks on a regular basis. Plans don't work out the... Continue Reading →
While I've been writing all my life, I got into self-publishing in the last decade and followed it with traditional publishing through a small press a few years later. Kind of like how you wish your older self could tell your high school self some tips (like don't bother with that guy), there are things... Continue Reading →
I know you're expected a show don't tell king of blog post here, but not today. 🙂 The other day I posted a question on social media. I wanted to know readers' favorite ways to show/read chemistry and build up of tension between the hero/heroin in a romance novel. I got some great answers, so... Continue Reading →
That's right! And I learned that it's all about choices and exercise. I know no one wants to hear that, but... Seems like each decade my "resting weight" goes up about 10 lbs. I was happy with where I was in my 20s and most of my 30s. But over the last 2 years of... Continue Reading →
Originally posted on Paranormal Romantics 5/20/2017 *** A frequent tip you'll hear in writing workshops, seminars, and blogs is to include the senses in your descriptions. One workshop I attended mentioned trying to include all 5 senses on every page. I took this to be a bit of an exaggeration, as that would be a... Continue Reading →
I write romance, which means I come across similar character archetypes regularly. The fun part of these as an author is taking something well-known and putting my own fun spin on it. The fun part of these as a reader is having my favorite archetypes to read. I'm drawn to certain archetypes more than others.... Continue Reading →
