BlindSpot, my second book and first psychological suspense, releases in May, so before the whirlwind of marketing for that starts up in earnest, I’ve been spending time ruminating about the next one – my favorite part of the process. My first step is always to purchase a new Moleskine lined notebook where I can jot…
I’ve written two novels and interviewed several hundred debut authors for my podcast so beginning writers often ask me for advice. And while the internet is filled with solid guidelines on showing vs. telling, write what you know, and overcoming writer’s block, there are other important things that aren’t talked about as often. As we…
This is the week where Americans sit down around the dining room table, look at the people around them, and think “who are these guys?” Seriously, in two more days, we’ll all take a breather from everyday life and stop our incessant worrying about our next novel, our faltering ad campaign, the agent who hasn’t…
Are you a monogamous writer? You get up every morning and all you can think about is the one novel, the one poem, the one essay you’re trying to write to the exclusion of all else. If a news item sparks a what if scenario, or a fascinating character comes to you in a dream,…
It’s a common lament among writers: Why is genre important? Can’t I just write whatever I want and let the marketplace figure out how to classify it? Or perhaps: My work is a mix of genres. I don’t want to be pinned down. I like to mix it up. Let’s look at why genre is…