In a few short weeks, we will announce and celebrate the winners of this year’s Colorado Gold Literary Awards. Congratulations and best of luck to all of the finalists. Thank you to all of the judges. This post is for anyone who may be wondering: what does it take to win a literary contest? First,…
I recently read with sadness that the school district my children attended was restricting certain titles from the library and removing them from the classroom shelves. Two of the books, The Diary of Anne Frank and To Kill a Mockingbird, were required reading when I was in school and even when my children were in…
Social media platforms are increasingly important for any author launching a novel into the world. Not only are they free (music to a writer’s ears), but they offer a way to connect with potential readers across the globe, people you would never be able to reach via bookstore appearances or local one-on-one selling. By leveraging…
At this very moment, I think I’m done. I’m at the, How-in-the-world-did-my-fingertips-get-on-this-key board-exhausted stage. You know the self-accusatory questions: “Do I have mono?” “Do I have COVID?” “Was there too much chamomile in my tea?” “What’s happening?” “Where are my ideas?” Therefore, I’m making this blog simple. Yet super valuable. UPCOMING CELEBRATIONS: Is it a…
My writing friend and I both lead writing groups. The two of us also enjoy discussing, even debating, the merits and shortcomings regarding various novels and movies. We usually agree, but not always. Recently he and I disagreed about just how serious plot holes are to the success of a movie. For instance, I’m a…