When I first signed my book with a small press, I knew I was being slingshotted into fame. When it did not happen, I blamed myself, my marketing efforts, even my talent for not becoming an overnight sensation. The duty to get my name out there sapped all joy I once found in crafting a…
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I Quit Writing: A Day in the Life of a Book Release
In less than a month (June 8th to be precise), I will have another book in the world. I am, or maybe I was, very proud of A SHOT OF MURDER: A LUCKY WHISKEY MYSTERY—until a week ago, when I received a one-star review. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve gotten plenty of one-star reviews…
Rocky Mountain Writer #170
Scott Graham & Arches Enemy The guest this time is Scott Graham, who is launching the fifth entry in his National Park Mystery Series next month. The new title is Arches Enemy and it’s set in Utah, not too far from Scott’s home in southwest Colorado. The series features archaeologist Chuck Bender and Chuck’s wife,…
Fictional Vision
When I first started writing romance, I read many books by popular romance authors, trying to understand what made them popular. What was it about their books that appealed to readers? There were some whose success I simply didn’t understand. To me, their writing seemed average, their characters trite and boring, their plots predictable. It…
Exit Stage Left
One of the tricky bits of being an artist is getting feedback and advice. In the beginning, fledgling artists need help finding their wings. It’s a common problem with novices in any field—not knowing what they don’t know and not knowing what to ask. Asking “How do you do it?” without adequate antecedent for that…