Looking to dig deep and expand your learning at conference? Master Classes are back this year and we’ve added new times for more offerings! These classes are four hours in length and provide more specialized instruction on writing and the business of being an author. This year’s classes are scheduled for Friday morning and, based on…
Category: Blog
Bootstrap Your Book
One of the biggest problems facing new self-publishers is the capital investment required. Almost all the advice on how much it costs to self-publish suggest that it takes thousands of dollars. It’s no wonder that new writers turn to the scammers who promise success for mere hundreds (plus the hidden up-sell once they’ve hooked the…
Never Do Your Own Cover Art. Unless You Want To.
The continuing saga of KK’s quest to conquer Kindle Scout. Last time, I talked about Kindle Scout, a book I wrote, and my decision to see what I could accomplish by trying out the program. In order to submit your book to KS, you need to have 1. A book. 2. A cover. 3. Lots…
Which is Stranger—Truth or Fiction? … by Margaret Mizushima
“Humankind cannot take too much reality.” ~T.S. Elliott I love it when a grizzled detective on Dateline or 48 Hours shakes his head in amazement and says to the interviewer, “This crime is so twisted. You can’t make this kind of stuff up.” As a mystery writer, I can’t help but think, Oh, but we…
Backstory Feeds Frontstory
Whack me upside the head – go ahead. I was putting together a presentation recently for a workshop about writing mysteries and I wanted to make the point that the variety of ideas for mysteries—setting, characters, plots and themes—is endless. I thought it might be insightful and instructive (maybe even interesting) to look at recent…