The first time I offered my manuscript for a trial developmental edit was through a conference, and I couldn’t have been luckier. The editor who reviewed my first chapter, for a fee of 40 dollars, later devoted a half hour of thoughtful in-person follow up, knew my genre well and was writing in it himself,…
Ten Things This sticker. Is it perfect or what? Courtesy of Erin Flanagan. Erin won Best First Novel at the Edgar Awards (Mystery Writers of America) this year. Her novel, Deer Season, is unique. Yes, it’s a mystery. But it’s not written as a mystery. Proof that the “rules” are bendable, malleable, there to be…
Many serious authors establish and maintain a set schedule for writing. The timing is generally a product of their family/work schedule. Working folks may be obliged to write on weekends, or early in the morning or late at night, before and after work, respectively. Retired individuals have more flexibility—perhaps too much—because those with extra time…
My plunge down the twisted passages of research started with a simple genealogical discovery. “Giles Brent, a thirty-some-year-old man, married a nine-year-old Indian Princess.” My writer brain wondered if there was a story here. Everyone from genealogists to historical writers branded Giles Brent as an opportunist set on acquiring land through his marriage. In 1643,…
Spooky Season is officially upon us. I read a lot of horror and thrillers but especially around this time of year, without feeling the need to balance the dark with an occasional romcom. I’m intrigued by the mysterious and supernatural elements of course, yet perhaps the most compelling ingredient of these genres for me is…