Fresh, unique ideas sell books, right? Not necessarily. Even the freshest idea must follow specific ‘rules’ or elements of the genre. Don’t believe me? Then why in almost every romance novel the main character has one or more dead parents and the poor orphan was often raised by a kindly/odd/distant aunt or uncle? Or better…
Category: General Interest
What to Expect at 2017 Colorado Gold
The fun never ends at Conference HQ! Colorado Gold is only a month away! We’re at the Denver Renaissance Hotel in Stapleton again this year, which will be familiar to some attendees and new to many. We have over 150 first-timers attending this year, and there are always little changes taking place, so I’ve put…
The Dreaded Blurb
My publisher has a policy where they won’t start the editing process until you’ve finished the art memo and a promotional worksheet for your book. The worksheet includes writing a blurb. In the old days (sigh) my editor or someone in the marketing department wrote my blurbs. I still had to come up with the…
Comedy In Fiction
One of my favorite movies of all time, Front Page, features one of the first cinematic examples of what has come to be known as “snappy dialog”: a rapid-fire exchange of witty banter and rejoinders. When a stand-up comedian drops a clunker (delivers a joke that earns little to no laughter) he can sometimes be…
Pack Up Your Media Kit and Smile!
As I sit down to write, I’m remembering that game we used to play as kids—the one where someone starts by saying, “I’m going on a trip and in my bag I packed…” You sit in a circle, and the starter names one item with each player listing previous items in turn and then adding…