Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
Thirty years ago we wouldn’t be debating the viability of prologues. Readers assumed writers would build their world and characters a little before diving into the thick of the story’s plot. Now including a prologue can trigger an instantaneous pass from agents, editors and readers alike. So how did we end up in this mess, …
Continue reading “Pro the Prologue or Against?”
My debut novel, WIVES OF LUCIFER, has been through many incarnations since the first draft, almost as many as my young protagonist, but one aspect has remained stable: the setting. In this story, I invented alternate world concepts for what many would call Heaven and Hell and struggled mightily with taking the traditional concepts for …
Continue reading “Originality: Building the Unique World”
I’ve never been a fan of graphic horror. I have vivid memories of burying my face in my boyfriend’s shoulder whenever our friends talked us into watching a horror movie. However, I love gothic tales, the darker and creepier the better. I will always drop whatever I’m doing to watch black and white episodes of …
Continue reading “Nightstalkers and Nightmares”
(“L” is for LOVE in the A to Z Blog Challenge) If the interwebs are to be believed, YA readers are sick of insta-love – that moment when the heroine sees a cute stranger and decides immediately he’s the one! On Goodreads people have made “No Insta-Love” shelves and there’s even a Listopia “Young Adult …
Continue reading “Love in YA – The Problem with Insta-Love”
We hear it all the time: There are no new stories! Nowhere is this sentiment more potentially accurate than with historical fiction. But is it really true? Or is this a case of needing more out-of-the box thinking? Here are three ways to re-imagine the research. Take one tip or use all three and leave …
Continue reading “Historical Fiction: 3 Tips for Leaving the Slush Pile Behind”
(Yes, I scored the letter “F” in the A to Z Blog Challenge!) At a writing conference the topic of swearing in YA lit came up. I was surprised some writers vehemently believed you couldn’t put the F-word in a YA novel. They claimed no agent or editor would publish it with that word (or …
Continue reading “Dropping the F-Bomb in YA Lit”
One of the freshest, most invigorating experiences I’ve had as a fledgling writer is being challenged with a writing prompt. The technique actually comes from the marketing world, where people spin an idea and see what they come up with. Mostly used by creative writing instructors, you’re given a sentence and you have free reign …
Continue reading “Creative Writing Prompts: What if…?”
I am not a clear surface person. I have images all over my house, pictures my kids drew cover the fridge, and photos of family and friends dot the walls. I enjoy being surrounded by these pictures, all happy reminders of good times. However, when I need to work, or I’m feeling a touch of …
Continue reading “Brain Triggers: Use Visuals”
Seems as if we were on a love theme last week. A little late, we should have hit this in February! Robin wrote about love archetypes, in her post of the same name, a concept I’d never thought much about when writing a love scene, probably because my lovers develop their character traits as I …
Continue reading “Writing the Love Scene: Part II”
Villains come in as many shapes and sizes as their hero counterparts. The best pairs complement each other. The protagonist’s strengths and virtues contrast against the antagonist’s negative traits. When you take this relationship down to the most basic level, villains all want something and that something is going to cause havoc for the protagonist …
Continue reading “Casting Call: 3 Villains, It’s Good to be Bad”