Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
When Fifty Shades of Grey crashed into the publishing world, everyone was aghast. On so many levels. Talk shows brought in therapists and psychologists— specialists on sexual abuse and relationships, and quickly labeled it mommy porn. Stuck home with my first broken ankle and nearly dead from boredom, I couldn’t resist the idea of reading something so risqué in …
Continue reading “U for UnderCovers: Writing the Erotic Romance”
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”
Recently, I’ve reflected on the vast geographical distances between me and my friends and family, due somewhat to the fact that my son is getting married this summer. Our invited guests stretch across the country and even outside. As the eldest member of Writeonsisters, I lived in a time when my neighborhood was all I …
Continue reading “K is for Kindred Spirits: My Writer Pals”
As a self-taught writer, I’ve stumbled around plenty in my journey to elevate my writing skills past college-level English class. I’ve joined writing groups and subjected myself to ruthless critique, attended a writing workshop weekend in the back hills of Virginia, and confess to relying heavily on the Internet. Along the pathway, I discovered an …
Continue reading “I is for Improvement: THE BOOKSHELF MUSE”
Dreams can be terrifying: a dragon chases you over a steep mountain, your teeth fall out, a loved one is knifed in a dark alleyway! You wake up sweating, screaming, flailing, much to your partner’s dismay and perhaps to find him defending himself against your violent onslaught. Dreams can be happy: you win the lottery, …
Continue reading “Friday Inspiration: D is for Dreams as Inspiration”
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…?”
The good days for a writer usually revolve around a day when the words flow, the images form, and the plot thickens. It’s our own personal heaven and we tuck ourselves into bed that night with a sense of immense satisfaction. But also as writers, we subject ourselves to constant criticism, as do all artists. …
Continue reading “A Ray of Sunshine: When a Writer Has a Good Day (#abna)”
My first foray into writing led me to an uncomfortable place: writing the love scene— and so I decided to do a little research before I made a total fool of myself. Since it was a YA novel, it was tame compared to what I’ve currently written, but I quickly understood that the elements are …
Continue reading “Writing the Love Scene: Sex or No Sex”
Okay, I’m admitting this right up front. I may be making this up. However, I do believe these memories are real. I have a vivid recollection of the first “grown-up” book I read; Heidi, by Johanna Spyri, originally published in 1880 and in German: A tale about a little Swiss girl and her grandfather. I’d …
Continue reading “Friday Inspiration: Homage to Shirley Temple/ Writing Stories with Unabashed Optimism”
As I surge forward in my growth as a writer I often reflect on the speech patterns learned from my family. It wasn’t until I attended college that I realized my mother should have been nicknamed “The Cliché Queen.” I thought everyone spoke that way until someone pointed it out to me. I still struggle …
Continue reading “Plant a Garden: On Becoming a Word Gatherer”