Southern Fried Chicas

So I spoke about my dry spell last month. I don’t know what drew me into it (but I can tell you I knew it was going to happen–I felt it creeping up on me but was powerless to stop it–which sounds silly to non-writers, but whatever… ). I do know what specifically dragged me out; one [...]

Watching ROMANCING THE STONE Saturday, I can remember watching it as a pre-teen and it made my heart pitter-pat in a way nothing up to that point had. I fell for Jack, wanted to be Joan Wilder and go on an adventure. I think it has as much to do with why I became a [...]

Some fellow writers were razing me late last year because I had become crazed with how much I was writing every day–I totally smoked the competition in a little contest we had going as to who could write the most. One thing I tried to explain was if I miss one single day it will [...]

This will be a short one–not that it wasn’t thought out… Do you have a Critique Partner? I have had a couple over the years of my writing and I find them necessary. I know some authors don’t use CPs–and honestly there are times when it takes too long to go through the process depending [...]

So… I wrote this article for my chapter newsletter this month–but seeing how my kids crashed (and is as of yet unrecoverable) their computer this weekend it, I thought it prudent to post… Okay, now that I have you attention, when was the last time you backed up your work? If you have to stop [...]

Writers have an overactive imagination. It’s probably a reason they became a writer. So, in dealing with a writer, being precise is important. You shouldn’t leave a question hanging open because we can fill in the details—actually probably 42 scenarios within moments of it being left just hanging there. “Do you like…” it could be [...]

S’okay Friday Raine posted about pirates. I am still angry about that (Well truly this has been piquing my ire for some time). How does someone think it’s okay to steal from someone else? No matter what they say as why it’s okay, why it’s not wrong, IT IS. It is stealing plain and simple. [...]

The other day I was finishing up a book and worked diligently on a scene–pretty much the LAST scene(s)–and I was anxious to finish. But something kept niggling the back of my brain. Let me set the scene for you:  … it’s a back story issue brought to light. There’s murder, concealment, and a thumb drive [...]

So it’s the first of the year and time to set new goals. 2009, I did a bang up job on mine. I completed about 85%. I did write every week–yay me. I did submit and sell two manuscripts–double yay me. Two things, not completed, were kinda not on me to accomplish: get an Agent–yeah [...]

The place you set your book can be as much of a character in your story as the heroine’s BFF. It has personality. It has a rhythm and a vibe. Even if it’s nothing more than a slight mention here and there, the city/town has its contributions to the telling through its environment. If folks [...]