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I am willing to go Dark.
Posted on May 2, 2019 1 Comment
As I head to teach at #NESCBWI19, I thought it would be a good idea to add a post to my blog about writing . . . and what it sometimes costs us as people to tell the story. The other day, I had a fascinating conversation with another writer. We were going through her […]
Why do I Write in Reverse?
Posted on April 28, 2016 Leave a Comment
Not long ago I was on the phone with another author friend while hashing out a story idea I had. When I was done, she replied, “Dude – you’re incapable of writing a straight contemporary story.” Word. The truth is, she’s right. I mean, I COULD do it, but at some point there would be a sizable, […]
Character Craft and Writing in Reverse
Posted on January 20, 2016 Leave a Comment
I don’t plot characters. There – I admit it. I totally roll on gut instinct when I write for my cast. That said, I could never actually write them at all if I didn’t know two things: Who they were born as (personality, emotion, natural abilities, etc). How they evolved as a result of their […]
Pirate Booty, BABY!
Posted on August 18, 2015 Leave a Comment
I will be signing Undertow, Stormfront, and Cruel Summer at the Whydah Museum in Provincetown, Massachusetts on August 25th from noon to 3pm with Katie O’Sullivan, author of numerous titles including Descent! Come find us!
Indie author life and other forms of torture
Posted on October 3, 2014 Leave a Comment
Last night I had an epiphany. One would think it would have been obvious to ME for a while now, but it wasn’t. You see, I am a self-published author, though I refer to myself as an “Indie” mainly because I operate like a business – like a small press. I am also a professional […]
Launch Party prep and other moments of insanity
Posted on July 26, 2014 Leave a Comment
I have totally ignored my blog, but I swear it was for many good reasons! Well . . . most of the time. That whole incident when I stole my daughter’s jumbo bag of Mega M&Ms and inhaled the whole thing may not have been wise, but I was writing for Kian at the time. I […]
Cassie Mae Book Reviews
Posted on July 1, 2014 Leave a Comment
Last year I stumbled upon an author by the name of Cassie Mae and her book, FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI. The riotous way Mae wrote her main characters quickly had me hooked. In FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI, soon-to-be-college student Kellie makes quite a few bucks thanks to the boys in town who want to date girls their parents don’t exactly […]
Know thy Audience. ALWAYS.
Posted on June 30, 2014 Leave a Comment
If there is ever a phrase that sends chills through my body, it is: “Well, I’m not really sure if my COMPLETED manuscript is exactly aimed for teens. Maybe it is more middle grade? But then again, I guess it could be adult.” Oh, dear lord. There is nothing, NOTHING more important than knowing WHO […]
#NESCBWI14 here I come!
Posted on May 2, 2014 2 Comments
I am super-duper excited to flee my M-F job as a school bus driver and head to Springfield MA for the NESCBWI conference! And yes – you read that correctly. I drive the Loser Cruise filled with my target YA audience. Horror stories of the madness from the road can be found by typing “bus” […]