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#IGAuthorLifeJan – DAY 4 TBR
Posted on January 4, 2017 Leave a Comment
This is #IGAUTHORLIFEJAN Day 4: My TBR pile for the month Maybe it’s just me, but I have a hard time reading when I’m eyeball deep in writing. So while I did get to read The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia over Christmas break, I doubt I’ll get to read much of my TBR for […]
Writer Woe Number 428 (or something like that): Too Many Blasted Characters
Posted on October 20, 2015 Leave a Comment
First of all, I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say that the sheer volume of characters in my novels is my own stupid fault. That I was a doofus and basically unleashed the population of a small movie theater (on a Harry Potter premier night) into my imagination and said, “Sure […]
Wattpad, Giveaways, and Cruel Summer
Posted on October 27, 2014 Leave a Comment
I am so very excited to let you all in on a few fabulous things: A. CRUEL SUMMER I am loading to Wattpad (a chapter every Friday until it is set to go live as a print book). The link is here: http://www.wattpad.com/77897632-cruel-summer If you don’t already know it, UNDERTOW is also loading to WattPad […]
Book Review – The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver
Posted on September 19, 2014 Leave a Comment
While I do not have a sister, the idea of giving up one’s whole existence for the sake of another is both poignant and painful to absorb. In The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver, readers travel through Ella Lawton’s life – that of a semi-outcast whose popular twin sister, Maddy, has cast her aside for […]
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” […]
Sturgis West High School Fiction Craft Classes
Posted on April 13, 2014 1 Comment
I will be at STURGIS WEST this coming week, teaching Fiction Craft to the entire 10th grade! If you are a 10th grader, my schedule runs as follows: APRIL 15th: Classes D+E will learn about pinpointing the “What If” question and how to build rich characters with voice, body language, music, and attitude. APRIL […]
Some Cool Competitions for Writers
Posted on April 13, 2014 Leave a Comment
Alright . . . since you are saying, “Hmmmm . . . how shall I use my time to avoid working on my latest literary endeavour?” I shall supply thee with distractions: Gotham Writers is hosting a ten-word story contest. Click here for details. The Cape Cod Writer’s Center is hosting its first ever Writing […]
Author Event and Book Signing! HELP!
Posted on October 18, 2013 4 Comments
You know why I write? Because it allows me to be invisible . . . somewhat. I can tell these elaborate whoppers in literary form and hide behind the pages. And people like to be told tall tales – who’d thunk it? Of course, once the story is out (and you inadvertently gain some hard-core […]