Once people know I’m an author, the first question is frequently, “Are your characters based on people you know?” The short answer to that question is sort of. My characters are composites of people I know. Maybe one’s gutsiness married to another’s compassion. That’s the beauty of fiction. My characters can be whomever I want them to be. I’m lucky to have a cooperative muse. One of my heroes, an ancient, time traveling dragon shifter who’d been asleep for three hundred years, came to me in a dream. I just knew I had to write a book about him. I’ll …
Do Authors Need Other Authors? YES. Yes, they do.
There are ohhhhh so many reasons for this…. I’m going to focus on one author in particular today. She’s my ride or die, my critique partner, a brilliant writer and one of my besties. Her name is Renee George. I adore her. We lovingly tear apart each other’s books with constructive and amazing critiques. I’m a better writer because of her! We love to laugh hard and hug harder. We both have husbands named Steve and are crazy cat ladies along with being certifiable dog moms. We just fit. We also do stupid shit. Read on for one of our …
I Can’t Believe I’m Doing This…
So, I’m not one of those writers who uses beta readers. I no longer have an ARC team. The only people who see the book before I upload it are my assistant, Jenn, and my editor. So what the heck am I doing? Well, on my Patreon, I decided to create a tier for those who want to read my books as I write them. It’s scary, it’s nerve-wracking. I have clear rules: no suggestions from the gallery. No giving me ‘feedback’ on what you think I should do. I’ve said for years and years, I don’t write by committee …
What is it about Romance?
“Red is the color of my true love’s hair.” “I’ll never love blue eyes again.” “Gonna wash that man right outa my hair.” “Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river…” The list of “love” quotes is endless. Face it, as human beings we’re fascinated with love and sex. From an anthropological standpoint, that’s probably a good thing. It’s kept our race from dying out. It’s only been in modern times that marrying for romantic love has become acceptable. As recently as a hundred years ago, virtually all marriages were arranged for any number of reasons from …
Writer’s Block… yes or no?
Do I get writer’s block? Yes and no. There are so many kinds of writers and so many different methods of writing. None of them are wrong. Never let anyone tell you there is only one way to do it. You have to find what works for you. Some people plot beautifully. I’m not that gal. I’m what’s called a pantser. I write by the seat of my pants. I find it thrilling and I live for the surprises that pop up when I write. Sometimes I wish I could plot a book, but if I did, I wouldn’t write …
Adventures in Writing (And Life)
Good morning peeps! I’m so excited for next week when Shadow Scorching releases. I’m having great fun with this series and I envision it continuing for quite some time. Next up is Haunted Eclipse, the first in my new paranormal women’s fiction series. For those of you who loved Moonshadow Bay, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love this as well. Maisy Tripwater is a matchmaker, bringing together couples in the Supe Community, amidst all the ghostly and ooo-spooky activities trying to prevent her from doing her job. For those of you who are interested, on my Patreon I have …
The Writing Life…
Isn’t anything like I thought it would be. I suppose I had this romanticized picture in my mind of curling up in front of my computer and turning out, well, stuff. That part has come true. I do write stories. Novels and novellas, too. I truly love that part. There’s nothing better than being lost in the creative process where characters are alive in my head and the other world–the real one–fades into insignificance. There are all those other parts, though. The ones I really didn’t know much about beforehand. I’ve taught myself to be a better self-editor. I’ve gotten …
Embracing The Chaos of My Creativity
Coping with a Neurodivergent Brain as a Writer: My Tools, Challenges, and Joys Writing with ADHD can be a real roller coaster rush when the hyperfocus on the characters and world I am building kicks in, but most of the time, it’s like struggling through mud with sandbags strapped to my legs (or in my case, my brain). The older I get the harder it gets. I can get easily overwhelmed with noises, mundane tasks, and big to-do lists that can cause my thoughts to race and my body to shut down. When this happens, it makes it hard for …
What’s a witch to do when it snows a foot and a half outside and she should be working on a new book? Have a snow day with my dogs!
My cats want nothing to do with this freezing cold plan, but the dogs are all in. Granted, I’m not a huge fan of the cold, but I’m also not a fan of my dogs pooping in the house. You feel me? A snow day requires preparation. First, I put on the dogs’ coats. This is somewhat of a nightmare. Keith has a green puffer jacket that he despises. Cindy has a plaid pink-and-white fleece number that she can’t stand. Wanda has a thick Christmas sweater that she is positive came from the bowels of hell. It takes a good …
Living With my Muse
This is one of those topics I’ve never exactly discussed with other writers. It seems personal, somehow. Kinda like talking about how your husband (lover, partner) is in bed. My muse nagged me for years before I finally gave in and sat at the keyboard long enough to write down a story. But then she got a whole lot more demanding. It’s sort of like giving a junkie a fix. Doesn’t keep ‘em quiescent for very long. Nope. Seriously, I feel very fortunate to have a naggy, picky, detail-conscious muse. I never have to worry about what’s going to happen …