Tag Archives: writing
← Older postsNaNoWriMo and Me
November 4, 2012It’s National Novel Writing Month — NaNoWriMo — and I’m supposed to be writing my novel right now, even as falling leaves continue to blanket my front yard and sidewalk and my garden waits for me to mix compost into … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged deadlines, gardening, NaNoWriMo, pears, procrastination, writing | 2 CommentsA Room of One’s Own
September 28, 2012After working at home for seven years — and loving every minute of it — I have decided to look for a studio elsewhere. The reasons for this are complicated, and have much to do with my new domestic partnership … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged office, relationships, writing, writing space | 2 CommentsHelp! My Character Wants to Kill Me
February 21, 2012Have I created a monster? Last night, Blanche de Castille – the White Queen of France and the evil mother-in-law in my forthcoming novel “Four Sisters, All Queens” – tried to kill me. I don’t recall what I did to … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "Four Sisters, All Queens, Blanche de Castille, Blanche of Castile, characters, dreams, historical fiction, nightmares, White Heart, writing | 3 CommentsStart Writing, or Shut Up!
February 17, 2012Dear Reader, If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard someone say, “I want to write, but I can’t find the time,” I’d be richer than J.K. Rowling, who, I’m pretty sure, has never made this complaint. Usually, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged time to write, wannabes, writers, writing | 2 Comments"Blog" rhymes with "slog," and with good reason
December 19, 2011Blog, blog, blog! Lots of writers are blogging their fingers to the bone, and for what? In hopes of stimulating sales of their books, that’s what. But — is there a better way to hook readers into your work? Read … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blogging, books, historical fiction, history, marketing, sales, writing | Leave a commentQueens and Elephants
October 12, 2011Dear Reader, I have two goodies to share with you today! First of all, my forthcoming novel, “Four Sisters, All Queens,” made a world premiere last week when I read five of my favorite pages during the Flying Pig Reading … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "Four Sisters, agents, All Queens, books, editors, England, fiction, France, historical fiction, indie publishing, self-publishing, Simon and Schuster, writing | Leave a commentHow I Got My Agent
July 18, 2011The first literary agent who read the manuscript of my first novel snapped it up. Don’t hate me, though: She turned it down the first time she read it, plunging me into despair. Why did Natasha Kern reject my first … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "The Jewel of Medina, "The Sword of Medina", agents, books, Natasha Kern, Paul Vandevelder, publishing, writing | 7 CommentsSelf-Publishing: Carpeing the Diem, or Wasting Time?
May 22, 2011Like internet dating, self-publishing is something I always swore I would never do. Like internet dating, it seemed an act of desperation, the last resort for writers who couldn’t get published in any other, legitimate, way. Then news that an … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, Kindle, marketing, publicity, self-promotion, self-publishing, Shelfari, Smashwords, Twitter, writing | 4 CommentsPassion: More Than Just Play
November 26, 2010In 52 years of marriage,Vladimir Nabokov wrote hundreds of love letters to his wife, Vera. This I find touching, even moving. But surprising? Hardly. Nabokov was a writer, after all, and no doubt he expressed himself most perfectly via the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "The Jewel of Medina, "The Sword of Medina", Islam, journalism, Nabokov, passion, writers, writing | Leave a commentYou Are So Selfish — And That's a Good Thing.
November 9, 2010The man I love is a composer of classical music. He is also a music professor and conductor, which makes his time for writing very precious. “I guess I’m selfish in that way,” he said recently, as calmly — and … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged art and love, creativity, selfishness, time to write, writing | 3 Comments ← Older posts