Blog
As a curious observer of life, I blog on writing, marketing, my prairie - anything that interests me in the moment. I like to have conversations with readers, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I'll respond.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) sent hundreds of thousands of writers to their keyboards in November to write the novels they know they have in them. Historically, 17% of those who start succeed. I was…
Read More“Every morning I tell myself: Write recklessly today. You can play it safe tomorrow.” – Sue Monk Kidd As I join tens of thousands of other writers to tackle the National Novel Writing Month challenge…
Read MoreThe tide of refugees and immigrants and the resulting walls and discussions of walls – in Europe and the U.S. – remind me of a sculpture I saw at the University of Arizona in Tucson.…
Read MoreHave you watched the big five trade book publishers launch a book? They always have an impressive list of reviews on Amazon the day a book launches. When I launched Go Away Home, I tried…
Read MoreEver since Lake Union Publishing acquired my novel Go Away Home (re-launch on July 7), I get questions. Lots of them. About how it works, the advantages, the disadvantages. Jane Friedman invited me to answer the…
Read MoreA drum roll, please … When my novel Go Away Home re-launches on July 7, it will sport this brand new cover. As an indie author responsible for all aspects of publishing, I have to…
Read MoreI’m in Iowa City this week, sequestered at a bed & breakfast, doing a deep dive into writing my next novel. I write, I think, I walk, I write some more. All the while, I…
Read More“What was it like working with Amazon Publishing?” “Did it bother you to lose control?” “Is it still the same story?” These are some of the questions I’ve received since my novel Go Away Home…
Read MoreMany authors write a memoir first and then turn to fiction, as I did. While those first works of fiction often have some basis in real people and events, the outcome is largely fictional as…
Read MoreMemoirs and historical fiction are my normal reading choices. But every so often, I enjoy trying something different. Recently I caught a Dean Koontz interview on the CBS Sunday Morning show. Though I’d seen his books…
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