Today I want to talk about my favorite part of writing—the setting, and how I use setting in my upcoming YA Southern mystery, The Existence of Bea Pearl, out this Fall from Owl Hollow Press. To me, setting is a character unto itself. It drives the tone and tension of the story just as much as the walking, talking characters. When I’m brainstorming a shiny new idea, it’s usually the first thing that comes to me. Then the characters, and after much angst and gnashing of teeth, the plot.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: S.O. Thomas
S. O. Thomas is the author of the middle grade novels #GraveyardChallenge, book 5 in the FrightVision series, and The Slug Queen Chronicles. With her infectious energy and a penchant for the peculiar, no one has ever accused S. O. of being mundane.
Read moreFrom Lemons to Lemonade - Guest Post By S.O. Thomas
Online reviews from your audience can be a source of anxiety, no matter your level of professional experience. As a writer, you pour your heart onto the page, and wait for the judgement to roll in. You hope your readers enjoy that scene on page 97 that makes you giggle every time you read it, or hope they stay up until three in the morning because they can’t wait to find out how things end.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Margaret McNellis
Margaret has been published in various markets: Assignment Magazine (student fiction contest winner), Z Publishing, Dual Coast Magazine, See Spot Run, The Penman Review, The Copperfield Review, and Fictitious Magazine. She also received Honorable Mention in the WOW! - Women on Writing Winter 2015 Flash Fiction Contest.
Read moreI've Got to Be Free - Guest Post By Margaret McNellis
Queen sang it best when they belted about being free, but sometimes this is a lesson many writers (including yours truly) can forget. In June 2017, I entered the Mountainview MFA fiction program with the knowledge of what I wanted to write for my thesis. The final submitted thesis, due in two years, would have to sit between 25,000 and 75,000 words, and I planned on the latter. I had lit my own proverbial fire under my own butt.
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 6/19
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read moreMaternity Leave Starts Next Week
If you’ve been following my blog this year, you may know that I’m expecting a baby. Little Boy is due July 5th. I’ve arranged to go on a bit of a “Maternity Leave” so I can focus on my growing family over the next few weeks.
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 6/12
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read moreA Review of The Broken Prince
Born into a kingdom where those of magical Gifts are rejected, feared, and even killed, Serena has spent her life striving to hide her ability and keep her younger brother safe. The bastard son of the hated king and father he hardly knows, Prince Milosh is considered an outcast. He never expects to feel anything but contempt for the peasant girl who unexpectedly shows up in his life, forcing him to answer questions he never wished to ask. When two very different worlds are thrown together under less than desirable circumstances, both hold deep judgment towards the other. But will they learn to see beyond their stations and birth so that they may defeat the coming darkness, or will labels given to them at birth continue to define them?
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 6/5
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read moreAn Interview With Kara Linaburg
If you combined Lucy Ricardo, Jo March, and Tonks...you would have Kara. Queen of awkward, writer before she could properly spell, and maker of imaginary humans, she is passionate about creating characters that display beauty in brokenness. Kara took to blogging as a teenager, words soon becoming one of her greatest passions. When she’s not being a mad scientist in the kitchen or daydreaming about her next adventure, she loves to connect with readers. She lives in West Virginia where country roads always take her home. You can feel free to stalk her blog www.thebeautifullybrokenblog.com where she rambles weekly.
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 5/29
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read moreA Review of Of Silver And Shadow
Ren Kolins is a silver wielder—a dangerous thing to be in the kingdom of Erdis, where magic has been outlawed for a century. Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she won’t see a single coin until they overthrow the King.
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 5/22
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read moreYour Favorite Blog Posts So Far This Year
If you’re looking for some diverting, fun reads this week, take a look at these five most popular blog posts from my site. Some are new, others are regular favorites since my blog started in 2018! Take a look:
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 5/15
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read more3 Amazing Young Adult Fantasy Books You Haven’t Read
Love Young Adult Fantasy but struggling to find a great new book to read? Lucky for you, I’ve been reading all kinds of books lately and have some recommendations. Here are three amazing YA Fantasy books you’ve probably never even heard of:
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 5/8
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read moreA Review of Born Of Fire And Flood
Jenna, the loner of her village, never really found her place. She worked at her uncle's inn, and kept to herself. She'd given up on love, and she'd given up on her dreams. She knew she'd never leave her corner of the world, no matter how bad she wanted to. She was too afraid to leave... but what happens when her village is burned to the ground by a power Jenna doesn't understand? What happens when Jenna is thrown into the center of a magical rebellion, filled with powerful, element wielding witches called the Magi? In the midst of all the chaos, what happens when Jenna finds love?
Read moreWhy I'm Not Writing This Week 5/1
If you’re not familiar with this series, just know that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. And I am definitely no exception. Every Friday, I list five things that distracted me from my writing this week.
Read more