H Is For Karen Henry

H Is For Karen Henry

How in the world did this happen? For most people, it’s often asked when a bookshelf comes tumbling down after you cram that one final book onto an already sagging shelf or a child comes in completely covered in royal blue paint and looking like a Smurf. It’s a question Karen Henry asks herself often…

A Writer’s Retreat

A Writer’s Retreat

If you are a writer and if you are very lucky, you have a support group. Sometimes it’s your family. Most of the time it isn’t. Your family may sort of give you free time. God bless you if you have a significant other who takes the kids so you can just write or maybe…

Where Do You Get Ideas?

Where Do You Get Ideas?

People ask, “Where do you come up with your ideas?” We had this discussion on the LitForum not long ago and my answer there was, “Where don’t you get ideas?” I’m a people watcher. I watch not only appearances, but also mannerisms, clothing, speech. Interesting bits will trigger scenes. A man on twitter started following…

Opium Beds and Butterflies

Opium Beds and Butterflies

In an interview with On The Road, Diana Gabaldon touches on “kernels” in writing. This is where you have some little bit of something that triggers and image or thought in your writing and you build a scene around it. Listen to the interview, it’s well worth it. I’ve run into several of those while…

Flashbacks Vs. Backstory

At Books and Writers, this month’s writing exercises was flashbacks and backstory. I had a bit from The Rain Crow, my new novel under construction, that was backstory and I decided to make it more immediate by switching to a flashback. This is first draft stuff, so there are still places that need to be…

It’s Hard To Be Humble

It’s Hard To Be Humble-Mac Davis I’ve learned a lot about myself in the recent edit frenzy. Some parts of Paladin are pretty good. Some parts aren’t. Some parts are pure drivel wrapped around the bones of what could be good. I’ve known all along a famous military commander is the pirate’s father and why…

Blood Money

It’s a little after 1:00 pm. I just got up two hours ago and will be leaving for work in thirty minutes. Messed with the printer until 5:30 this morning and it’s still printing a bit of text in the corner the size of a postage stamp. I’ve tried reading it with a magnifying glass…

Writing Wrong

John asked me the other day how I write. My first reaction was to respond, “Badly?” I refrained since even I know it is just challenging, not bad. I hope. Being a working woman, I have other obligations even though I would dearly love to do nothing but write. So, here is a normal day….