Science Fiction and Fantasy
I’m excited to share an incredible book deal with you!
Here’s your chance to connect with amazing new authors and discover fresh fantasy books. 📚✨
I’ve partnered with a group of talented authors who are offering you free books. Each author has contributed one complimentary ebook, plus you’ll have the opportunity to win a $20 gift card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes.
Continue reading “Discover new Fantasy Books”
Yes, it’s true!
At least according to a study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine by researchers at Yale University. The study, conducted over 12 years, revealed a significant link between reading books and longevity.
The researchers analyzed data from 3,635 participants in a nationwide health study of individuals over 50. These people were asked about their reading habits as part of the study. Those who read books for up to three and a half hours per week were 17 percent less likely to die than those who didn’t.
Furthermore, those who read more than that were 23 percent less likely to die. On average, book readers lived two years longer than those who did not read at all.
This is fantastic news. Books are shaping up to be the elixir of life. Who would have guessed?
Continue reading “Reading Books May Extend Your Life”
I’ve collected the fallen leaves and am ready for winter. As you can see in this picture from my backyard, it was just in time. We had our first snowfall several weeks ago.
Although the snow has melted, another dusting is forecasted. I like looking out at the snow, and the changing seasons make living in New England enjoyable.
Wherever you live, this is a time of year to step back from life’s daily hustle and bustle. The holidays allow us to spend precious moments with friends and family, gather at the table, tell stories, and capture plenty of pictures.
Continue reading “The Season For Memories”
I recently received a message from a reader who wondered why I frequently write about writing techniques and the writing process in this blog post. “After all,” this person said, “we are readers, not aspiring authors.”
That’s a valid comment, and it goes to the core of why I write this blog in the first place.
The answer is simple. My mission is to provide book readers, such as yourself, with insight into what it takes to write and produce a novel so that you can better appreciate the books you read.
By providing a small glimpse into an author’s craft and what it takes to publish a novel, I hope to convey the richness of a good book and give readers a deeper understanding of the storytelling process.
Continue reading “Calling All Book Readers”
A famous line from William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet goes as follows: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The implication is that the name does not matter.
But I’ll tell you a little secret.
In the book-writing world, names do matter a great deal. Most authors I know spend an excessive amount of time fretting over the names of characters and places. Don’t even get me going about how much effort goes into the title of books.
Continue reading “What’s in a Name?”
Readers have many options. They are in the driver’s seat when it comes to purchasing books. As authors, we do all we can to help readers select our specific books.
But if I simplify the equation, it all comes down to two basic decisions authors must make: products or promotions.
Products are everything. Without them, we would only have dreams as wannabe authors.
Most readers may not consider novels as products like a bar of soap or any number of other items on the shelf of a department store. But to an author, that’s precisely what they are.
Continue reading “So Many Choices”
Summer has officially arrived, at least here in the Northern Hemisphere. I enjoy the warm weather, but an early heat wave in the Northeast was a little too much.
This time of year allows me to step away from my writing desk for a bit to tend the flower gardens in the yard. Gardening, cooking, and writing are three of my favorite activities (although not necessarily in that order). These days, writing is my first love. Back when I was in corporate marketing, gardening was a way to ease tension from hectic jobs.
I’m happy to update you on the new plants I’ve added to the gardens this year, but let’s discuss writing instead. I’m now penning Book 5 in The Story of Elthea’s Realm Series. Like the other books in the series, I spend a lot of time in the early stages of the draft before picking up steam.
Continue reading “A Summer Update”
The photo above was taken at my desk where I am working on my latest novel.
I once heard a writing coach say that the easiest novels to read are often the ones that authors worked the hardest on.
My novels take a long time to produce because I spend so much effort fine-tuning the little things that the reader will never notice. Every author has a million choices to make as the story progresses, and those choices make the difference between a dull story and a book that you can’t stop reading.
Continue reading “Why Some Novels Are So Easy To Read”
In this journal post, I am excited to share a list of my all-time favorite books, spanning beyond just the past year or so. These are the books that have captured my heart and that I have remembered through time.
I once heard someone say that books provide a view into a reader’s soul, and the ones readers choose can tell a lot about them. So, I’d like to share some of my most cherished books with you. Looking at this tally is like taking a snapshot of who I am.
I’ll begin with those most recently read and work my way back. Let me know if we have any in common, or even better, if you have recommendations of books I should consider.
Continue reading “My Most-Cherished Books”
People often ask me, “Why did you decide to write fantasy fiction?” The other question I often get is, “How do you come up with ideas for your stories?”
So, today, I pull back the curtain just a little to show you what’s behind my books and what inspired me. This won’t answer all your questions, but it will give you a peek into why I write and what I think about as I develop a manuscript.
Why Do It: Everyone has a passion in life—that one thing you want to accomplish more than anything else. For me, it has always been to write fiction (at least since I was in college). I had worked as a communications and marketing manager in the corporate world for many years, which paid the bills. Eventually, I pursued my passion and wrote the story I had secretly worked on for decades.
Continue reading “Creating Fantasy Fiction”