“So are Ash and Skye going to get together or what?” my mom demanded after reading the latest installment of my Syzygy series. I stifled a groan. “Do you think I'm that predictable?” “No, I just know you.” Meaning she knows I’m a total sucker for a good ship. Since childhood, I’ve endured tedious book series and shark-jumping … Continue reading Shipping and Handling, Part 1: How to write romantic subplots
As both a writer and a musician, songs and stories are inextricable for me. Lyrics are a fascinating narrative form--Springsteen is like Steinbeck with a guitar--and even the flimsiest dance tune develops a narrative in an author's imagination. I've got whole soundtracks for novels! No room for that today, so here are a few of … Continue reading Top 5 Wednesday: Book Theme Songs
Has a book ever consumed you? Hooked you so completely that you smuggle it to work and read surreptitiously under the desk, and stay up all night devouring chapters to find out what happens? I read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in one sitting, curled in my dad's blue armchair that matched the … Continue reading How to Write a Novel, Part 3: Narrative Tension
Last night I began teaching my first creative writing class at a local college. The course helps participants launch their first novel, from the germ idea through the first chapters. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the discipline—Ernest Hemingway famously said that writing is a craft where no one ever becomes a master—I … Continue reading How to Write a Novel, Part 1: Turning an idea into a story
It's been a while since my last T5W! I almost missed this one, but tweets from a few of my favorite book bloggers inspired/shamed me into last-minute participation. Not surprisingly, the people closest to me are devoted bibliophiles. I've read many, many books on their recommendations. The following are just a few enduring favorites I've discovered … Continue reading T5W: Best Suggested Books I Loved
