As I mentioned when I blogged about Orphan Black, I believe great Tv shows can teach us about great writing–whether on-screen or off. I have a huge crush on Jane the Virgin right now, and a lot of it is because it’s a show that shows great confidence in its writing. I discovered Jane the Virgin, … [Read more…]
Though I’m mainly a romance writer, I’m writing a horror story this fall. I’ve long been drawn to ghosts and gothics, and it’s been a great experience. Here are ten reasons why all romance writers should try writing in a genre like horror occasionally. (Of course this all comes with the caveat that seasoned horror … [Read more…]
I recently did that Facebook book nerd meme that is making the rounds, the one where you’re supposed to list ten books that have stayed with you. The question, as I copied it, instructed me to not think too hard about this question, so of course I then proceeded to think twice as long as most other people … [Read more…]
I’m excited to announce a new series on this blog, Writers Who Read. I’m both a writer and a huge book nerd, and I’m thrilled at the chance to bring these two interests together through a series of writer interviews particularly focused on books and reading. I’ll be interviewing writers–of all stripes, at all stages … [Read more…]
You know the old USDA Food Guide Pyramid, the shape that specified the amounts of grains, vegetables, and oils Americans should consume daily? I’ve been wondering if we can adapt a similar concept for reading–at least for those of us who like to consciously plan our reading, or maybe just the next book or two. … [Read more…]
I came late to Sandra Boynton. When my first son was a baby, we were given a copy of children’s author Sandra Boynton’s Moo, Baa, La La La! to read to him. I remember feeling underwhelmed when I first read the little board book. The story was just a bunch of animals, making sounds. Was … [Read more…]
I loved this recent post from Jeff Goins, The Wrong Reasons to Write. Goins makes a lot of good and interesting points here–the difficulty in writing for just money or fame, in particular–but what really has stuck with me about this post was the bit at the end about making the reader the focus of … [Read more…]