all writers are readers first!

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Sometimes in the author community we talk about “the readers” as if they’re a separate group, but to tell the truth, we’re all readers first, aren’t we? I talked about this in a Writer Unboxed post not too long ago:

We started writing because we loved reading. We’re over the moon that we have become the people we once looked up to, creating stories that fill readers with emotion. We may not read at a blistering pace given life’s other demands and temptations, but if you give us the freedom and space to choose an activity, reading is going to be high on the list.

When you pour your creative energy into writing books of your own, it does change your relationship with other people’s books, but that doesn’t have to be a negative thing.

Read more about my relationship with reading here.

writers: where and how do you write?

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I’ve got some stories to tell about unusual and/or unexpected places I’ve written. Inside my car in the parking garage at Trader Joe’s is a favorite — the secret is to move your seat back if you're staying in the driver’s seat.

In a recent post at Writer Unboxed, I talk more about my “write anywhere, write everywhere” philosophy, and invite fellow writers to talk about what works for them.

Read it here.

tips for biographical historical fiction writers at SheWrites!

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Hi there! I recently realized that a few of my recent posts, articles and lists from around the web slipped through the blogging cracks. Totally an error on my part. The great news is there’s no bad time to, for example, learn about three big mistakes to avoid if you’re writing biographical historical fiction.

So here’s a piece I put together for SheWrites on what NOT to do in that genre! Like:

Don’t let your subject have the final say. My latest subject, Aimee Crocker, was widely quoted in newspapers during her life and even wrote her own memoir, which she titled — in classic Aimee fashion — And I’d Do It Again. But her memoir says very little about some of the things that interested me most, like the very public custody battle with her first husband that resulted in both of them losing custody of their daughter, who was then adopted by Aimee’s mother (yes, really).

Read the whole thing here.

Writing habits for the new year!

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Welcome to 2023! Hope we all have an exciting and productive year ahead. I’ve got ARCA coming out in March, so you’ll see a lot of talk about that, but I hope to be able to share some other news soon as well! Secrets, always secrets, shhhhh.

Anyway! I’m kicking off the New Year at Writer Unboxed by musing about habits, good and bad, and how we can cast off some of the latter for the former, especially where writing is concerned.

Read it at Writer Unboxed.

sharing surprises!

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Hello! I know it’s been quiet around here, but surprise! I’m back. Hoping to get back in the saddle, updating this blog regularly. For one thing, the second book in the Five Queendoms series is now available for preorder, and it has a GORGEOUS cover, and I’ll be talking plenty about that in the months to come!

But for now, just a quick update! My latest Writer Unboxed post is about the power of surprise (hence the title of this post) — surprise for your characters, surprise for your readers, and surprise for the writer, too.

Read about the power of surprise.

(And stay tuned for more soon!)

3 tips for cover reveals at Writer Unboxed!

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For obvious reasons, I have cover reveals on the brain… so while all that’s fresh, I figured I’d share some tips and thoughts with my fellow writers with a post on Writer Unboxed. Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, experienced or new, connected or solo, I think there are three things you should keep in mind when planning a cover reveal — first of all, that the word planning is key.

Read my thoughts here!