Author Archives

A good title is a must. As the primary fiction selector for a large library system, I read dozens of book reviews from a variety of reviewing sources–Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus–to name a few. When I see books with banal,

The visions started soon after Tattoo Tommy caught sight of the empty spot at the bottom of his back. It was the only tattooless spot on his body, minus his face and head, and it lived right below a tattoo of Mary that looked like one of those

After you’ve revised your manuscript several times, you should have it professionally edited. There are different levels of editing, from basic proofreading to more extensive editing which includes such elements as character development and flow

I’m a librarian and select fiction for a large library system so I’m constantly reading book reviews in the subject area of fiction. I see many books by authors who seem to be jumping whatever current bandwagon is popular. I’m

As independent authors, we are living in an unprecedented time of opportunities. But with this great plethora of opportunities comes the issue of weeding through all of them, and deciphering the good from the bad from the ugly.  I’ve

Whenever I feel blocked, I go for a walk. There’s something about feeling my feet on the ground, listening to the birds sing and looking at the trees that inspires me. I always think of a great line or idea for a plot while I’m

When I dream, my subconscious mind is creating stories from various random things, people and events that have been thrown my way in my waking life.  The stories are sometimes funny and sometimes scary and always weird and nonsensical.  My

I really wanted to create characters who are living in the world and rising above it simultaneously. One’s ability to rise above reality is a vital ingredient for happiness.  In the end of Olive  Branches Don’t Grow On Trees, all six

Readers will not be able to suspend disbelief if dialogue is not believable. Dialogue must flow naturally from the mouths of the characters and must be in keeping with the qualities, characteristics and motivations of characters. The Grecos are

Following the rules of writing effective opening scenes is vital so that readers will be able to suspend disbelief.  Readers must be grounded in the protagonist’s point of view in the beginning of a story.  They must see the world through