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In order for a reader to get immersed in a novel, the story must flow as seamlessly as possible from beginning to end; chapter to chapter; scene to scene; paragraph to paragraph; sentence to sentence.  Before I began writing Olive Branches Don’t

We have all experienced those special moments in life either through being moved by a particular song, a beautiful sunset, or by having a profound connection with another being.  In Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees, Silvia experiences this

I have read character descriptions that are very precise and detailed, but that lack the true essence of the character.  This essence is revealed through things like how a character moves through the world; how he eats his food; or how she plays

The characters of a novel need to change throughout the novel.  This change or transformation is called the arc.  This change may be for the better or for the worse, but it must be.  And it must be manifested through the characters’

I didn’t know that Silvia was going to decide to pursue a career as an art teacher; or that Donna was going to change her mind about the family reunion; or that Cosmo was going to do a magic trick for Isabella at the party.  In

I’m very careful not to vilify or glorify characters.  Frank, the antagonist of Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees, is an abusive alcoholic, and initially, he is revealed only as such.  As the story progresses, however, we learn that Frank’s

There are stories everywhere around us and they are constantly happening.  Our job, as writers, is to look and listen for them, to take full advantage of our surroundings.  Every window of the apartment building across from my apartment building

Landscape is the backdrop against which the story falls.  It can be both entertaining and informative for readers.  Most importantly, it reveals the internal state of the protagonist. The protagonist perceptions of reality change according to

I could not have developed my voice as a writer had I not read many other writers throughout my life.  Now I read only those writers whose style I like so that they can influence my own style.  Some of my favorites include Flannery O’Connor,

What do the novels Huckleberry Finn, The Canterbury Tales and On The Road have in common?  All of these great works of fiction employ the literary technique known as the journey motif.  Although the journey that the characters of these stories