Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing author Cynthia Grady on the show! Cynthia has earned master’s degrees in Children’s Literature, Library Science, and the Classics. She taught elementary school in her home state of California and was a children’s librarian for seventeen years before relocating to New Mexico where she… Read more »
Last year, I wrote a two-part series on The Hero’s Journey. In the second of those columns I mentioned discovering Kim Hudson’s The Virgin’s Promise and vowed to return to the topic once I’d had a chance to study the book. Now that I’ve done my homework, I’m going to write another two-part series on… Read more »
Ah, revenge. It’s one of the classic literary masterplots, where the protagonist believes he’s been wronged and seeks to retaliate against the antagonist. But did you know that revenge can also be a literary theme? How it manifests through the plot and characters will depend on what kind of story the author wants to tell…. Read more »
Sometimes even the best of intentions can go wrong. You have a plan to write, but then Monday turns into Friday and your goal is nothing but a distant memory, cast aside for the completion of daily errands. Or you pull up your writer’s chair and sink in with ideas flowing, but the doorbell chimes… Read more »
Today I am so excited to be speaking with NoNieqa Ramos on the show! NoNieqa is an award-winning educator, literary activist, and writer of “intense” young adult literature. She is also a passionate supporter of the #weneeddiversebooks and #ownvoices movements. Her debut novel The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary has gotten stunning reception including a Booklist starred… Read more »
Last year, I successfully pitched and submitted an essay to a well-known creative nonfiction magazine. It was an essay I’m proud of, one that was inspired by a Twitter thread originally posted by the editor I wrote for. But unfortunately the editor turned down my piece, because the ending didn’t have that unexpected element she… Read more »
On May 22, PBS launched a new television series called The Great American Read. The goal is to discover the country’s most loved book. Following a nationwide survey of Americans, an advisory panel assembled an initial list of 100 possibilities. Over the next five months, the list will be whittled down via viewer voting until… Read more »
Writing is hard enough. You do it all by your lonesome, forever battling that cranky voice in your head that snipes at every word you write, and when that doesn’t stop you, switches tactics and suggests you have a snack. Or a nap. Or look, a squirrel! But you have the grit to keep writing… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have debut author Kimmery Martin on the show! Kimmery is an emergency medical doctor and, like me, a life-long literary nerd. On top of being a doctor, an author, and a mom, she writes book reviews and volunteers with the library foundation in her home… Read more »
In April, bestselling authors Steven James and Robert Dugoni taught the ninth Novel Writing Intensive (NWI) at the Eureka Inn, in Jonesborough, Tennessee. There were only twelve seats, and I managed to grab one before the event was waitlisted. (And I’m so glad!) It was an amazing chance to learn from two master storytellers. I… Read more »
