You know those graphics with the six squares labeled with titles like “what my family thinks I do” or “what I think I do” and then always ending with “what I really do”? Well, I’ve been seeing those floating around again (yay, for revolving trends), and I figured it might be time to clarify what… Read more »
The popularity of novels with an art world theme continues across the decades, with new bestsellers like The Art Forger and The Goldfinch being released every year. For readers who enjoy learning about art and history while being engaged with a good story, the art world appeals as the perfect setting. What separates excellent narratives… Read more »
Today I had the privilege of interviewing Sara Bennett Wealer, author of the YA romance with a fun supernatural twist, Grave Things Like Love. I was completely drawn to the setting—a funeral home—and loved the coming of age drama and the love story. It was a really fun read and I am so glad Sara… Read more »
Over the past two and a half years, I’ve worked as a freelance editor and had the pleasure of editing several middle grade books. I’ve also finished my first middle grade fantasy manuscript. But most of all, I’ve read dozens of middle grade books, and there’s something about each one that takes me back to… Read more »
Have you ever looked at a computer screen and wanted to bang your head against it? A time when the words seem less than what you were hoping? Or maybe nothing makes sense anymore? Yep. Me too. What a fun club to join! Want a t-shirt? We also have coffee mugs. At this point, I’m… Read more »
Let’s face it. It’s hard to care about a story if you don’t care about the characters. Reading fiction is almost always an act of empathy: for a brief time, we get to live another life. Therefore, above all else, writing compelling fiction requires empathy, too—lots of it. It’s one thing to know facts about… Read more »
What’s the most important quality in a writer? Joyce Carol Oates has a surprising opinion. The most important writerly quality, she says, is not the ability to develop characters or structure plots. It’s not the presence of voice or the ear for flowing prose. It’s energy. But maybe that’s not a surprising opinion after all…. Read more »
Hello, mystery enthusiasts! Today I have something a little different to share with you, an interview with the wonderful author Rudy Ruiz about his latest novel Valley of Shadows. About Rudy Ruiz Rudy Ruiz is an American author, advocate, and social entrepreneur. The son and grandson of Mexican immigrants, Rudy Ruiz was born in Brownsville,… Read more »
Today I had the privilege of interviewing Kristine Langley Mahler, author of the experimental memoir in essays, Curing Season. As a non-fiction writer myself, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to pick her brain about her process and her career. Plus, I loved getting some inside scoop on how to experiment more with my… Read more »
Coming of age stories are timeless. They’re found across a multitude of genres, from children’s books (picture and chapter books, middle grade, young adult) to adult fiction and even in nonfiction form, such as memoirs and biographies. And many novels ostensibly focused on something else contain coming of age content or aspects, whether it’s memories… Read more »
