The clinical definition of intergenerational trauma, also sometimes referred to as multigenerational trauma, is trauma that is “passed down from the generation that experienced the trauma to subsequent generations.” These traumas exist in many forms—they are the aftermaths of war, sexual and physical abuse, drug abuse, and suicides. Other family traumas, such as family secrets,… Read more »
Do you rebel against yourself? Me too. Sometimes I have to trick myself. I’ll decide to do something that seems so good for me. I’ll purchase books and watch webinars and do the research and decide, That’s it! That’s the thing that will change my life for the better! Then, as I embark upon the… Read more »
Certain words keep writers up at night. They live in the darkest corners of the dictionary and carry with them anxiety and dread. For me, one is particularly ominous. Quitter. Let’s be honest. Writing is swimming upstream with a thousand pounds of hope, expectations, and manuscripts strapped firmly to your back. Publishing is a subjective… Read more »
We all play games. We use games to break the ice, pass the time, or as a buffer in awkward family gatherings. I use games (especially tabletop games) to make new friends, and deepen my understanding of the people in my life. Games show people at their best and at their worst. They reveal hidden… Read more »
As authors we are always on the lookout for ways to improve our craft—to help our writing rise above the slush pile and connect with readers. And once it’s in readers’ hands, we want our work to ring true, to stick with people long after they put it down. We read articles, watch webinars, scour… Read more »
Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Elly Griffiths. Elly is the author of the Ruth Galloway and Brighton mystery series and the stand-alone novels The Stranger Diaries and The Postscript Murders. She is a recipient of the Edgar Award for Best Novel, the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the CWA Dagger in the Library… Read more »
Historical romance novels are in high demand. I wondered if the Netflix series, Bridgerton, which received a staggering viewership of 82 MILLION for its 8-episode first season, influenced this increased demand. My enquiring mind didn’t mess around. I went straight to the pros for answers and emailed sisters, Bea and Leah Koch. These dynamic women… Read more »
Incorporating the full range of senses into your fiction can transform it from flat to multi-dimensional, impenetrable to immersive. Writers who set their stories in contemporary locations are often able to experience the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations of their setting firsthand simply by visiting the location. But what about those of us… Read more »
It’s every writer’s worst nightmare—staring at a blank notebook page or computer screen with no motivation or inspiration. Feeling completely stuck. Writer’s block is more than just a joke or some kind of “fluke” thing. In fact, some of the most well-known writers in the world have to deal with it from time to time. … Read more »
When you are writing a memoir, you spend a lot of your time excavating a past that is often elusive. To bring a memory to life on the page, you have to call up all the myriad details that filled it with emotion and meaning at the time, and the full force of any memory… Read more »
