Plotting Crash Course, Day 2: Character Sheets and Aesthetics

Today we’ll be talking about character sheets and novel aesthetics, because I started developing a playlist today, got excited about it, and need to share it with you. Let’s start out with character sheets. Now, everyone has their own version of the character sheets, and you can find about a thousand, all relatively good, by […]

Set-Up for the Plotting Crash Course

(WARNING: Spoilers for The Dressmaker’s Secret. May also be minor spoilers for Ivy Introspective. And possibly for At Her Fingertips, though I’m doing the best I can to make sure they stay out! If you see one that shocks you, give me a good yelling at.) A few things you ought to know before you […]

September 2016 Spotlight ~ IvIn Excerpt and Theme

Well, it’s once-again time for our monthly spotlight! Just in case you need a refresher, here’s the first spotlight post where I explained what a spotlight is, where I got the idea from, etc. This month I’m going to be sharing a little bit of my novel, Ivy Introspective, which is hopefully coming out sometime in […]

Feeling vs. Thinking in Writing

I know, I know! A Step-by-Step Guide to Publishing with Createspace for Intelligent People (Part 2) was supposed to be posted today. But … too lazy and too enthused about this new idea (which, disclaimer, I got from the book Writing With Power by Peter Elbow. I’ve only read the first chapter, but I’m smart enough to […]

On Sprinters, Elections, and NaNo

First, I just want to say I’m amazed by the amount of support I got when publishing The Lady of the Vineyard. Thank you all a million times! I hope I’ll be there for you in the same way if you ever publish (or when you do again). Okay now … let’s do ’em in […]

Dares for August 2016

When I was walking into Spooky’s (local pizza place) a week or so back with the fam, I was stopped by someone shouting, “Hey, you!” I turned to the sound of the “Hey, you.” (I tend to respond to them …) She, a girl about my age: *makes eye contact* “Do you remember me?” Me: […]

The Lady of the Vineyard, Blog Tour Sign-ups

A few quick updates before we begin … Giving away an autographed copy of The Dressmaker’s Secret on Goodreads. Actually making progress on Ivy Introspective! 😀 I’ve chosen some titles for The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, Book 4. Vote here! Still looking for beta-readers for The Lady of the Vineyard. Well, guys, it’s time […]

Sleep Deprivation Hillarities

I know. There are a lot of big words in the title. 😉 Essentially, today I will be sharing you some things I wrote in my novel, Ivy Inquisitive, during NaNoWriMo 2015 that aren’t quite … right. ~ A few of my favorite typos ~ Miss Selle greeted him at the girl. Yep. At Miss […]

After NaNoWriMo

Well, I finished Ivy Inquisitive at 44,114 words! That comes out to twenty-eight chapters. I’m pretty proud of myself. I have written significantly more words during this NaNo than I did last year (43,448 by November 30th at 11:59 PM!) … which is always a good thing. I’m hoping that next year I’ll be able to do […]

NaNoWriMo: Day 20

Hello All! Well, I’m 1/3 of  the way through the month. I haven’t finished my writing for tonight, but so far I’m at 27,274 words which is a little ahead but I want to get two or three days ahead because I won’t be at home for the last couple days of November. The story […]

NaNoWriMo: Day 16

Well, it’s Day 16 … and I’ve run across a problem. I knew that my outline wasn’t complete! There’s a character in Ivy Inquisitive whose mother dies … and somehow she needs to feel as if her mother’s death was her fault and stew over it for the rest of her life. I have literally been […]

NaNoWriMo: Day 14

Hello Everyone! It’s a cloudy but beautiful (due to the orange, yellow, and red trees and suddenly bright green grass) in Oregon! 🙂 November may sound gloomy to some, but it’s quite perky here, especially when the deep blue sky peeps through … not yet today, but we must be hopeful. So, I’m up to 17,469 as […]