The other day I was going through a box of books from my childhood and trying to find places for them on my bookshelves. As cheesy as it sounds, when I was taking the books out one by one, it was like I was seeing old friends again. The feelings I’d had when I’d read [...]
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m part of the Elevensies, a group of authors whose debut novels release in 2011. The great thing about getting a bunch of authors together is that they can’t wait to give away some books! Which is where the 2011 Book Feast comes in. Here’s the official announcement: The Elevensies want [...]
I’m currently reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins and just loving it. Part of it is the great voice, but what hooked me right away were the conflicts that were introduced from the start. From the first page, we’re left asking questions and wondering what will happen next. Conflict 1: The main [...]
I have a special treat for you guys today. My friend and critique partner Alisa Libby was nice enough to write a letter to herself a while back, and now she’s agreed to come back and answer some questions about herself and her writing. Alisa has two published YA novels, The Blood Confession and The [...]
I’ve been reading a really great book (whose identity I will conceal for now), one with a fascinating premise and interesting characters. It’s one of those books that I can’t wait to get back to. However, it’s a very thick book, and as I’m reading, I can’t help thinking that it doesn’t need to be [...]
The other day, I came across a 4-star rating of my book on Goodreads. Which I would have been thrilled about…if my book was actually out. In reality, I haven’t even sent my final manuscript to my editor yet, so I’m assuming the person rated it by accident. Besides making me laugh, the experience got [...]
A while back I mentioned a screenwriting book by Peter Dunne called Emotional Structure. Since I finished it, I’ve been singing its praises to everyone I know, so now it’s your turn. Let me tell you about this helpful little book. Like many screenwriting books, this one talks about three-act structure. Unlike other books, however, [...]
A few weeks ago I posted about a book drive for a library that’s in desperate need of new books. Good news – so far the library has received over sixty of them! Thank you so much to everyone who’s donated. But the drive isn’t over yet! If you’ve been meaning to send your gently [...]
It’s 2011, the year my debut novel will be released! While September is a long way off, I’m excited to support my fellow Elevensies (2011 debut authors). So to celebrate a new year of fab books, I’m having a giveaway! The winner of the giveaway will get to choose one of the Elevensies books released [...]
We’re all snowed in here in New England, so it seems like the perfect time to reflect on the past year. Overall, 2010 wasn’t a great reading year for me; I started a lot of books but didn’t have the time or patience to finish most of them. But among the ones I did finish, [...]
