Seeking New Information About Writing Whenever I have a new writing task ahead of me, when I'm writing something new to me, the first thing I do is seek information from writers who have traveled that road before. There’s a benefit to searching out tips and hints from others who have already been there, done … Continue reading Tips for Writing the Second Book in a Series
A Trail of Breadcrumbs: How To Use Foreshadowing In Your Fiction
Surviving My First Term As A Doctoral Student I'm very nearly finished with my first semester as a doc student. While I seem to have survived relatively unscathed, I wonder if I'll have as much luck next term when I'll be taking a research statistics class. Let me put this in proper perspective--I haven't taken … Continue reading A Trail of Breadcrumbs: How To Use Foreshadowing In Your Fiction
An Interview with C. W. Gortner
Here's my interview with C.W. Gortner. If you love historical fiction, particularly Tudor fiction, then Gortner is your guy. C.W. Gortner holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco. In 2012, he … Continue reading An Interview with C. W. Gortner
Thank you, Robin Williams: A Lesson in Gratitude
I’m writing and posting this quickly before I change my mind, so, as Anne Lamott said in her own post on the same subject, this isn’t going to be proofread to perfection. I don’t usually comment on the passing of famous people since I’m not sure what I can add that someone more articulate than I … Continue reading Thank you, Robin Williams: A Lesson in Gratitude
An Interview With Barbara Taylor Bradford
I've been lucky enough to interview such literary legends as John Jakes and Jean M. Auel. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview another legend, Barbara Taylor Bradford. Barbara Taylor Bradford has written the notable New York Times Best Sellers A Woman of Substance, The Ravenscar Dynasty, and The Women in His Life, among many others. … Continue reading An Interview With Barbara Taylor Bradford
An Interview With Ruth Hull Chatlien
Ruth Hull Chatlien is the author of the historical novel The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte. Here's her take on writing historical fiction. When and why did you begin writing, and did you always write historical fiction? I started my first novel when I was ten years old—so long ago that I don’t remember why I did it … Continue reading An Interview With Ruth Hull Chatlien
Guest Post: Seven Tips to Create Memorable Historical Fiction Characters
Here is a wonderful guest post about how to create memorable characters in historical fiction from Michael Murphy. Murphy is a full-time writer in Arizona. He’s been writing novels for the past fifteen years. Random House Alibi has released his historical mystery The Yankee Club. He is also the author of All That Glitters. * … Continue reading Guest Post: Seven Tips to Create Memorable Historical Fiction Characters
Do You Need to Travel to the Place You’re Writing About?
You don't need to travel to the place you’re writing about, but it’s helpful to go if you can. Sometimes traveling for research happens by accident, when you find a jewel you didn’t know you were looking for. That’s what happened to me when I was in Portland, Oregon and I found my way to Pittock … Continue reading Do You Need to Travel to the Place You’re Writing About?