Learning To Leave the Past Behind As I'm weaving my way through the sixth part of the Loving Husband Series, I realized that the Salem Witch Trials are never far behind for the Wentworths. The infamous witch hunts of 1692 once again play a role in James and Sarah's story. Both James and Sarah have … Continue reading Writing Historical Fiction About the Salem Witch Trials
Writing Inspiration
Finding My Writing Flow
Mike Tinnion from Unsplash It's Easy to Be Distracted From Writing With all of the stresses in the world these days, there are times when I have to reach a bit to find my creativity. Some days, especially when writing is a struggle, I worry that I have used up every ounce of creativity I … Continue reading Finding My Writing Flow
One Tip For Writing Fiction: Scene Sequels
Photo by Glenn Carstens from Unsplash What is a Scene Sequel? I shared the concept of scene sequels in my book Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction. Another novelist introduced me to scene sequels about 10 years ago and I’ve been using them ever since. Yes, there are scene sequels in The … Continue reading One Tip For Writing Fiction: Scene Sequels
Room For Freedom When Writing Fiction
Photo by Patrick Tomasso from Unsplash I Was a Guest Speaker for the Lit Mag Love Course! For my first bit of news, on Tuesday, 3/1, I had the chance to participate in a Q&A for Rachel Thompson's course Lit Mag Love, which helps writers who want to submit their work to literary journals. I … Continue reading Room For Freedom When Writing Fiction
Living the Writing Life: Dare To Do Nothing
Photo by Jonas Leupe from Unsplash Seeking a Simpler Life As I've been embracing a simpler writer's life, one of the things I keep hitting against like a brick wall is the pressure I put on myself to create a miles-long to-do list. There are so many things I want to write and edit and … Continue reading Living the Writing Life: Dare To Do Nothing
What Can Coloring Books Teach You About Writing?
This is definitely one of my better pieces, maybe because I love peacocks. I've Always Loved Coloring Books I loved coloring when I was a kid, and as it happens I still love to color. I consider myself a wannabe crafter. I used to dabble in painting with acrylics, and while coloring in a coloring … Continue reading What Can Coloring Books Teach You About Writing?
What is the Spark of Creativity?
The History Quill's Convention for Writers of Historical Fiction On Saturday, February 5, 2022, I was invited to speak at The History Quill’s convention for writers of historical fiction. My topic was writing and publishing short historical fiction. I had a lot of fun speaking to the attendees and sharing my presentation. All Creatives Need … Continue reading What is the Spark of Creativity?
How To Avoid Clichés Like the Plague
Photo by Debby Hudson for Unsplash Writing is Rarely Easy For someone who loves to write as much as I do, I find writing quite hard. I love that saying from Thomas Mann: "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." After all, who else but a writer … Continue reading How To Avoid Clichés Like the Plague
The Challenges of Writing a Time-Travel Story
Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash Where Did the Time Travel Inspiration Come From? I have a tendency to come up with story ideas a lot faster than I write them. I mean a lot faster. Fans of When It Rained at Hembry Castle know that I came up with the idea for that book … Continue reading The Challenges of Writing a Time-Travel Story
Creative Inspiration On The Oregon Trail
Researching the Oregon Trail Now that I’ve spent some time building up my general knowledge about the Oregon Trail, I’m starting to learn more about the culture of the era, which is always one of the most fun parts of writing historical fiction for me. I enjoy discovering how people lived during whatever era I'm … Continue reading Creative Inspiration On The Oregon Trail