Update on The Duchess of Idaho The first draft for The Duchess of Idaho is finally done. It took me ten weeks to finish, which, for me, is crazy fast. I mean, lightning speed. I wrote in this post about how sometimes it takes me months to write my outline, months to write my first … Continue reading Baking Time: Giving Your Story the Time it Needs
Writing
Writer’s Block, Burnout, and Giving Up: My Personal Story
Rediscovering My Connection To Writing A few days ago I was reading the wonderful website Writers in the Storm and I came across this post about the writing resolution that changed the writer’s attitude and ultimately changed her writing career. I nodded a lot as I read the piece because, although the specifics of my … Continue reading Writer’s Block, Burnout, and Giving Up: My Personal Story
Writing Inspiration: From Plotter To Pantster
Her Dear & Loving Husband is an Award Winner! Before I get to my post today, I wanted to share some wonderful news. Her Dear & Loving Husband is now officially an award-winning novel. James and Sarah have won the Coffee Pot Book Club Book Award for highly recommended novels. Cool, right? Our Writing Process … Continue reading Writing Inspiration: From Plotter To Pantster
What is the One Thing a Writing Book Can’t Teach You?
How-To Writing Books Can Be Inspirational Since Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction was released I’ve been thinking a lot about writing books. I’ve read many of them, believe me, especially when I was a fresh-faced writer dutifully taking my English, screenwriting, and creative writing courses as an undergrad. I combed through … Continue reading What is the One Thing a Writing Book Can’t Teach You?
It’s Here: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction
I’m so happy that I can finally share my first nonfiction book—Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction—with everyone. Already, on its first day of release, Painting the Past has been named the #1 New Release in Authorship. Amazing. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this happen. I came up with … Continue reading It’s Here: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction
My Favorite Books About Writing
As I've been adding the finishing touches to my first nonfiction book about writing historical fiction, I've been thinking about the writing books that have inspired me over the years. There are too many to name in a short blog post, but here are a few I go back to again and again. Writing Down … Continue reading My Favorite Books About Writing
An Interview With Author Kari Bovee
Here's the interview I did with author Kari Bovee for Copperfield. Kari is the author of the historical novels Girl with a Gun, Peccadillo at the Palace, Folly at the Fair, and Shoot Like a Girl from Bosque Publishing. Meredith Allard: When and why did you begin writing, and did you always write historical fiction? Kari Bovee: I’ve journaled and written stories for as … Continue reading An Interview With Author Kari Bovee
Who Was the Woman of Stones?
For a while, I justified my lack of productivity during these odd times by saying that nearly every writer I know has said that he or she has been having trouble concentrating. I decided that well, things are just too weird right now and it's interfering with the creative process. Then I read that Zadie … Continue reading Who Was the Woman of Stones?
Ideas For Researching Historical Fiction
My Process For Research Has Changed How I research historical fiction has changed a lot over the years. When I first started researching historical fiction I would check as many books about my chosen era as I could carry from the library, take meticulous notes, color code my notes with highlighters (blue for information about … Continue reading Ideas For Researching Historical Fiction
Down Salem Way is Five Days Away
The publication of Down Salem Way is just five days away. I’m in that nostalgic mood that always comes for me at the end of a project, especially a years-long project like this. I’m feeling even more shattered than usual since writing this story has been such an emotional roller coaster. Writing Down Salem Way … Continue reading Down Salem Way is Five Days Away