Conversations about books and dogs
Having just spent two days at a holiday arts and crafts show, I had plenty of time to chat with attendees. One observation from the event: many people wear their hobbies and interests on t-shirts that make for good conversation starters. For instance, I chatted with a woman who was wearing a “I love dogs […]
Chapter epilogues
Epilogues – those summaries at the end of the book – are intended to provide closure to the story or offer a glimpse into what happens after the main narrative ends. Readers of the On the Dakota Frontier series are familiar with some sort of “chapter ender” element in all the books. Proving Her Claim used […]
The tyranny of deadlines
I was ruled by deadlines throughout my professional career in advertising and marketing. Most of them were not self-imposed deadlines; rather, I had to finish my portion of the project in order for someone else to begin their contributions. Early in my career, I was a copywriter, writing scripts for television commercials. I had to […]
Naming characters: what I’ve learned
While writing my current novel, I realized I was re-using names for new characters. That’s confusing for readers. It’s also a violation of the Author Rule (I made that up), but it should be avoided. There are guidelines for naming characters. In a blog I wrote several years ago, naming characters, I referred to Writers’ […]
TikTok whiplash
I’ll admit I have dragged my feet regarding TikTok. Oh, I have an account thanks to the urging of certain millennial influencers who insist that BookTok is where I NEED to be. (You know who you are…) I’m not “fluent” in TikTok. I struggle to create engaging TikToks. But, given the speed at which TikTok […]
Christmas at Lone Tree Claim
Just like today, Christmas on the frontier of the 1860s was celebrated with homemade gifts for friends and family using the materials at hand to make those special gifts. In Lone Tree Claim, sheepherder Katie Rose Kelly learned how to weave using the wool from her sheep. Katie wrote about the Christmas gifts in her […]
Art has value
There is something magical about original art that AI can’t replicate. It’s the human touch that sparks emotions.
Editing is both an art and a science
Before I was a published author, I understood that copyediting is both an art and a science.
A new genre. Stretching my writing muscles.
But this story is written for younger audiences, probably for Middle Grade or Tween readers. Writing in a new genre has been challenging.