2021 Wrap Up

Every year I do a quick summary of what I've accomplished in my writing career and sometimes what I've accomplished in life. It's a great way to look back and realize I actually *have* been pretty busy, no, I *wasn't* slacking as much as I thought, and hey, this year wasn't so bad. (Covid and [...]

Identity

One of the biggest rules in writing stories of any length is "write what you know." That's not to say I know anything about real magic, or talismans, or chaos. I mean, really, who really does? (Well, okay, I know a *little* about chaos these days.) But the bigger takeaway from this rule is generally [...]

How to Make Lemonade

The day after husband's oncologist used the 'C' word at his 4-year followup visit, he got up early to go fishing. (A common occurrence in our household, as our friends and acquaintances know well.) When he returned, he was mumbling to himself as he walked in the front door, but I caught only the tail [...]

Try

Have you ever wanted something in your life so badly you can't imagine living without it? Have you ever felt that if someone just gave you a chance, you know you could succeed? This? Is every writer I know. Every dreamer. We write, we create. We make real our fantasy worlds, give breath to characters [...]

The Cold Hard Truth

In a recent post, I wrote about critiquing others' works and getting feedback on my own work. In the last few days, I've been talking online with fellow querying writers, writers whose works I critiqued years ago, writers in my critique group, and writers whose work I continue to critique. And all of this has [...]

2019 Wrap Up

Welcome to December! I should be working on my WIP right now instead of tallying up numbers from this year, but what is a writer if not a procrastinator, right? So I bring you my 2019 writing stats. People often ask me how long it takes to get a book written and what a writer [...]

If I’m Dreaming, Don’t Wake Me Up

So a little thing happened today. A Thousand Years to Wait was listed as an Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Fantasy category of the 2019 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest! Someone pinch me.

The Release Day Plan

So what does one do on the day their very first book launches into the universe? Here's a list so you can see how incredibly *unusual* today really is. In order, I... Got kids up and ready for school. Picked up extra kid to take to school. Did the social media thing. Picked up older [...]

Supporting Authors

***This post brought to you by: Anything to Procrastinate Opening my WIP*** With a book set to release in just over a week, I’ve fielded a lot of questions from friends and family, mostly along the lines of “How can we help?” or “What can we do?” These are fantastic questions to ask any first-time [...]

Who’s Who? Volume IV

Twitter is a blessing and a curse in one, but following the right people makes all the difference. Here’s a list of some of my favorites to follow. Get them on your list, too! Maria Stout (@MariaStout) - I’m a writer, so I really enjoy following other writers, especially upbeat ones who give their all, [...]