This post is about cover art, and specifically the way characters are portrayed in it. I want to say up front, I’m not being critical of my own covers. A cover is designed to make potential readers check out the book; once they do, it becomes the writer’s responsibility to keep them interested. It goes without saying that often the … Read More
Guest blog: Cyrus Webb on interviewing authors
I’ve been a guest on the Conversations online radio show twice, and both times have been a blast. Host Cyrus Webb interviews not only authors but musicians, sports figures, musicians and anyone he finds interesting. I asked him to write a bit about what makes a good guest, and how an author should prepare for a radio interview. *** Getting a … Read More
The Man (or Alien) in the Mirror
I was reading this blog by author Theodora Goss and came across this comment: “My parents’ generation was raised under communism, and still retains the assumption that literature is important to the extent that it adheres to literary realism.” Ms. Goss, like me, is a fantasy author. Her works include the novel, The Thorn and the Blossom, and the story collection, In the … Read More
Guest Blog: Michael Underwood on Influences
Michael Underwood’s debut novel, Geekomancy, has been called “modern, sleek and whip-smart” by Cassie Alexander, and Mari Macusi says it’s “fun, fresh and full of geek culture references that will have you LOLing to the very last page.” I met Michael at WisCon this year, and asked him to share his thoughts about influences and how they affect his writing. … Read More
The Curse of the Overwritten
I’ve been teaching a class for teen writers at the local library, and like any teaching job, the teacher gets as much out of it as the students. These kids are all there because they want to be, and they’ve proven through our first revision pass (my notes on their stories) that they can take editorial comments without freaking out. … Read More
The wacky comradeship of the Beats
“New York gets god-awful cold in the winter but there’s a feeling of wacky comradeship somewhere in some streets.”–Jack Kerouac I love reading about the Beat Generation. This is not the same, I hasten to add, as actually reading the work of the Beats, which can be hard going for someone used to more traditional forms of writing. But the … Read More
Guest blog: Alyxandra Harvey
Alyxandra Harvey is the author of numerous YA paranormal books, including the ongoing Drake Chronicles. Here she talks about some aspects of her chosen genre and how she relates to her fans. ***** First, an apology. I’m sorry if I’ve become homework. And I’m sorry if part of me finds that pretty freaking cool. I get many requests for help … Read More
5 Things Not to Say to a Writer’s Wife
I’ve written many times, on this and other blogs, about the challenges of being a full-time writer and stay-at-home parent. I’ve alluded to the difficulty of living with someone like me, but of course I can never truly know what it’s like. My wife, however, knows exactly what living with a writer is like, and in this post she talks … Read More
Twilight vs Harry Potter: Leaving Space
This was recently posted on the website Learn from my Fail: “I got into an argument with this at school. She was of the opinion that Twilight was better than Harry Potter. Her reasoning? Harry Potter’s characters had too much personality, while Twilight’s characters were blank and boring enough that she could put herself in their places.” Now, before you say … Read More
Guest blog: Deborah Blake on maladaptive intertia
Deborah Blake is the author of six nonfiction books and the paranormal romance Witch Ever Way You Can, as well as the excellent short story “Dead and (Mostly) Gone,” found in The Pagan Anthology of Short Fiction, along with my story, “Draw Down.” Deborah has been kind enough to write about a condition every author has, or will, experience. (And catch … Read More