From fact to feeling: Adding emotional tension

In fiction, one truth prevails: emotional tension turns pages. A beautifully executed and thoroughly researched story comes across as ho-hum and put-down-able if the characters do not share authentic feelings with the reader, regardless of whether those feelings are fear, love, or rage. Conversely, a loosely plotted, implausible story can be absorbed enthusiastically in a number of hours […]

Author Interview: Lisette Brodey & her multi-genre adventures

If you’ve spent much time mingling with indie writers on Twitter, you’ve likely crossed paths with my good friend Lisette Brodey, author of six novels. She been an inspiration to many of us on our writing journey. Lisette has a huge circle of reader and writer friends who she cheers on, educates, and promotes. Lisette has lived a […]

Cover Reveal! Book 4 of Between Series is HERE!

At last! The awaited cover reveal of the much-anticipated fourth book in Cyndi Tefft’s BETWEEN series has arrived! Sacrifice of Greatest Price will soon be in our hot little hands. (Well hello again, Mr. MacRae;) Until then, have a peek at this teaser and follow Cyndi for word on the book’s release date. Enjoy! Three […]

One Last Song – A New Book by Author S.K. Falls

I think it’s inspiring and admirable that, in the course of writing and publishing her own books, she committed her time, experience and wisdom to an unpublished author. I am so thankful to her.

Boiling Down Story – Creating a Pitch

As a competing mentee in this year’s Pitch Wars, I’ve been working on formulating a pitch. It would seem that, having dreamed up, outlined, and written an entire novel (and I won’t even go into the number of revisions I’ve done) that I should be able to write a sentence or two about what the novel […]

Is a Writer’s Retreat for you?

When was the last time you walked through a meadow? Not a cut-lawn city park expanse, or your own back yard just before mowing, but an honest-to-goodness meadow? Last weekend I attended an intimate writer’s retreat at Prue’s House at Hilltop Park on Bainbridge Island, WA, led by author Margaret Nevinski. The drive up wound […]

Character Outline: Portraying Realistic Teenager Fears

Here are Jude Bijou’s seven highly effective techniques to help writers identify fear-causing triggers for students and aggravate those fears to cause serious anxiety before the final act–and how to help your protagonist let go of those fears, and arc into a realized theme goal.