“Gustavo,” Javier yelled, scanning the woods. “Where are you?” His younger brother had insisted on playing hide and seek this time, and, of course, Gustavo’s coat was forest green. Perfect for hiding. “Are you lost?” a brittle voice asked. Javier spun, fists ready for a fight. An old woman with Read more
You have a finished book, and you’re ready to pitch it to agents or publish it yourself. Congrats! But before you do that, you may need to think about finances and how you want to get paid. You can sell it yourself, but that opens you up to possible lawsuits Read more
This is the full version of the story. If you would like to read the shorter version that won 1st place in a local writing competition, click here and scroll to the bottom of the post. Despite what you’ve heard, I don’t enjoy preying on the young and hopeful. But Read more
I’ve heard it said several times by professionals that the final draft of your book should be at least 10% shorter than your first draft. This happens because you cut out the excess—both in scenes and in words. It may seem daunting, but, in my experience, it’s more tedious than Read more
When I decided to become an author, I took the warnings very seriously. I would get thousands of rejection letters. It would take years to find an agent willing to take my first book. Publishing one book didn’t mean I would be a successful full-time writer. When I had several Read more
This month brings a new trail marker in my author journey. As writers, we need to set goals to achieve on our way, or we may feel like we are going nowhere. It takes time and dedication, and maybe a little luck, to make it in this field. Learning to Read more
How do you know you’ve made it as a writer? Maybe when you’ve written a whole book. When you have an agent. Or when someone you don’t personally know reads and likes your book. It could be when you see your book in Barnes & Noble. The list goes on Read more
I had two choices, and neither guaranteed my safety. Crouching beside a tree, I let the crickets’ song ease my nerves. I knew taking the stone pathway to the river would leave me with no immediate cover, but the other option was a route through the woods where I might Read more