Today's fun Friday photo is actually a video provided courtesy of author Bianca Marais. I shamelessly asked to borrow this video of her dog Muggle and cat Wombat (great names) after seeing it on Instagram. Watch the short video and you'll see why. Those two are precious, and the look on the dog's face is … Continue reading Fun Friday Photo: Muggle & Wombat
Does the world need a list of "the best, ultimately uplifting stories about sexual abuse and harassment"? I think so, and so does Book DNA (formerly Shepherd.com), the newest kid on the bookworm's block. I was invited by the creators of Shepherd, a new reading resource for book-lovers, to submit a list of good reads … Continue reading The Best, Ultimately Uplifting Stories About Sexual Abuse and Harassment
I recently put together a Reading Guide for a local Book Club whose members were reading my novel Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. Compiling a list of the questions that were floating around in my mind when I wrote the book, plus the ones that actually drove the manuscript, was a lot of fun. Even more … Continue reading Free Reading Guide for Book Clubs
Yes, I'm saying Happy Birthday to imaginary characters. If Keene, NH can hold a birthday party for Harry Potter, then I can do this. 🙂 I can't believe that as of Sunday, Sept. 26th, it will have been two years since the novel one reviewer called "an insightful and compelling tale showing the strength of … Continue reading Happy Birthday to Shelby & Astrid
Saying I've been absorbed in my work-in-progress would be an understatement considering I only this week caught up with The Audiobook Review's post on Horseshoes and Hand Grenades! Their thorough review of the audiobook version of my novel was posted in February. (The audiobook was released in January 2021.) Nothing is more fulfilling than having … Continue reading Audiobook Review: Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Let me clarify: I don't hate Women's Fiction itself. In fact, my most recently published novel, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, can be classified as Women's Fiction. I hate the term "Women's Fiction". Jodi Picoult - Master of Women's Fiction or just Master of Fiction? I don't understand why we need a genre of literature called … Continue reading Why I Hate “Women’s Fiction”
I recently read The Gargoyle (Anchor Books, 2009) and am compelled to share one of author Andrew Davidson's character descriptions--one so amazing I had to re-read it right then and there, and immediately deemed it The Best Character Description Ever. Authors often struggle to find new and interesting ways to portray their characters as there … Continue reading The Best Character Description Ever
Happy Earth Day! I try to be optimistic about humankind's ability to turn around this climate crisis, and today's announcement out of Washington is encouraging. But let's be honest, we are in a crisis. Just ask the polar bears. Still, let's take today to celebrate the increasing global consciousness about the situation. Despite the bickering … Continue reading Earth Day, the Environment & Books
I don't exactly have audiobooks coming out of my ears (see what I did there), but I do have 7 free copies of the audiobook version of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades left over from the launch. So I'm giving them away to seven lucky readers/listeners. The audiobook retails for $19.95 USD. If you're not familiar … Continue reading Audiobook Giveaway
William Shakespeare and heavy metal musician John Corabi of Mötley Crüe inspire today's post. Yep, you read that right. One of the most often quoted passages from Shakespeare is this sentiment posed by Juliet in Romeo and Juliet: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as … Continue reading What’s In A Name? Or a Book Title?