I adore the holiday season. I love the twinkle of lights, stockings hung by the fireplace, the nip in the air (even in Birmingham,...

Yes, I’m one of the (semi) crazy ones. This year, over-committed and over-caffeinated, I joined hundreds of thousands of...

I’m often asked how I created the storyline for my latest suspense novel, The World Breaks Everyone. I’m a huge fan of psychological...

My 13-year-old son loves Stranger Things. He sits on the sofa, rapt, as the music starts and the action begins. He can’t wait for season...

I’ll admit it. I’m an impatient writer. When I’ve finished the first draft of a book, I can’t wait to get it out into the world. I want...

I’ve just finished the first draft of my latest domestic suspense manuscript, and I’ll confess that getting to the end of those final few...

This is the third part of three in my series of Do’s and Don’ts for New Authors. I’ve covered Work-Life Balance (Part 1) and Marketing...

Happy Wednesday! Last week, I talked about tips for achieving a good “Work-Life Balance.” This week’s topic is Marketing. The...

A few weeks back, I served on a writer panel in Dallas with three wonderful and smart authors — Kristy Cambron, Katherine Reay, and Mary...

Every author wants to create a hero or heroine that’s believable, likeable, and relatable. But it’s even better if you can dream up a...

When I first began writing, several authors generously shared their unwritten rules for forging a successful career. They unanimously...

A lot of people tell me that they’ve always wanted to write a novel. They have an idea, a synopsis, an elevator pitch, and interesting...

There is a belief among writers that, every day, authors must put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard and reach a certain word count....

A few years ago, fellow author Eileen Flanagan penned a fabulous article that I’ve kept bookmarked on my laptop. It’s sound, thoughtful,...

Writing is a very solitary profession. The glamour to work ratio is relatively low, though every six to nine months, there is the thrill...

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” – Stephen King It’s hard to ignore the...

Defining Brand & Platform Can Be Confusing! There are quite a few abbreviations and terms tossed around in the publishing business,...

One of my favorite books about writing craft contains a quote that really resonates with me. In On Writing, Stephen King offers this sage...

I’m frequently asked at talks or conferences how best to promote a novel. Promoting, in my opinion, is different than selling. If done...

Last Saturday, we talked about the best way to handle edits once you have: 1. Finished your first draft 2. Taken a 4-6 week break from...