Coconut Grove – Exploring Miami

Title image: View of Biscayne Bay from the fifth-floor restaurant/bar of the Mr. C hotel, Coconut Grove, looking east. In the distance is Key Biscayne. I am loving being in Miami for the academic year and teaching at Florida International University. After spending two weeks in Brickell, I decided to… read more

Hotness: It’s Currently a Thing

Hotness. It’s currently a thing in romance novels. Has been for a while. So what I’m saying here isn’t new. It’s rather that the story I’m reading at the moment has prompted some thinking. Hotness: No Escalation I’m talking about stories that start: Boom. First page. Sometimes the first paragraph…. read more

Character Goals: Define Them, Show Them

As a pantser (meaning: I write by the seat of my pants), I like to discover my characters as I write. I love to get them up and running and interacting. Hearing their thoughts, listening to their dialogues. That’s great … for a first draft. However, the revision process requires… read more

Character Motivation v. Goals v. Obstacles

One of the most basic aspects of any story is character motivation. In any given scene. Throughout the story. Character Motivation Character motivation is based on needs. The title image offers the possibilities. Psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed this five-tier pyramid in 1943 in a paper entitled “A Theory of Human… read more

Brickell – Welcome to Miami!

My first week of teaching at Florida International University just ended. Now to explore my Miami neighborhood: Brickell. I chose to hang out here for a couple of weeks. You know, fancy Miami. While I find a more permanent place to live for the semester. I had expected a more… read more

FIU: Florida International University – My First Day

My around-the-world trip is over, but the adventures continue. Yesterday I began teaching at Florida International University – known as FIU – in Miami. My first course was “Language and Cultures of the World.” The students were bright and interested, and I was delighted to be back in the classroom… read more

Love In The City – A New York City Trilogy

My Love in the City trilogy is now available on your preferred e-book platforms. The trilogy contains two previously published books: DeMarco’s Cafe and Love After All. The third one, The Hard Bargain, is new. Love in the City: The Hard Bargain Carla Pereira is an actress who needs a… read more