Your Writing Life: The Dream You want a writing life. You dream of a writing life. I know the dream, because I have it, too. It’s the one where you’re at your desk in your home office. With an ocean view, of course. And it’s where you’ve penned any number... read more
Writing is an aerobic activity. To be in writing shape you have to write. You don’t decide to run a 10K then tie on a pair of running shoes and expect to make it to the finish line. You have to train for it. Creativity is a muscle. You have... read more
I chose the title image for this blog on novels from one of the most famous movies of all time. I modeled my title on the rhythm and exclamation of one of its most famous lines. We writers derive inspiration from all sorts of places, including the visual arts. It’s entirely normal... read more
My short answer to the question: “Where do you find writing inspiration?” is: Everywhere. In other words I don’t think of writing inspiration in terms beautiful sunsets or waves lapping the shore. However, since the evening sky and the beach are included in “Everywhere” then, sure, they count as places... read more
Romance conventions are the story lines, situations and characters that make a romance a romance. They are also sometimes called tropes or commonplaces. They are salient enough for Jenn Northington of Book Riot to make the Romance Bingo card in the title image. Any version of the hero’s journey – a... read more
Fiction Writing as a Way of Life was an event sponsored by the Blackburn Series at Duke University on Wednesday, November 7. It featured Maria Kuznetsova and Lucy Corin who are left and right, respectively, in the title image. I love the title of the event: Fiction Writing as a... read more
Main characters are the prime movers of your story. Their goals and motivations fuel the plot. Secondary characters are there to provide support for the main action, to generate a subplot, and/or to help develop thematic material. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy are the main characters. The... read more
Halloween romances are a more vexed sub-genre than I would have thought. However, after reading a bunch this week, I now know they have two big problems to surmount. First, effective titles are restricted by a limited number of holiday-related words such as trick and treat – and if you... read more
Title image: Left: Karen Finley book cover of Shock Treatment (2015); Right: Image from the performance “Don’t Hang the Angel” (1985) Yesterday (Thursday, October 25) Karen Finley gave a heart-felt and eye-opening presentation at Duke University in the course “Performance Art: History and Theory” taught by Professor of Art and... read more
How does this one go? Let’s see …. High-powered divorce lawyer who doesn’t believe in love meets master carpenter who moonlights as a romance writer, sparks fly …. No, this post isn’t about meet-cute scenarios. It’s about a romance novelist who is also a lawyer. In real life. Seven of... read more
