They say the test of literary power is whether a man can write an inscription. I say, ‘Can he name a kitten?’ ~Samuel Butler Have you had the pleasure of naming some kittens? Maybe a dog? Or best of all, a sweet new baby in your arms? With those babies, you have months to debate the perfect name and get …
A Character Study
I’m working on a new book. That means a whole new cast of characters. Last week I wanted to get to know the man who will be my main male character. The one thing I know about him is that he is an artist. Well, I know some other things too but not everything. For some reason, I started writing …
A New Book Means a New First Line
A first line of a story is the baited hook an author hopes will catch a reader’s interest so they will want to read the second line and on and on until the last line on the last page. Some readers will check out that first line before they decide if the book is one they want to read. I’ve …
The Gifted
The Gifted was released today, July 1. That makes today a good day. July 1 is also my deadline for the book I’m currently writing. That makes today a pressure filled day. July 1 is also my granddaughter’s birthday. That makes it a joyful day. Tonight, still July 1, was also a really hard night for me with Mom, so …
Titles, Titles, and More Titles
Inspiration can appear in many places when you’re brainstorming ideas for titles. The beautiful, fragrant lilac was my inspiration for the title of my first Hollyhill book. The Scent of Lilacs. Almost until it was ready to go into print production, I had the title The Smell of Lilacs. Then I was standing behind the old bus my husband’s quartet …
The Best Gift
My daughter and her dog, Sumo “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” (Harvey MacKay) Time – sometimes it seems there’s never enough time to get everything we need to do done. That’s …