What is a “crit partner”? Google the term, or the unabbreviated “critique partner” and you’ll see a confusing list of definitions, and places to find fellow writers eager to pair up with a crit partner. In my eyes, and those of the folks I most frequently work with, a crit partner is usually a two-way…
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Dear Lucky Agent
In search of: one cool, edgy, forward-thinking, motivated agent to help take my work from small indy houses to something bigger. How I’m planning to accomplish that goal: A crap ton of writing combined with insane levels of hard work and self promotion. Case in point: I’m participating in a really cool contest. Dear Lucky…
Read MorePitch Wars for Fun
Christopher Keelty posted this and it looked like fun, so… Figured I’d take a break from the mind-numbing and maddening task of revising my query letter for the umpteenth time, second (hundredth) guessing my synopsis, and scouring my manuscript for trash words, typos, and technical glitches. Want to know more normal stuff? Go here. Where…
Read MorePondering Pitch Wars…
I actually became aware of Pitch Wars two years ago. The first year, I realized it was going on after the submission period had ended. Last year, I didn’t have anything anywhere near ready to go. This year, I have two possible pieces. Insert happy dance here. So, I reviewed the list of mentors. Every. Single. One.…
Read MoreCondom conundrum… writing about sex
Here’s a huge shocker, my book contains some sex scenes. I know, big surprise, right? And I’m currently editing another book that contains (gasp!) sex scenes. No, these aren’t erotic fiction, though I’ve been known on occasion to write erotica (and have even gotten paid to do it). These are standard fiction stories. Not even…
Read MoreDear Anonymous Posters…piss off
I participate in several different forums – mostly geared to writers. It’s a way to expand my social network, to brain storm, bounce ideas off other creative types, get and give advice about the whole writing process, or find answers to questions that Google can’t answer. It’s also an exercise in restraining myself from typing…
Read MoreTales from my desk…
Or: where does the time go? And where in the heck are my glasses, I know they’re here somewhere. At this moment, I am incredibly grateful that I was able to stop working outside the home and go strictly freelance. Because I really don’t know if I’d be staying sane through this process otherwise! In…
Read MoreAfter the Harvest…
Scheduled for release in print and digital formats April 2015 from Damnation Books! Twenty-five years ago, Patty and Bobby drove across country to visit his family for the holidays, but they got lost in rural Texas. When their car breaks down near an old, abandoned gas station, they decide to stay for the night and…
Read MoreWaking a sleeping dragon…
Many, many years ago on a cross-country trip with a friend, there were some interesting adventures. Some good, some not so good, but looking back, it’s easier to just say they were adventures. Years later I wrote a humorously creepy blog post based on one of those adventures. That particular post got a lot of attention.…
Read MoreThe answer to life, the universe and everything, including why I write…
42… I just had to get that one out of the way. And now, on we go. I looked at the writing challenge for this week and after a few moments of furious debate with myself decided to give it a giant pass. Well, sort of a giant pass. It got me thinking, really. I…
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