Author L.E. Perez gave a good talk on fight scenes at the Florida Writers Association 2017 Conference . Here are the tips I garnered. Any errors are due to my misinterpretation. Focus on character emotions. Defending yourself is not the same as being prepared to injure someone. PTSD happens to anyone who experiences a violent … Read more
Besides giving my own talk on “Book Promotion on a Budget” at the Florida Writers Association 2017 conference, I sat in on a couple of other presentations about book marketing. Here are some of the main points I gleaned. Any errors are due to my misinterpretation. If your book isn’t selling, you may need to: … Read more
Saturday morning at the Florida Writers Association annual conference found me starting off the workshops with a talk on “Book Promotion on a Budget.” Next I attended Penny Sansevieri’s presentation, “Help! My Book Isn’t Selling.” A buffet lunch followed with barbecue chicken and accompaniments. Awards were given to youth writers. After lunch, I had … Read more
This was my first time attending the Florida Writers Association annual conference. The theme was “What A Character.” I didn’t attend the Thursday all-day workshop with bestselling author David Morrell, but I did hear him speak later on. Instead, I checked into the hotel and went to faculty orientation followed by a general welcome for … Read more
I always thought I wasn’t clever enough to come up with good plot twists. Short story writers have the market on this writing technique. Especially in the mystery genre, short fiction often relies on an unexpected twist for its punchline at the end. So how can cozy writers come up with enough surprises to keep … Read more
When you wake up in the middle of the night after having a vivid dream or a great idea for your novel, do you scribble in a notepad or write yourself a note on your smart phone? I do the latter, so I don’t have to turn on the light. Invariably if I think I’ll … Read more
Research Insights – Liquid Latex Research for a novel can lead to all sorts of esoteric topics. For Facials Can Be Fatal, I came across the term liquid latex. I’d heard of latex gloves, and that people could be allergic to latex. My hairdresser sleuth would have to be careful what type of gloves she … Read more
Once you’ve written several books in your mystery series, it gets harder to come up with new and interesting material. The story has to engage your senses as a writer if you want to entice readers. You’ll want to avoid repetition such as means of murder and motives. And you need to vary the locales … Read more
Today is Release Day for Hair Brained (#14 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries)! Digital ISBN 13: 978-0-9970038-7-1 Print ISBN 13: 978-0-9970038-8-8 Published by Orange Grove Press Book Launch Party tonight at 7:00 – 8:30 pm EDT. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty/ Fun and Prizes! When hairstylist Marla Vail’s best friend is hurt in a suspicious … Read more
September is a bonanza month in Orlando for foodies like me. It’s Magical Dining Month at many of the area’s fancy restaurants, meaning you can get a three-course meal for $35 each. And it starts Disney’s annual Epcot Food and Wine Festival. For Magical Dining Month, we visited two restaurants that would have been pricey … Read more