Thanks so much to David Fernandez for nominating my blog for the Shine On Award. David discusses writing, sports, movies, and more at his entertaining site, so stop by for a visit. Thank you, David, for the nomination. It’s always nice to know people are reading my posts! The Shine On Award The Shine On Award … Read more
Plotting your story can’t take place until you have an idea of issues you want to explore, setting, and character. Before you take pen to paper, you engage in the stage of Discovery. What does this mean? Normally when planning a mystery, I start with the victim. Once the dead guy makes himself known, I … Read more
How can you drop hints for a sequel in your current story, not only to let readers know more books are coming but also to whet their appetite for the next installment? You can (1) title your book as part of a series, (2) include a teaser for the next book after the last chapter, … Read more
Observing a place with a writer’s eye is totally different than going as a tourist. In the latter capacity, you notice the bigger picture. For example, while on a movie studio tour, you might be hunting celebrities or be excited about seeing the costume department. But do you notice the trash bin labeled with a … Read more
Have you ever thought about writing a military hero into your story? If so, be sure to get your facts and lingo straight. At a recent Florida Romance Writers meeting, we had the good fortune to have as guest speaker a Navy Captain and the brother of one of our members. Let’s call him Captain … Read more
Recently I read through a bunch of novels to judge for the RITA contest sponsored by Romance Writers of America. Out of the 7 books sent me, I truly liked only one. That’s not to say I didn’t attempt to be fair and to objectively evaluate the others according to the supplied criteria. But only … Read more
At a recent meeting of MWA Florida, we heard a CSI investigator from North Miami PD speak about her experiences. “Our day begins when yours ends,” she quipped. A beautiful woman who is married with five children, she could be a TV star of her own show. She proceeded to differentiate what’s real and what … Read more
When you finish reading a book, do you write a brief review and post it online? If your answer is negative, why not? Do you feel you have nothing to say? Are you afraid your opinion won’t count? Is it too much bother? Reader reviews count a great deal to potential book buyers. When you’re … Read more
St. John’s, Antigua Nov. 8, 2012, Vision of the Seas We took the ship’s tour AN48 Antiguan Experience. Antigua is a dry island compared to Dominica, where it actually rained in the rainforest and the shrubbery is lush with tropical foliage. Here cactus grows and the hills are lower although they still offer scenic views. … Read more
Roseau, Dominica Nov. 7, 2012, Vision of the Seas We did the Royal Caribbean ship’s excursion RO32 called Cooking Caribbean, Rum, and Nature. An air-conditioned van drove us through a poor section of town with ramshackle buildings to a mountain road. We drove up a steep, winding incline. It was a bumpy ride where we … Read more