This is how it started. Once upon a time, a few of us were whining on Twitter. “I don’t have any submissions out. I used to sub much more than I am now, but I’m tired/worn out/don’t have anything new/too busy reading Stilettos and Shirley Temples to sub.” (Yeah, so maybe I made that last excuse up. So what? It … Read More
Guest Post by Jeremy D. Brooks
Hi, everybody! Today we have a special guest post written by the fantastic Jeremy D. Brooks. He discusses self-publishing and also introduces us to his debut novel, Amity. Enjoy! * My name is Jeremy, and I’m a self-publisher. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who follows my blog, but I struggled with getting my debut novel “Amity” out … Read More
Something Humbling
I’ve been a blogger since 2005. I wasn’t blogging about the wonderful world of writing; I was writing about my son. He was diagnosed with a strange genetic syndrome and it very much felt like we were set adrift after that. Few had seen the syndrome before. We were alone. I started my blog at www.williamssyndrome.blogspot.com because I was standing atop my … Read More
WIP Wednesday: Writing (and migraine) Updates!
It’s been a while since I could look at WIP Wednesday without guilt. Usually I’m thinking, “Man, I’m so behind! I didn’t achieve anything,” blah blah blah. But today I’m completely satisfied. My goal is to have the Williams Syndrome project in the hands of my agent by Halloween. This gives me incentive to push and finish it, and it … Read More
Book Review: Cristyn West’s PLAIN JANE
Cristyn West’s PLAIN JANE broke my head, pure and simple. I was sucked in from the brisk, smartly written opening chapter and wasn’t released until the genuinely stunning conclusion. PLAIN JANE follows disturbed profiler Kent and his on-again, off-again romantic interest Nicole as they hunt down a particularly twisted serial killer. The relationship between the two main characters is equal … Read More
“Be Mysterious: Writers in Masks” Features Damien Walters Grintalis
During the week, Damien Walters Grintalis is a typical writer slouched in front of a laptop with a cup of coffee handy. Her favorite attire consists of yoga pants, a tank top, and flip flops, although the flip-flops often end up kicked off and discarded under her desk. On the weekends, however, she puts on a mask of waterproof mascara, … Read More
Something New and Shiny! 30 Questions
So I came across this very cool meme that is apparently going around LiveJournal. So I’m sorry if it’s old hat to you, but it’s new, magical, and wonderful to me. It’s the 30 Days of Writing Meme, and I stumbled across it while reading J. Koyanagi’s fantastic blog. The questions amaze me. I want to answer them. More than … Read More
I Broke My Brain. And Threats.
Hello, my name is Mercedes. (Hi, Mercedes!) And I struggle with migraines. I’ve been dealing with them for about twenty years now, with varying degrees of success. I’ve done it all: kept a migraine journal, (Yeah, if you want good reading, read a migraine journal), a trigger journal, a journal of my feelings about migraines. (THEY SUCK, YAAAAAH!) I’ve been … Read More
Book Review: Robert Duperre’s “The Fall”
I’ve gotta be honest. This book caught my interest at “Mayan”. A long-dormant threat awakens and is released from a Mayan temple. Those infected become irrationally violent and cannibalize anyone unfortunate enough to be nearby. What do you do when those you love succumb? Robert Duperre’s The Fall is a toothy, satisfying read written in an easy, loping style. I … Read More
Writing You On The Sly
Guess what? I’m actually posting this blog while in the middle of a writing contest! That’s right; I’m writing you surreptitiously! I am one of about 20 contestants participating in the Las Vegas Book Festival Flash Fiction Contest. We were given 90 minutes to write a story based on a Super Sekrit prompt that was given to us right when it was … Read More