Month: March 2017

Print [to] Screen

Oooh what! The author Justice has inspired me to write a blog post in this style. Such fun to think of actors who could play the parts of characters. 🙂

AM Justice

I love movies and TV. In fact, I watch far, far more than I read these days. My readers also know I like to paint pictures in my prose, and I’d love to see this passage framed in film:

Vic started climbing again, her knees scraping against the stone. The rock was cool, smooth, almost clammy, but the handholds offered a solid grip. The darkness of the cleft soothed her eyes, but she forgot the throb in her temples when her head emerged into the light.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Bethniel sat cross-legged beside the opening; the captains lounged beyond.

The sinking sun blazed over a cacophony of arches and pinnacles towering above flat-topped mesas, ragged fissures, fluted ridges. Blue and gold, orange, purple, red, even pale green striped and swirled in intricate patterns toward distant blue peaks capped with white.

I’d also love to see my beloved characters brought to


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Authors: Don’t Rush; Revise

In order to put more time in writing, revising, and editing I need to step away from social media. 🙂 #amwriting

AM Justice

These days, every “how to succeed in as an author” blog you read advises you to release as many books as you can as quickly you can. All successful indie authors (that I know) have multiple books–or series–on the market, and several have parlayed their methodology into side businesses focused on telling other indie authors how to write, publish, and sell indie books–advice that boils down to, “write a lot of books and bring them to market fast.”

This strategy isn’t unique to indie authors. Many traditionally published authors, both famous and obscure, push work out quickly too, especially if they’re writing series. Being prolific works if you want to sell books, and if you can produce a page-turner in six months or less, you’re awesome.

But


An awful lot of authors can’t really produce a gripping story as a first draft, or a second. When they try, the work ends up being substandard, or not as good as it could have been


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Hey, Writers: Stop Your Freakin’ Whining

Just discovered this blog and the author’s writing style is enjoyable and the sometimes provocative subjects he takes on may cause thin-skinned writers to revert to blubbering cry babies or inspire them to write stronger, leaner, and maybe even meaner.

Larry Kahaner

Hey, Writers: Stop Your Freakin’ Whining

By Larry Kahaner

Most of my working life, I’ve been a non-fiction writer. I’ve penned over 15 books some with my name and some I’ve ghosted. I know a lot of non-fiction writers. They’re my friends and colleagues.

crazy-author-1 Don’t be like this writer.

When I decided to write a novel, USA, Inc., which was just published, (shameless plug) I started hobnobbing with fiction authors, some established but mostly newbies like me. In fact, I started this blog to help me move from non-fiction to fiction. I hope I’ve helped others do the same, because many non-fiction writing traits, habits and experience are transferable.

Right off the bat, though, I noticed that fiction writers are different than non-fiction writers — and not in a good way.

They are a bunch of whiney-babies.

They complain about money. They grumble about how the work is difficult


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Thank You Recent Moonstruck Purchasers!

My first middle-grade fiction novel was released about 10 days ago! 🙂 So far, I've had two purchases! 🙂 🙂 Whoever you are, I thank you much! I'd be honored if you wrote a review. On Monday, my proof copy arrived and I'm looking forward to writing the second book of the series, "Moondust". Much … Continue reading Thank You Recent Moonstruck Purchasers!

Crafting High Fantasy: Setting the Stage

That First Chapter Writing the first chapter is something I struggle with because I want those first sentences, that first paragraph, that first page to be absolutely fabulous. So, sometimes I'm afraid to write anything at first. I don't have a lot of time on my hands lately. My three sons, my husband, and my full-time job as … Continue reading Crafting High Fantasy: Setting the Stage

A Study in Fear

One of Shirley Jackson’s most famous quotes is, “I delight in what I fear.” Most people view fear as an undesirable feeling. After all, fear produces a rush of adrenaline and a rise in another hormone, epinephrine, which prepares the body for battle, (escape mode, or freezing in place) and increases muscle strength, blood pressure, … Continue reading A Study in Fear

The Degentrification of Urban Fantasy

Thanks for writing this post. I look forward to discovering more urban fantasy starting with these books. (I’m currently reading Older’s “Shadowshaper”.

Chronicles of Harriet

Originally posted by the author onFacebook.

The cosmic. The weird. The fantastic. The spiritual.
Whatever we call it, we all have a profound need to glimpse, experience, or at least believe in, some greater reality beyond our mundane existence.
That is why Urban Fantasy has become one of the most successful genres in modern publishing.
Urban Fantasy is unique in its willingness to see the stuff of horror – the familiar cast of vampires, were-creatures, zombies, demons and other monstrous entities – not simply as horrific and repellent, but also as darkly fascinating and appealing.
Vampires have always embodied the darker aspects of human sexuality, but in urban fantasy, those aspects are allowed full rein to express themselves. However, there is far more to Urban Fantasy than steamy encounters with glittery bloodsuckers.
Authors of African descent are taking Urban Fantasy by storm and, as author Daniel José Older

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