I’m grateful for much in my life, especially for those thorns that have caused me pain. The gratitude of gratification has carried me on its back. Friends, to distant ones, to those I’ve sworn to never speak to again, have imprinted my DNA, and when dissected, reveal threads knowing who I am and what I’m grateful for. Continue reading
Last week while looking though my window at the endless rain, my brain raced with ideas for my next 3 stories. I think the stillness of the room allowed thoughts to drift away from the saturation of recent NEWS HEADLINES. To be fair, I can’t blame the toxicity of what is trending into viewership obsession. I did need a break from marketing my present book, The Last Merry Go Round. It’s not that I don’t love the story—I do, and still feel I did the right thing by writing a not-your-normal-candy-romance-about marriage. The reviews so far indicate I was on to something. Continue reading
The journey, when writing a story, is a ticket with no expiration date—It takes as long as it takes.
There are many things I look at when thinking about my next story. One is the PLOT.
Are the characters compelling enough to evoke within the reader a range of emotions: from sadness to happiness, to anger, to sympathy. . . . remorse, guilt, understanding, anxiety, fear, disappointment, romance?
I believe the reason why my writing resonates is I cut to the chase and give believability to my characters. I feel the most memorable plots are ones when life traps characters between a rock and a hard place. Urgency is the time bomb—minutes and seconds wasted can change life’s course. Think of Casablanca, The Christmas Carol, It’s A Wonderful Life, or Saving Private Ryan. Each story has a do-or-die-plot. Continue reading
Writing is a job, a skill, a passion, and a journey. In all its hard work, there is nothing better than seeing the results, of what took a VERY long time laboring. Finding my path, and hitting the mark—it is tremendously rewarding receiving the praise of what I’ve written.
My novel, The Last Merry Go Round—takes a knife and skillfully slices off the skin of marriage—will be released before the end of 2019.
“The brief segment I found in the ‘Future Books’ section of your blog site already tells much about Diane, so poignantly depicted as ‘lost between the beginning and end’ of her husband’s sentences. I must say this is one of the best descriptions of suffocating repression I’ve ever read. I also came across the Toni Morrison quote you’ve clearly chosen to live by. You’re obviously flying with little or nothing weighing you down.”‘-Irene Kavanagh, Owner, Final Writes Editing & Writing Services
I dedicate this novel to all people trapped and lost somewhere between the beginning, middle, and end. Continue reading
As a writer, a real fear of oblivion is EDITING.
Looking at what you wrote, believed in, and sweated over… isn’t easy taking a red pen to slash words—written out of passion—to tell a phenomenal story.
What are some words of wisdom for the dreaded editing process? Continue reading
After a long time, an agent in London expressed interest in representing me. I can say from all the solitude, self-doubt, re-writes, and happiness to have completed The Last Merry Go Round two years ago—I’m numb. Continue reading
I ask myself this question all the time, especially when I don’t have the energy to write a single sentence, let alone fill up a whole page to finish my current project:
The Last Merry Go Round
One day, not too long ago, when I had the time and even the energy to sit at my computer and finish a well-written scene—a question kept bugging me. Why do I write? Do I write out of habit? Do I write to create a best seller? Do I write with the vision of a movie option for my book? The questions kept coming, but not the right answer. Continue reading
Fiction Writing emerges as my personal choice for many reasons. The most important one points to pure enjoyment.
A saying floating around forever (I wish I could remember its originator, but then, recalling the words seem more important): DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND THE MONEY Will FOLLOW. Now, I would not be 100% honest if I didn’t confess all the months of clicking away at my keyboard doesn’t spark a wish to sign a major book deal. But in reality—it may not happen, or as quickly as I want. I slap myself hard. Every known author was once unknown. Yet, this anguish (Many writers eat this ugly insecurity: My writing isn’t good enough . . . I’ll kill myself if I get another rejection letter) dogs me into believing all my efforts are in vain. Continue reading
As a writer I love to write fiction, and read it as well; my imagination soars when I begin typing. The best part of creating a story is making the characters realistic. I’m not so concerned with what’s in a room, but more of WHY a person is in the room. My technique of realism focuses on character-driven fiction, crafting a page turning story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. I draw on life’s coloring book of dreams, goals, conflicts, and challenges, leading to a resolution the reader can identify with and appreciate given the characters’ story. Note: I don’t believe in flat, happy-ever-after-endings. I do; however, trust endings bringing the characters full circle grasping and solving their dilemmas.
Watching British Television Dramas has been a pivotal classroom sparking my creativity. I believe the writing is intentional fearlessness. The storylines are three-dimensional plots giving the viewer a rollercoaster ride ending far too soon. My aspiration and personal goal is do the same with my own novels. I feel this is the same with the writers I’ve been networking with. Yeah, it’s the sales that count, but the story is the bigger fish.
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