About: Writing What You Know, Part 2 – The End

On the other hand, the suspense plot on The Book of Hours revolves entirely upon Gabriela’s recreation of a medieval manuscript. After catching a glimpse of her work, an unscrupulous arts dealer, Arnold Wickeham, becomes obsessed. He would do anything, ANYTHING, to get his hands on Gabriela’s work before it goes live at the children’s … Read more

MY ARTICLE ON SETTING

I am extremely proud that the webzine, GoIndieNow, has published my article on setting. So, so excited!! Please stop by and check it out. Below is the link to the piece. Enjoy!! https://goindienow.com/home/on-setting?fbclid=IwAR2sceuOtJ5uTA3C7krAvMEjmZ6Qk8ztwzMO5nCaukQ5XWfn6UhnoqEcWM8

About: Write What You Know, Part 1

I’m a medievalist. I think I have been since I was six years old, when my sister and I rummaged through our parents’ library to study and read the illustrated books gracing most of the bookshelves. You see, my mother and father were ballet dancers and choreographers. For inspiration, they not only based their works … Read more

How can a Japanese poem help your writing?

It’s HAIKU time! Now, you wonder, why on earth would I say that? Because, as a writer, there is no better way to hone your craft, especially if you want your narrative strong, tight, and not superfluous. A Haiku, for those of you who don’t know, is a Japanese form of poetry. It has seventeen … Read more

Halloween Treats Just For You

Hello, my dear readers. Happy Halloween. I have a chilling read for you all. A short story called Retribution Served. Enjoy!     https://claims.prolificworks.com/free/MmVSf     How about chocs, Kindle and ebooks   👻👻Halloween All-Romance Giveaway Oct 11-31👻👻 https://bookwrapt.com/halloween-romance-giveaway/ Who doesn’t love Halloween? Scares from ghosts and winds rattling branches, and urban legends abound, the perfect excuse to … Read more

Two Awards!

Hello, everyone. I am very pleased and honored to announce that my two works, The Fish Tank: And Other Short Stories AND The Coin, have received the Silver Medal and Bronze Medal at the Readers’ Favorite 2018 Book Awards.  I am so, so thrilled about this (and also stunned), and can’t tell you what this … Read more

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW — A SHORT EXAMPLE

The advice you hear out there as a beginning author is, “write what you know,” as well as, “write something you’d like to read yourself.” That advice is sometimes easier said than done, especially if both statements are in opposition to each other. For example, I may like reading about a Chinese family and how … Read more

UPDATE ON THE “COCKINESS” OF IT ALL

From The Fussy Librarian newsletter – an update on the trademark case. Smart judge. https://www.thefussylibrarian.com/newswire/for-authors/2018/06/01/judge-denies-injunction-request-in-cocky-trademark-dispute?mc_cid=c7dae0136e&mc_eid=6fa3ea2b5d SaveSave

A BIT ABOUT SETTING

Setting, in thrillers like The Coin, can be a powerful tool. Since I was living in an area where the landscape could create a serious conflict to the already threatened main characters, I used it to enhance the car chase scene in the beginning of the novel, and throughout another climactic scene. The photo will … Read more

CAN FINDING A COIN GET YOU KILLED?

This is what began the mayhem in poor Gabriela’s life. (The Coin: suspense, set in the French Riviera) “He reached into his pocket and retrieved a ten franc 1945 French coin, no longer in circulation. His fingers lovingly caressed the etched image of Napoleon, and thought that his only regret was not finding the coins, … Read more