ANATOMY OF A BOOK COVER

by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra Many people believe that when writers launch a book, it is the end of any future authorial involvement, especially in the case of book covers. Nothing could be further from the truth. So, why does an author change a cover? There are as many reasons as to answers to that question. … Read more

MY DETECTIVE LARSON — WINNER!!

Wonderful readers! I have to share this with you. So excited!!! My novel, Hanging Softly in the Night, has won at Readers’ Favorite 2021 Book Awards!! It now has a beautiful green medal to celebrate an honorable mention. I am so grateful. The novel, my first stint at the detective genre, has been getting awesome … Read more

SMOOTH OR CHUNKY?

Hi, wonderful readers. I hope you are enjoying the last vestiges of summer. I am, although I’ve had to get used to high humidity days once more. I thought of doing something different. For those of you who don’t know, I love languages. I always love where a word originated, how every language borrows from … Read more

AWESOME BOOKLIFE EDITIORIAL REVIEW!!!

I am super stoked!! Received this just today, after an excellent book signing trip to Deadwood, SD. Will be posting about the trip later. But THIS!!! OMG!   Title: Hanging Softly in the Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel Author: Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Thriller Audience: Adult Word Count: 100000 Assessment: Plot: Alonso-Sierra’s high-speed plot … Read more

POSTCARD FROM THE PAST

Talk about a throwback Thursday! This goes to show how long I have been at the creative writing business. Below is a picture of a postcard I sent to my friend Rita in Spain. It dates back to 1974 and shows that I entered a novella in a writing contest sponsored by the English Department … Read more