It takes a lot of courage to stay motivated as an author, but if you love what you’re doing, it’s more fun than hard work. With the popularity and availability of self-publishing and e-publishing, many more writers have the opportunity to get their stories out there. There is more competition than ever before and fewer traditional publishers. … (continue)
These posts are from my Lady Killers column I write twice a month. To browse the posts from my blogging days, please visit The Wine Cellar in the archives.Writer’s block
A long time ago I read that perfectionism is the surest way to writer's block. What? That was my problem? Admittedly, I spend a lot of time taking two steps back and one step forward, rereading what I’d written, looking for the perfect way to write a sentence or for that perfect word. Insisting on a perfect first draft is really much slower than … (continue)
Protagonist and family issues
Ex-cop and crime analyst Cait Pepper thought life was good . . . until an unexpected inheritance from an aunt she’d never heard of. What did she know about growing grapes or running a Shakespeare festival? She had majored in English Lit in college but had taken a different path after graduation. It’s helpful when families are around to shed light … (continue)
Bending and breaking the rules
Life is full of rules. There are people who refuse to conform to the basic rules, whether it’s for power or just to draw attention. There are social rules, rules in the work place, and rules to being published. I don’t often bend rules in writing because I believe the people who set them know more than I do. I’m comfortable with rules. Years ago … (continue)
Who do you trust?
We all think we know what trust is—but do we? How do you know when to trust? Integrity or character of a person should tell you if they are trustworthy. I usually trust until proven otherwise. Once it’s lost, there is usually a Humpty Dumpty effect: hard to put it back together again. Usually the behaviors that created the distrust are … (continue)
