I Lost it All

I lost everything. Well, maybe not everything, but it sure felt like it. I had two folders on my computer desktop with several files of notes and plot outlines of my 6 book… Continue reading →

2020 Goals

I’m a goal setter. When I don’t have a goal in mind, I become disorientated. Unfortunately, some goals take longer than others. That’s not a free tick to quit. It means goals need… Continue reading →

Minnesota Weather Inspired My Novel

Where do authors get their ideas? Does a great master author hand them an idea on a silver platter? Is there a crystal ball they can consult? Do ideas come in a dream… Continue reading →

Clever Storytelling

In Airborn, Kenneth Oppel introduces the ship Aurora in one little surprise at a time. He begins the story with the hero, Matt Cruse, in the crow’s nest. I imagine Matt in a… Continue reading →

Creating Plot Around a Good Fictional Lie

Lies are not good. The Bible says: Thou shalt not lie. Good advice. Yet every one tells them. “Your new hair cut is original.” “That new color in your living room … it’s… Continue reading →

Should You Publish or Self-Publish?

Kerri Miller of the morning show, Daily Circuit, on Minnesota Public Radio is a lover of books and an avid reader. Kerri often interviews authors about life, writing and their latest publication. Here… Continue reading →

Mystery of a Novel

There will be spoilers about the TV series Revolution in this blog posting. J.J. Abrams is devious and not to be trusted. He leads you to believe something is true when in fact… Continue reading →

The Psychology of Characters

Fiction writers: storytellers, screenplay writers and novelists are the world’s greatest psychologists. They know how to break a character, destroy their self-confidence, and/or turn them evil. They also know how to undo that… Continue reading →

What is a Character?

Rick Hoffman plays junior partner Louis Litt at Pearson Hardman Law Firm in New York City, in the TV series Suits. Rick Hoffman does a great job of acting, but Lewis Litt is… Continue reading →

Details of Character

There are no small details in writing fiction; they just have different purposes. Some details move the plot line in a novel, like having a gun in a desk drawer. You show the… Continue reading →