

- Aug 17, 2018
The Extreme Active Voice
We readers prefer a narrative that flows in “active voice” sentences. We might not realize it, we might not even know what active voice...


- Feb 21, 2018
Reading as a Writer
With becoming a writer, I’ve had to learn all sorts of new coping skills: How to be humble after a good review. How to keep my ego above...


- Jun 16, 2017
Flow Good, Ebb Bad
Fictional writing should offer a rhythm, a pattern, and a sound. Together these elements create what’s needed for any decent narrative:...


- May 1, 2017
A Random Bit of Fate
My Knoxville writers’ group has been at it again with more flash fiction. This time we used Seventh Sanctum to give us individual...


- Mar 28, 2017
No Sense Worrying
On one of my earliest trips abroad, I happened to strike up a conversation with a fellow backpacker over expressos at some student café...


- Feb 24, 2017
Rage As a Cannibal
Rage is not anger. Don’t confuse the two. We can rant at a neighbor’s dog that won’t stop barking, we can snap at a significant other for...


- Jan 4, 2017
Human Aliens
While I write paranormal romance and urban fantasy, many members of my local writers group focus on science fiction. At a recent group...


- Nov 8, 2016
Romance Shmo-mance
While we women authors often include at least a touch of romance in our novels, it doesn’t mean women understand romance better than men...


- Sep 21, 2016
Women of a Certain Age
I got fed up. My favorite fiction to curl up with has usually been a variation of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Yet now after...


- Aug 9, 2016
A Flash in the Pan
“Flash Fiction” is a short—sometimes really short—form of storytelling. The number of words required in flash fiction differs from writer...