

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...