I’ve written the last scene. It’s over. Lyra has completed her journey, finished her quest. There’s only a small, tiny, itty-bitty, little problem that is stopping me from celebrating: I haven’t actually written anything in between the opening and the … Continue reading →

For both my YA novels, I have in mind strong, female protagonists. Think Katniss from The Hunger Games or Tris, from Divergent, or, more recently, Laia from An Ember in the Ashes. Both Lyra (Phoenix Cell Savior) and Evangeline (On the Side of Angels) will struggle, will fight, … Continue reading →

Yay! I’m back at it! The actual writing part–not the thinking-through-what-my-character-wants-and why-it matters part. Only this time, as you know, I’m taking a more strategic approach. Before, when I had a good idea for a book or story, I’d start … Continue reading →

Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot if difference. They don’t have to makes speeches. Just believing is usually enough. –Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft So I may say that … Continue reading →

Ok, here goes. Deep breath. I’ve killed off Lyra, my immortal, can-never-die-because-of-her-phoenix-cells heroine. I don’t mean Lyra dies at the end of the novel. I mean there is no more novel in which this Lyra appears. I mean I am throwing out every … Continue reading →

I have yet to write a single word of my angel novel. Not the first sentence nor the last. Not the 500,000+ words over three years and umpteen drafts that I’ve written so far on my Lyra book. And still I’ve gotten … Continue reading →

            Just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep writing… 🙂      

What does Lyra want? Jennie, my book coach, asked me. Ah, I got this. Killing the bad guy. That’s external, Jennie said. What are her internal desires? Umm… I don’t know? But it sounds like I’m supposed to know? Jennie assured me (no doubt … Continue reading →