The Backtrack List
Since my novels usually involve twists and turns, readers often ask me if I think all those plot points in advance. The answer is: I wish. What usually happens is that, despite my carefully plotted outlines, new ideas come to me once I really get into the writing. Sometimes it feels as though the characters are…
Read MoreSneak Peek of Summer's Child's Cover
It’s very early–the reissue of Summer’s Child won’t be out until April 2010–but I can’t resist sharing the cover that’s in the works. I love it and hope you all do, too.
Read MoreLady Alice is Quite a Lady Alice
When I work on a manuscript, I take shortcuts. For example, one of my characters in my work-in-progress is named Rebecca, so I have my Word software set so that when I type “reb”, it actually types Rebecca. The same with my character Dorothea. I type “doro” and Word types Dorothea. (On a side note: my…
Read MoreRevising Fiction and the Challenge of Alternating Points of View
How would you like to face this mess every day? I’m in the revision process (on a page like this, the “rewriting process” is a more accurate term.) Every day, I go through a few chapters and scribble all over them, as you can see here. Then I start typing the changes into the document.…
Read MoreVacations, Beach Books, and a Summertime Contest
I love having a new book out in time for summer! My readers and friends have been sending me pictures of themselves reading my books on the beach, and nothing could make me happier. I write for many reasons (I don’t think I could stop, for one), but my primary reason is to entertain, so I…
Read MoreOne of My Favorite Authors, Emilie Richards
I miss Emilie! When I lived in Virginia, we got together regularly to talk and laugh, eat wonderful food (which Emilie usually made; she’s an amazing cook), and most importantly, brainstorm our works-in-progress. We knew each other’s books almost as well as we did our own. I left Virginia for North Carolina four years ago,…
Read MoreMy Panicky, Enlightening, Educational, & Gustatorial Trip to Wilmington
The past few days are nothing but a blur, though a very nice blur–even if I did start out in a bit of a panic. John and I arrived in Wilmington, North Carolina Wednesday afternoon. We went out to dinner on the river, which was lovely (broiled grouper), but I was already getting anxious because I…
Read MoreGimme Shelter: The Winner!
Well, my loyal readers, you outdid yourselves this time! I’ve never had such an enormous response to one of my blog questions, and you made my job extremely difficult. You offered many, many ideas that would work well as a name for my fictional spit of water-logged land, and I had a hard time choosing. It was Glen,…
Read MoreGimme Shelter (and win one of my books)
If you’re near Wilmington, NC Friday evening June 26th, stop by Two Sisters’ Bookery between 4 and 7. I’d love to meet you! There is a setting in my work-in-progress, The Lies We Told, that I need to name. You, my readers, have helped me name both books and characters in the past, so I’m turning…
Read MoreFor You Thriller Readers Out There
I’ve invited thriller author Stacey Cochran to chat with us today. I met Stacey a few years ago when he and I spoke about publishing on a panel at Quail Ridge Books here in Raleigh. He’s such a nice guy, it’s hard to believe he could possibly write such scary books! Without further ado, here’s Stacey.…
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