I recently read THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME by Allison Winn Scotch and THE FIRST HUSBAND by Laura Dave, one right after the other, and fully enjoyed them both. What struck me was how each began with a similar premise for the protagonist: a moment in time when suddenly all bets are … [Read more...]
5 Questions for Author Amy Hatvany
Amy Hatvany’s latest novel, OUTSIDE THE LINES, is the story of a woman searching the homeless shelters of Seattle for her long-missing father who suffers from bi-polar disorder. Part mystery, part love story, it’s a fascinating exploration of the interior of a mental illness, and … [Read more...]
Ow, My Head Hurts!
I’ve had two concussions in the past year. By “I,” I mean “we.” By “we,” I mean two of my sons. Because when your kid has a brain injury, so do you.If your child’s brain has somehow been slammed up against the inside of his cranium, here’s what he can’t do:read, watch TV, … [Read more...]
Creating Reality: The Pleasant Psychosis of Writing
“Sitting alone in a room, being forced to write about people who don’t even exist—that’s the definition of hell for me.”I’ve heard variations on that comment ever since I became a fiction writer, someone for whom spending time with people who don’t exist is heaven. When I can’ … [Read more...]
You Pierce My Soul
If the thread of romance were to be pulled from the storyline of every book ever written, what a bleak and boring catalogue we’d be left with. I’m not just talking about genre romance or chick lit or even its more literary sister, women’s fiction.I’m saying let’s imagine David … [Read more...]
The Stuff and Flavor of a Different Time
I just did something a little strange: I ordered a circa 1919 Montgomery Ward catalog on eBay.It’s particularly unusual for me since I often take a free moment to call catalog companies and tell them not to send me their glossy pages of wares. I am the opposite of a shopper. I … [Read more...]
Up Close and Virtually In Person
I had been “visiting” book groups by phone for years. I’m always happy to do this—it never gets old hearing that people who are unrelated to me and don’t owe me favors chose one of my books over millions of others to read and discuss.Also, it’s usually really fun. It’s interes … [Read more...]
You Wrote a Novel … Now What?
In 2005 I wrote the last lines of my very first novel.“I finished,” I told my husband.“Honey, that’s great!”“Yeah … But what am I supposed to do now?”Honestly, I’d had doubts as to whether I could even complete the thing, so I was unprepared for taking the next ste … [Read more...]
Deleted Scene: A Bonus Feature from Deep Down True
Ever read a book and wonder what you’re NOT seeing—what additional scenes might have ended up on the author’s "cutting room floor"? In the service of pacing, plot, character development or just getting the word count down, every author cuts. And those cuts can hurt! Passages that … [Read more...]