Recently, I read a book supposedly set in the 90s but it felt like it belonged in the 60s. One of the things that made it feel that way was the characters. One of the college-aged men constantly addressed everyone … Continued
Earlier this month, I talked about real Colorado cities and towns I’d used as locations in my books, but now I want to talk about the fictional places I’ve written about. There aren’t as many of those, because they exist only … Continued
First off, before we go any further, let me stress that I know (having taught many creative writing classes) that “truth” or “reality” doesn’t always make for compelling fiction. I know without a doubt that sometimes what really happened makes … Continued
Last week, I told you about a few cities I’ve written about in my books (places like Boulder and Pueblo). This week, I’m going to tell you about a few more. I like using real places in my stories sometimes … Continued
Stephen King has said more than once, in advice to aspiring authors, “Write what you know.” I don’t recall if that is the exact phrase he’s used, but that’s one of the distilled nuggets I’ve been left with after reading … Continued
Before indie publishing, we authors had to go through the “gatekeepers” to get published—either by appealing to an editor him or herself or to snag an agent and have them do the pitching for us. We were at the mercy … Continued
I get it. I do. I understand why it would be comforting to know that a book is going to follow an exact formula. You know this one: Boy meets girl. Some conflict ensues but they continue to battle whatever … Continued
I’ve put this little survey up on social media and also through my newsletter, but I also realize I have a few folks who subscribe to my website–or sometimes they pop on over just to see what I’m up to. … Continued
Those of you who have been following me for a while know that I strive for realism. You might wonder why; after all, much of fiction is fantasy (and I’m not talking about the genre). It’s because I subscribe to … Continued
A few months ago, I received an email from The Fussy Librarian, inviting me and other authors to submit our personal stories about how becoming an author changed our lives. The problem is–if I’m not mistaken–they wanted inspirational stories. The … Continued
