Mystery / Romantic Suspense / Legends / Folklore
Inspiration for my stories comes from many different places. Sometimes it’s an observation made in a crowded restaurant. It may be from a photo prompt or from a family story. Other times, ideas just pop in my head. But often, it’s songs from favorite groups or singers. John Denver’s music inspired some of my early … Continue reading Thank You, John Denver
I've written about Mary Higgins Clark before. I came across her first suspense novel, Where Are The Children in the late seventies and was hooked. In a recent post, I named some of my favorite novels written by her. So, I was saddened to learn the Queen of Suspense passed away on January 31 at … Continue reading Death of a Legend #ThursdayThoughts
Hey everyone. It's time for Mystery Monday. And you know what the mystery is? Yeah, my writing mojo is MIA. Okay, no excuses but I probably scared her away. As some of you know, I returned to work last week after being off with the flu. Getting back into the swing of things and catching … Continue reading Where’s My Writing Mojo? #MysteryMonday
Sometimes the inspiration for stories come in the oddest ways. I often use real-life events in my books—either personal experiences or things I’ve read. I change the situation enough so as not to be recognizable. It’s been a long time in coming (much longer than I expected), but the first draft of Unclear Purposes, the … Continue reading Lyin’ Eyes
Mondays. Lots of songs have been written and sung about this day of the week. Two that come to mind are the Mamas and Papas, "Monday, Monday," and The Carpenter's "Rainy Days and Mondays." Neither of the songs put the first day of the work week in a good light. But this Monday is a … Continue reading A Perfect Ten (Guest Posting)
One thing I often hear new and even experienced writers say is that they don't know what to write about. I'm posting for the first time on Story Empire today where I talk about ways to generate ideas. So I hope you'll take time to hop on over and read The Stories Around Us.
In my last newsletter, I said I wouldn’t participate in NaNoWriMo because I needed to finish the novel I began in April. Yet I’ve wanted to take part in the event since I first learned of it several years ago. When several of my online writing friends talked about their participation, I felt the urge … Continue reading Planning to Fail or Failing To Plan?
I’m participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this month, hence my absence from the blog last week. This 30-day event is much like November’s NaNoWriMo except writers can set their own word count rather than the usual 50K. I’ve been steadily working on a novel. Most days things have run smoothly. Yet some days, I’ve hit snags. … Continue reading Everyone Needs Encouragment