Josephine Strand Author

Tag: writing

  • A SHORT STORY

    A SHORT STORY

    I’m excited to share my short story, Footprints in the Snow, which received Special Recognition in the Writers Weekly Winter 2025 short story contest. I hope you enjoy it! Footprints in the Snow by Josephine Strand Outside Matt’s window, the view was one of serene beauty and stillness, wrapped in a soft snowy blanket. The…

  • Writing Life: An Excerpt From the Current Draft of “Finding Home” – The Prequel to ‘Misty Dreams’

    This excerpt is an unedited draft and may contain errors, inconsistencies, or changes from the final version. It is shared for early insight and enjoyment only. Thank you for reading! “Are you okay?” Max asked the boy hunched on the park bench. The kid couldn’t be more than twelve or thirteen. One sleeve of his…

  • Crutch Words in Writing: How to Spot and Avoid Them

    One of the biggest mistakes I made in crafting my first novel was relying too much on “crutch” words—those little words and phrases we slip into our writing without thinking. Sometimes we use them out of habit, sometimes to fill space or emphasize a point. In my early drafts, I constantly used words like just,…

  • Judging a Book by its Cover: Trends in Romance Book Cover Designs

    I’m the first to admit it. I’m that person who breaks the ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ rule when it comes to choosing a romance novel to read. Even when it comes to my own books, cover design plays an important part in the decision process. As I edge closer to the completion…

  • Craving the simple life: Sicily, a Home Away from Home

    No place I’ve lived in or visited has shaped me as profoundly as the Italian region where I was born, despite living on different continents for most of my life. Yet, every time I visit, I feel as if I’ve come home. Whether Sicilian-born or of Sicilian descent, we are forever tethered to our roots,…

  • Reunited in the Digital Age: Rediscovering old friendships through social media

    You’re probably wondering who these ladies are hiding behind their signs. They are Rose, Grace, Maria, Franca and yours truly, Josephine; We’re a bunch of baby boomers scattered across five different countries, and we’ve got this daily WhatsApp chat thing going on.

  • Secondary characters in a novel

    As a romance writer, I enjoy creating secondary characters just as much as crafting the protagonists. In my debut novel, Misty Dreams, there are several secondary characters who play both major and minor roles. I loved giving each of them distinct personalities with unique traits and mannerisms, even the less prominent ones. Developing strong, well-rounded…

  • Hold on to your memories

    by Josephine Strand (first published in Memoirabilia Magazine in 2016) How I wish there were a recycle bin in our brain for old memories to be stored in. Then, when we’re unable to fully recall a life experience, all we’d need to do is look for the missing ‘file; and ‘restore’ it to its original…

  • Marzamemi: a hidden sliver of paradise

    If there’s one thing I love as much as writing, it’s discovering new places to visit. Although I don’t travel as much as I used to, even an impromptu road trip, maybe just to escape a dreary bout of bad weather, will charge my batteries, so to speak, and do wonders for my sluggish muse.

  • BOOK REVIEW

    TWO NICKELS by Michael F. DeConzo GENRE: Urban Fiction I don’t often post book reviews on my blog, but occasionally a book comes along that leaves a lasting impression on me, such that I feel I should share it with other readers. Two Nickels by Michael F. DeConzo was an unexpected gem. Although I haven’t…