Tag: writing

  • OUR WORDS MATTER

    As a self-published author, I have developed a new appreciation for book reviews. I have always been a voracious reader, but before I became a published author I seldom left a review. The books I usually read were written by established authors, authors whose books amasses hundreds, if not thousands of reviews. What difference would…

  • Embrace the Stillness

    As a young girl I wanted to be a flight attendant so I could travel on the cheap. But I got as far as working briefly for a travel agency that, alas, offered no travel perks and paid badly. Perhaps the failure to fulfill my dream is the reason I’ve always loved writing about places…

  • Monkey Business

    Writers love using pets in their novels. Not only is it great for character development, but it adds an extra element of emotion and makes the story more enjoyable. Even some book or movie villains are dog or cat lovers, though they tend to prefer cats, perhaps because cats are not as heroic as dogs,…

  • The Elusive Plot

    Originally posted on Hope, Hearts, & Heroes: Photo from Freeimages.com How many authors or aspiring authors have a pile of unfinished manuscripts stacked in a drawer or on their computers? How many of them were so sure each one of these would be their best work yet, only to lose interest after a few thousand…

  • Christmas in July

    Okay, this title has nothing to do with this article, but I couldn’t resist using it, even though it’s August. Every time I hear this expression I’m reminded of my Christmases in South Africa, where the seasons were topsy-turvy and a ‘white Christmas’ was some ridiculous idealistic illusion we compensated for by ‘dressing’ the branches…

  • Have Travel, Will Write

    Ever since I was a little girl I have loved traveling to new places. I believe traveling and living in different parts of the world has helped shape me and my writing and impacted the way I see the world. Family outings and vacations were always a source of inspiration for me. Even at school,…

  • How Misty Dreams came to be

    People sometimes ask me what inspired me to write Misty Dreams. My response is always: my characters. Richard and Clare came to life long before the plot was even conceived. The story evolved around them as I wrote it. It was my first attempt at a full-sized novel, and I had no concept of how…