Category writing
Writing And Torture
Behold the art of torture. Pain, discomfort and fear are powerful motivators. Extorting confessions and achieving compliance through coercion is a “tradition” dating back thousands of years, usually in the name of God, King, or Country. Fast forward to the present and the “Bringers of Pain” continue to wage war on innocents, but the motivation […]
Mirror, Mirror…
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the weirdest of them all? Writers are a strange bunch. Individually, writers tend to exhibit the personality quirks of a lone wolf terror suspect. They are introverted, often under the influence of mind altering substances (coffee and/or booze), are observed talking to themselves, and have an end game focus. […]
Want to See Your Book In A Bookstore? Part 2
The Art of Connection A previous post featured the Top Five Things an author needs to do to increase the likelihood of seeing your book featured in an honest to God bookstore. Tina Ferguson, owner of a thriving indie bookstore, Face In A Book, in El Dorado Hills, California offered her valuable insight into what […]
All The Voices in My Head
The voices are telling me to do things… From time to time, I’ve mentioned the voices that spawn from the murky creative mist to bestow their wisdom upon me. Whether I need this paranormal assistance isn’t really the question. I’ll take any inspiration a Muse wants to toss my way. The voices come through when […]
Book Giveaway Winners Announced
Last week I posted a paperback book giveaway for “challenged” copies of Little River. Several copies were damaged in the printing process and left them not suitable for sale. But, I could give them away and that’s what I did. I appreciate the wonderful response to the giveaway and your willingness to adopt books in […]
Just A Big Ball Of Hate
I hate you, you hate me… If you live in a cave, you are the fortunate one. You didn’t have to absorb all the bad JuJu from a screwed up world full of hate this week. Pick a corner of the planet. Did you know there are 32, yes, 32 wars going on right now? […]
A Voice On The Perfect Character
A perfect character? Have you ever read a story and something just seems, a bit off? There is a decent story line, snappy dialogue and perfect characters. Ah, there’s the rub – perfection. No one is perfect. Ever. Not even a Disney character. I mean think about it. Prince What’s-His-Face, is riding around in the forest […]
Are We There Yet?
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? I remember saying those words and, then later in life, hearing that same phrase over and over and over from the backseat every time we set out on some great adventure. The constant barrage of anticipation became a combination of nails on the chalkboard […]
Do You Have a Writing Spirit Animal?
If you’ve spent ten seconds on any social media feed, then you’ve seen the links to the endless chain of quizzes and personality inventories. You know the ones I’m talking about; What Disney Villain Are You? What Rock Are You Most Like? What Civil War Battle Best Resembled Your Last Family Outing? One that catches […]
Writers & Addicts
Writers are a weird bunch. For me, and I’m guessing that I’m not alone here, writing is addictive. The more you do, the more the urge to write builds, exactly like heroin. If I can’t chip a little here and there, I’ll start withdrawals, the shakes and hearing voices. Unlike heroin, there is no chemical […]
James L'Etoile 