Just Write

I saw one of my former middle school students last summer. She was working as a hostess at a restaurant while pursuing her degree at Middlesex Community College. We talked for a few minutes and she told me she thinks of me every time she sits down to write a paper for school. "Even if … Continue reading Just Write →

I’m Not Lost

Sometimes I feel so lost I can't take one more step. I am somewhere in the new story. I realized yesterday I am losing my characters, which tells me I have written something not true, so not true that the people whose stories I am supposed to tell are turning their backs on me, and … Continue reading I’m Not Lost →

Balance

Every day I try to create a sense of balance in my writing life, a life that has gone beyond writing and now includes promotion. It is not always an even balance, but so far it is working pretty well, most days. It can be challenging to devote all the time and energy my new … Continue reading Balance →

Who is Your Audience?

I was asked this question often while I was writing A Better Life. From friends and potential readers, it was mostly out of curiosity about what kind of book I was writing and who I thought my audience would be. I wasn't sure; I just wanted to tell the story as well and as true … Continue reading Who is Your Audience? →

The Launch

The book launch for my first novel was a night of innocence and revelations and joy, of pride and congratulations and joy. Everything was perfect. People asked about the story, the characters, the time it took to write the book, about where I got the idea. The conversations were easy and I signed about forty … Continue reading The Launch →