You’ve just tossed a handful of popcorn into your mouth when “Bam!” the killer jumps out of the closet. You jump, choke, and rush to the kitchen for a cool drink to clear the cough and curb your adrenaline. While that movie success is the result of a million-dollar budget, authors don’t have that luxury. […]
Archive | Musings
No Such Thing as a Bad Review
Let’s face it. No one likes criticism. Well, at least the destructive kind which hurts to read and possibly leads to scars or setbacks. But we also can agree that constructive criticism is useful. While there’s positives and negatives to all feedback, the “bad reviews” of books are largely of the latter. Now I’m not […]
Push On To Publishing
Guest Post: Push On To Publishing by Diana Rubino To all published and aspiring authors, my story (and learned experiences) will inspire you to push on to publishing if nothing else will. It’s unique because I’m probably the longest aspiring author to be published—18 years. As every grade school kid, I wrote short stories growing […]
Five “Killer” Genres Unpacked: The Difference Between a Mystery, Detective, Crime, Thriller, and Suspense Novel
Someone is killed in the book, therefore it’s a thriller. Or is it a mystery? A killer left a string of clues, so it’s a suspense. No, it must be a mystery. Right and wrong. Now you get why this can be so darn confusing! The “Killer Genres” are one of those tricky, sticky, picky […]
Literary Lounging: Discovering the Ideal Sofas for Book Lovers
For book enthusiasts, a cozy reading nook is not just a corner of the room; it’s a sanctuary where stories come to life and imaginations flourish. Central to this haven is the perfect sofa, inviting readers to lose themselves in the magic of words. In this exploration, we delve into two iconic sofas, the Cloud […]
Finding Time to Write
This is an ongoing challenge for so many writers because life “gets in the way.” Any writer and author you talk with will share their ongoing battle with choosing between getting word count met or taking care of personal and professional business. Of course, if you’re on a publisher’s deadline, the accountability helps.But not everyone is. Therefore, […]
Goals, Goals, and More Goals. Taking The New Year by Storm
I’ve always been driven by goals. Not so much that I am consumed by them and ignore life. But goals are a healing tonic for me in more ways than one. When I’m accountable to myself, and to others, I produce. I see a goal as a target to shoot for and a worthy adversary […]
My Beta Reading Deadline.
As an author and a critique partner, beta reading is always top of mind. This month, I have a looming deadline to get my WIP ready for beta readers to dig into. I also have two books to beta read and review for another author. While I would like to say the holiday season slows […]
Celebrating December Holidays Through Books
I love holidays. All holidays. And what would holidays be without books that tell stories about traditions, journeys, customs, stories, and personal anecdotes. In fact, many authors have launched their careers just by writing about the holidays. The memories that stories invoke in each one of us is incredibly personal but treasured. That’s why so […]
Happy Holidays and Thank You for Being You!
You know those newsletters that arrive in your email box this time of year from your favorite authors wishing you a happy holiday season? Well, this isn’t one of those. Nor is it an opportunity for me to tell you about my travels overseas to exotic locations that inspired my books (confession, I already wrote […]