Kim Childress is the founding publisher of Childress Ink, a publishing resource, publicity, and product development company centered around books. Thirty years in publishing, Kim is an award-winning editor, author, speaker, and reviewer, including book editor for Girls’ Life magazine since its 1994 debut, and previous middle grade acquisitions editor for HarperCollins Christian Publishing (Zondervan). […]
Tag Archives | Authors
Writer’s Corner: How to Weave Exposition into Your Book Like A Pro
This is a tough topic. Why? Maybe you’re like me and coming to the fiction writing world through a side door, instead of crossing over the threshold like a pro. Yup, I admit, I wrote a lot of books before I knew the fundamentals and yes, probably what the heck I was doing. So, as […]
Writer’s Corner: 5 Elements of an Eye-Catching Query Letter
Advice is everywhere. You can search for great samples, read agent and editor’s interviews, or swing by Writer’s Digest for the instruction on eye-catching queries. I recommend doing all three in your pursuit of crafting something compelling. But before you do, keep these five elements in mind: Share Details: It’s amazing how many query letters […]
Author Q&A With Samara Breger
Samara writes books about women in improbable circumstances falling in love. Before she started writing books, she worked in public radio, podcasting, and digital journalism and is a proud News and Documentary Emmy loser. If you peek into her work history, you’ll find a lot of stuff about sex, reproductive health, and queer people. She […]
The Ups and Downs of Book Signings
It’s the icing on the cake. The cherry on the sundae. The crowning glory. When you look at the long line of people snaking out the bookstore waiting to meet you and get a signed copy of your book, your heart soars. It’s the ultimate validation that you’ve made it as an author. Or is […]
Author Q&A With Kim Imas
Kim Imas received degrees in engineering and urban planning, from Duke and Harvard respectively, before pursuing a career as a writer. Her work appeared in Boston Magazine and The Boston Globe Magazine before she turned to longform fiction. Her first novel, a romance, was initially published under a pen name and earned praise from Publishers […]
The Light and Dark of Writing (and Reading) Romantic Suspense
This isn’t a blog about the ups and downs of the romantic suspense genre. Rather, it’s about the light and dark. To clarify, I’m using those words as a “simplistic umbrella” when describing novel elements and author styles. It’s also how I categorize my works of fiction…
Finding a Good Critique Partner
Critiquing is a critical part of the author’s journey. Whatever your writing, beta readers and writing buddies are a must. If you don’t ask for feedback, you’re not going to produce your best product. So, put ego aside and get psyched to find yourself a stellar critique partner, one who is willing to be honest, […]
Author Q&A With Brent J. Ludwig
So welcome, readers. Today we’re speaking with author Brent J. Ludwig, whose debut novel, Those Who Would Be King: The People’s Prince, was published July 11, 2023. Brent is a former practicing lawyer who runs his own boutique executive search firm in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Brent has a very busy life, with three teenage kids […]
Author Q&A With Scott Kyle
Scott Kyle is the CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Coastwise Capital Group LLC, a boutique money management firm headquartered in La Jolla, CA. He was a co-founder of The Active Network, Inc. one of the original ‘unicorns’ when it went public at a valuation of over $1B in 2011 and where he served as […]