I decided to commission art for one of my novels! Let's talk about it.
Every time I write a novel, I create a book bible. What is a book bible? It’s a collection of documents that helps you keep your story consistent and believable. You might include character descriptions, timelines, world building notes, and more. This process can be vital in staying organized through various revisions, especially if you’re… Continue reading Create A Book Bible With Me
I recently hit THE END in my young adult contemporary, my first book since my baby was born. It was an exciting moment. I formatted it and sent it off to my betas, ready to sit back and work on a palette cleanser until I got their notes so I could start revising. What is… Continue reading A Lesson in Backing Up Your Books
As per tradition, I am back to share my favorite reads of 2022. Before I jump into it, though, I wanted to mention a few caveats. My original website template retired. (RIP, Bueno. You served me well–and for ten years!) I’m now using Button 2. I might be changing it intermittently as I try to… Continue reading My Favorite Books of 2022
It's February, so romance is in the publishing air. Whether or not you write romance novels or have romantic subplots in your work, almost every writer has had to think through a couple's relationship in their work. Here are my top three tips for writing romance. 1. Read Romance: As Stephen King famously said, "If… Continue reading Shannon’s Top Three Tips for Writing Romance
I’ve been writing stories ever since I learned how to write. I’m not kidding. My first pieces of work go back to when I was 4 years old. My first story was a 5-page rambling piece about my new husky throwing a party so that the two older dogs would attend and possibly befriend him.… Continue reading What Writers Can Learn from Reading Their OLD Work
As an author with three series under my belt, I’m often asked how to plot a series, and I thought it was finally time to share a few tips. First thing is first, anyone considering traditional publishing should make book one a standalone. Don’t get me wrong. It’s great to have the dream of writing a series,… Continue reading How to Plot a Series and Make Every Book Stand Out
As promised, even though I’m not blogging writing tips right now (though I am trying to work it back into my schedule), I'm keeping everyone updated. Today, you’ll find out how you can read both of my series for FREE—and there’s an awesome giveaway somewhere below. Let’s start with some news! For the first time… Continue reading Kindle Unlimited, Audiobooks, & Giveaway!
Despite working with the English language every day—as a writer, as an editor, and as a reader—I have difficulty speaking. I stumble and stutter a lot. Perhaps this is one of the reasons I worked so hard to master the written language. I was making up for another aspect of the language I didn’t excel… Continue reading #MondayBlogs An Author Who Fears Public Speaking
What I’m Writing: My YA fantasy, Dreammare, moved onto the third round of Adventure's in YA Publishing's Red Light/Green Light competition! That means I’m in the top ten! Read the opening page here. This week, I also wrote in BB, which is my second attempt at a contemporary YA, but I only have the first chapter… Continue reading #SATurdate: Good Morning Call, Bad Bloods 3, Top Ten, & Serial
