Controversy erupted in publishing last week when child star Jennette McCurdy released her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died. Ever since, I’ve seen various discussions being bounced around online. Some supportive; some not. I get it. I do. There’s lots of folks out there who cannot imagine disliking their mother so much that death feels… Continue reading Why We Need More Books Like Jennette McCurdy’s I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED
Tag: write
What It’s Like Going Unpublished for Five Years
My last published novel - Bad Bloods: July Lightning - released on July 24, 2017. Five years ago. That fact can feel pretty staggering some days. Obviously, more so when the anniversary comes up than other times of the year. But alas, here we are, standing at a time of reflection. Back in 2017, I… Continue reading What It’s Like Going Unpublished for Five Years
Writing (And Working) While Pregnant: Second Trimester
Writing and working while pregnant can be a lot! Here's how I managed.
Writing (And Working) While Pregnant: First Trimester
I'm pregnant! And working full-time. And writing novels. It's a lot to manage. Here's how I'm coping (and continuing to follow the dream).
Researching Literary Agents in 2022
As promised in my last post - Writing a Great One-Line Pitch for Your 2022 Query Letter - I wanted to talk about researching literary agents in 2022. Granted, I am going to start with the caveat that I only have experience querying kidlit books. More specifically YA/MG, contemporary and fantasy. So that’s where this post… Continue reading Researching Literary Agents in 2022
The Difference Between Querying in 2019 and 2022, and Why Your Well-Intentioned Advice May Be Doing More Harm Than Good.
When I signed with my first agent, it was 2019. I’d queried two manuscripts by then between 2017-2019. In 2021, my agent left the industry. I took some time off, then wrote the book of my heart, and now I’m back in the query trenches for the first time in three years. As an author… Continue reading The Difference Between Querying in 2019 and 2022, and Why Your Well-Intentioned Advice May Be Doing More Harm Than Good.
Publishing Questions I Ask Myself Before I Start Writing a Book
Publishing is hard. We all know that. What makes it harder is bad timing and unclear focus. It’s easy to get lost in the art of writing long before you consider the business of writing, but at the end of the day, publishing is a business. You should have your business plan in mind before… Continue reading Publishing Questions I Ask Myself Before I Start Writing a Book
February Writing Journey Wrap-Up
Every month, I write a writing journey wrap-up post. It includes how many words I’ve written, what I’m working on, my wins, my losses, and other miscellaneous facts you may find interesting. First up this February, I wanted to congratulate our Pitch Wars 2020 mentee, Miranda Sun! She announced her six-figure, two-book deal with HarperCollins… Continue reading February Writing Journey Wrap-Up
I Almost Self-Rejected Myself Out of a Publishing Opportunity
Last month, you may have noticed my blog post - Yes, Writers Need to Hear the Hard Truths. But Warnings Can Go Too Far. - go up on Jane Friedman’s website. I was absolutely thrilled by this. I’m a long-time fan of Jane’s blog and book, The Business of Being a Writer. I also regularly attend… Continue reading I Almost Self-Rejected Myself Out of a Publishing Opportunity
The Truth About Giving Up on Writing
Have you ever considered giving up on writing? I know I have. Though I’ve been writing stories as long as I can remember, I consider myself as having two true starts. 1) When I was eleven, my mom died unexpectedly, and I told myself that day I would spend my life pursuing my dreams, no… Continue reading The Truth About Giving Up on Writing
