Nat-a-lie \ nat-ə–lē’\ – noun 1. Wife extraordinaire and happy Mama that loves do crafty projects. 2. One who likes to read as many books as possible– all while trying to find time to clean the house. 3. One who runs around like crazy. ________________________________________________________________________________ Golding, Julia. Dragonfly. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corp, 2009. The […]
book review: the forest of hands and teeth
Kar-en \ k(a)-ren\ – noun 1. A mother who can toe type at a whopping 5 WPM when required 2. An aspiring YA fantasy writer who somehow hasn’t quit yet 3. One who can’t possibly be a vampire because sunshine is an essential requirement for happiness Archaic: A Southern girl, bless her heart, who studied […]
don’t force your writing
As a following-up on my earlier post on revising your beginning, let’s talk about forcing a book. Forced: when a book no longer feels organic to the author’s voice or original intent. Forcing a book happens when either: (1.) You make any and all changes suggested by any person who comments or (2.) You are […]
you can write better
I hate to admit it, but I cringe whenever I hear an author say something like: the first few pages of my published novel are exactly as I first wrote them. Seriously? At the WIFYR conference, author Ally Condie was really brave and read us two versions of the first page of her upcoming novel, […]
what stories are out there?
So on my way to work every morning, I pass this: I have been taking this same route for over a year, and that monkey has been in that chair everyday. In rain. In snow. In sprinklers. Yep, always there, though he and his chair do rotate around the lawn. He was even joined by […]
Chersti Nieveen 