Mastering the art of writing dialogue that is compelling, reveals character, and sounds real is a “must” for new authors.  The dialogue in your novel can make or break your chances with agents, publishers and readers.  Clever and credible dialogue could be the one thin...

When While You Were Mine was selected by Amazon as a Kindle First pick for March, I had no idea what to expect.  I'm both thrilled and gratified by the respons

The powerful story of one woman's passion in a world at war.

Olivia Dunne, a studious minister's daughter who dreams of becoming an archaeologist, never thought that the drama of World War II would affect her quiet life in Denver. But when an exhilarating flirtation res...

The powerful story of one woman's passion in a world at war. Olivia Dunne, a studious minister's daughter who dreams of becoming an archaeologist, never thought that the drama of World War II would affect her quiet life in Denver. But when an exhilarating flirtation re...

Many of you who are in search of representation have probably read that agents are looking for writing that shows “a strong original voice.” The question is: What do they mean? What exactly is a strong original voice?

A writing voice employs the author’s style, tone and...

There's a reason why Barbara Kingsolver is one of our most beloved authors.  This week I decided to revisit one of her earlier novels, Animal Dreams.  Although not as well known as The Poisonwood Bible, this work of hers contains the same lovely language, mystical tone...

Last week I spent my free time in the company of two excellent novels.  The first, I Always Loved you, written by Robin Oliveira, tells the story of the relationship between artists Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas.  It's a riveting fictionalized account that contains some...

A common question I’m asked by debut authors is, “How do I find an agent?” In today’s market, it’s almost essential to find representation, particularly if you’ve written adult fiction and want to publish it with a large traditional publisher. I find that, even with th...

A hook sentence, often called a narrative hook or literary hook, is a sentence in the first paragraph of the manuscript that either asks a questions or makes the reader ask a question and therefore captivates the reader. Frequently it is the first sentence of the book.

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Does your book feature a well-developed protagonist? The reader must feel as if he or she knows your leading character well in order to develop empathy and care about what transpires over the course of the book. Some of the essentials to make this happen are:

1. Give yo...