For the Criminally Inane

Why Write? Writing brings your dreams to life. Or your nightmares. Depending on what you are writing. When I first started dedicating time to writing ten years ago, I read scores of books, mostly from the library, about writing. So here's the short list of my advice for aspiring writers: 1. Write everyday You may say, every day? And I'll say, every day. If you start making excuses, it's easy to get out of the habit. Now, I didn't say you have to lay down a bazillion words that day. But you should write and keep in the habit of writing every day. On Sundays, I write letters to loved ones instead of working on my story. 2. Learn the craft I think too many people assume you either have writing talent or you don't. Writing can be learned. Check out books from the library. Read articles and blogposts on line. Do everything you can to improve your skills. I enter contests for feedback.  3. Don't try to publish too soon When you've worked so ...

Why I love to write funny books One dark January day after I had my third child, I was in the throes of Post-Partem Depression. Mix baby blues with the grays of January and you get a terrible color. Thankfully, we had a family tradition of going to the library on Saturdays. While there, I was browsing the Young Adult fiction and I came across a book, a third in a series. I had read the first book previously and wasn't impressed enough to pick up the second. However, I opened the third book and started reading and it was pure yumminess. It had a light-hearted love story, fun action-adventure and comedy. It was like eating after a fast or melting shaved ice on your tongue during a hot day. It was delicious to me. It hit the sweet spot in my brain. I was so rude to the people who came to dinner that night. I literally opened the door with the book in hand, waved them in and went back to reading. It was healing To me, laughter is healing. Fiction connects us with people, wi...

Ever wondered how authors get the word out about their books? The answer may shock you: it's you! Doing a few simple things for your author friend can help promote their book with little effort or time on your part. And since you are such a good friend, you'll want to help *wink*. Even if you haven't bought book, there is something you can do! I've made a list of small and simple things you can do today help authors in big ways. Little time, no money * Go to Amazon and mark all of their reviews as helpful.  This helps those who have reviewed to earn more "cred." * Do the same thing on Goodreads . If you don't have a Goodreads account, you should get one ;) Click here . Goodreads is a great place for readers to hang out and discuss and review books. * Add your friend's book on your Goodread's shelf or in a list, group . This helps get the word out about the book. Plus me posting it to Goodreads is self-promotion. If you do it, it...

Not everyone is going to love my books There are some really good highs as a writer. One of the best moments is when I received my first full request from an agent. I literally screamed when I saw it. Scream so much, my voice hurt. It was a sign that I was finally getting closer to my goal. The second best was receiving my contract for my first book. I was so pleased, I called my family and friends and let them know. Then when the reviews started coming in. Even people I didn't know loved my book. It's so gratifying to find other people loving the characters I've fallen in love with, too. But there are some lows. Not everyone is going to love what I write. I recently received a rejection from an agent who I queried with the book that was accepted for publication last year. I laughed of course but rejections are a lot easier to take when you already have a publication. I also received a less than stellar review this week. Hey, all reviews have merit, but man, it h...

The best  friend excerpt from clean romantic suspense novel Baker's Dozen on sale for $2.99 until May 25. Buy here. Carla Vehemia is the daughter of a weal thly  manufacturing tycoon in St. Louis. She likes lower-class men and supports Andy in her vigilant-ing.  Sweat dripped down Andy’s brow as she tucked  into a corner of the dojo to undress from her Master’s  gi  at the end of class. “Thanks for a great session,” Carla said over the din of kids preparing to line up on the mats. “Going for dinner?” “I have something to tell you,” Andy said when she had finished tucking her pants into her bag. “You finally applied for the CIA?” Carla’s deep brown eyes lit up. Her dark skin contrasted with her white uniform. Only Carla could still be feminine in a  gi  built for a block. “No.” “How far did you get last time?” Carla asked, admiring her luminous black hair in the wall of mirrors behind a row of chairs surrounding the perimeter of th...

More excerpts from my clean romantic suspense novel Baker's Dozen Meet Andy Miller, an investigative journalist in my clean romantic suspense novel, on sale for $2.99 until May 25, 2018. Buy link here . Men lie. They lie about how many women they’ve been with, their alcohol tolerance, and the size of their, uh, paycheck. Which was exactly what Jack, sitting across from Andy Miller, was lying about. He tapped his coffee mug with the tip of his finger, stretching his lean body against the booth at Ronney Dell’s. “Ninety grand this year alone,” he claimed. Closer to fifty grand , according to his secretary. Though maybe he was taking into account all the vehicles he had sabotaged before fixing which weren’t on the books. But Andy didn’t contradict him. Instead, she demurely batted her lashes and smiled into her shoulder. “Ninety grand,” she cooed, snapping her gum. “I don’t believe it!” she said. And that  was  the truth. Andy brushed back the bleached wig of her ...

Here are excerpts from my clean Romanic Suspense novel Baker's Dozen on sale $2.99 until May 25th.  Buy here . Hugh Donaldson is an undercover agent. But for who, that is the question. The tattooed man slapped his hand on the counter and leaned toward her, pointing to a sticker on the bag of chips. “The price tag says two forty-nine, not three forty-nine. Are you stupid or something?” he said.  The young clerk’s face flushed red as she realized her mistake. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure how the mix-up happened. Let me void the transaction.”  She fumbled through the keys at the computer. The man sighed and set his foot down heavily.  “I’m sorry,” the cashier said again. She squinted at the screen, fully absorbed, her fingers unsure, as she typed on the keyboard.  While the clerk was distracted, the man lifted a pack of gum from below the counter and slid it into his pocket. “This is taking too long. Just forget it,” he said. “I don’t need the chips....