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Writing Quotes, Inspiration, and Life Advice From Famous AuthorsI love writing quotes. Recently, I stumbled across new-to-me writing, inspirational, and life advice quotes from famous authors. Too much spot-on...
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Vonnegut’s Rules for Writersby James Scott Bell @jamesscottbell In the introduction to a collection of his short stories, Bagombo Snuff Box, Kurt Vonnegut tells a bit about...
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Truth and FictionIt seems that going down a rabbit hole while doing online research is a given. Sometimes we find what we need at the outset and can escape within...
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Reader and Writer Friday: The Beginning-Ending-Beginning CycleThe saying, “All good things must come to an end,” is attributed to Geoffrey Chaucer, 1374 (Random House Dictionary). The phrase was originally...
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True Crime Thursday – Rent-A-Vet Fraudsby Debbie Burke @burke_writer In an earlier life, my husband and I operated several businesses in San Diego, historically a Navy and Marine...
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Where Did That Come From?Where Did That Come From? Terry Odell and James L’Eotile As I’m still in New Zealand, I’m delighted to have James L’Etoile as my guest...
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Full Circle – From First Page Critique to Publicationby Debbie Burke @burke_writer Let’s flashback to September 2020 when an anonymous Brave Author submitted a first page entitled The Recruiter...
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Investigating Agatha ChristieI specialize in murders of quiet, domestic interest. –Agatha Christie * * * Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time. Her sales are...
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Show Us the Good Stuffby James Scott Bell @jamesscottbell Gather round for another of our first-page critiques. The genre is Mystery. My comments to follow. A litter of...
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Dealing with Doubt Words of WisdomIn my experience doubt is one of the greatest obstacles writers face. Doubt that you have the chops to finish your latest book. Doubt that you have...
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Pushing the Envelope – Lighting Your World“Pushing the envelope means testing limits and trying out new, often radical ideas. The expression comes originally from mathematics and...
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Don’t Let The Old Man InCounty music master Toby Keith has left us for the Grand Ole Opry in the sky. Mr. Keith was only sixty-two when he passed last month after a brave...
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When To Gag Your Bad Guys“If you’re going to shoot, shoot, don’t talk!” — Tuco, from The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. By PJ Parrish Man, I was this-close to loving the...
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How To Use White SpaceWhen I was first learning the craft, I studied many novels, searching for how the author drew me in, held me in suspense, and propelled me to turn...
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Major in Minorsby James Scott Bell @jamesscottbell When it comes to minor characters, what you don’t want is the bland leading the bland. That’s why I call minor...
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Public SpeakingNo one told me when I first got into this writing business that I’d be standing before large and small groups and organizations these past thirteen...
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Reader Friday – Fiction is Better than Reality“Truth is Stranger than Fiction” may be the case, but “Fiction is Better than Reality” is quickly becoming evident as we look at the world scene....
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Sneak PreviewBy Elaine Viets Hey, there, TKZers. A Scarlet Death, my latest Angela Richman, Death Investigator mystery will be published April...
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Four-legged Detectives: Bringing K-9s to Life in FictionFour-legged Detectives: Bringing K-9s to Life in Fiction Terry Odell and Kathleen Donnelly As you read this, I’m be in New Zealand. I’m...
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Find the Right Critique Group for Youby Debbie Burke @burke_writer Recently Jim Bell suggested I write a post about critique groups. Thanks for the idea, Jim! What should a new writer...
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Sleep: Embracing Your Inner Koala“Happiness consists of getting enough sleep. Just that, nothing more.” –Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers * * * Koala bears are the experts...
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When Can You Call Yourself a Writer?by James Scott Bell @jamesscottbell First thing I did when I decided to become a writer (even if I couldn’t learn like they told me in college,...
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Pet Words of WisdomTuesday my wife and I said goodbye to our beloved cat Mittens, who we’d adopted along with his brother Simba when they were ten-week-old kittens....
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National Be Nasty DayYour Choice of Vehicle: Steam or Purple Prose I spent two days this week preparing for my meeting with my tax accountant. Those are my two least...
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Smooth Operator – First Page CritiqueBy John Gilstrap By way of full disclosure, I don’t often participate in our First Page Critique program. It’s not that I don’t...
