On Tracy Chapman, Tom Brady, Luck, and Success
Let’s talk about luck. In 1988, a technical mishap caused Stevie Wonder to delay his performance at the Nelson Mandela Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium. (Mandela, then 70, was still in prison at the time. The concert was to honor his commitment to South African...
For Writers: The Two Biggest First Chapter Mistakes
I’ve spent the last two weeks writing the opening pages of my WIP. After 5-6 versions, I think I’ve landed on one that will stick around until I get further into the story. Then, chances are, I’ll go back and revise it again. By the time I’m done, I will probably have...
The Phrase for 2024
Last year, my inspirational word was Everest. Earth’s highest mountain (above sea level) seemed an appropriate metaphor as I strove to conquer a new type of writing. Jumping from genre fiction to book club fiction certainly felt like a climb. What made Everest so...
Gifts for Writers and Readers
It’s that time of year again! Time for me another Great Gifts for Writers post. This list is different though because it’s curated by me, an actual writer and reader. I have no stake in these items whatsoever. I didn’t receive a free one in exchange of a plug, nor do...
Thoughts on a Birthday Weekend
I turned 59 yesterday. Not a milestone birthday, but dangerously close As a result, I found myself spending a good portion of this week taking stock. How do I want to spend the last decades of my life? What changes over the next twelve months to become that person?...
Of Tenacity and Perseverance
When my son was a young teenager, he dreamed of being an elite-level gymnast. Only one thing held him back: lack of physical ability. “Some gymnasts are strong. Some gymnasts are flexible,” his coach liked to say. “You are neither.” What my son did have was tenacity....
Thinking Big Picture
My agent search isn’t going great. It’s a competitive industry, and agents are very picky about who they take on. (Fun fact: most agents request less than 1% of the manuscripts queried.) I’m not deterred. A writing career isn’t built on one manuscript. Writing...
Listen Linda, It’s Not a Hobby
Last week, I listened to a true crime podcast about a writer who killed her husband. Because she was an independent romance writer, I wasn’t surprised when the hosts made jokes about bodice rippers. Misogynistic, uninformed comments come with the territory. But then,...
Five Women Authors Over Fifty
Attention colleagues! Are you an older female writer struggling to sell that ‘big book’? Do you felt a nugget of anxiety every time you read about another 30-year-old signing a major publishing deal and wonder if your window of opportunity is rapidly closing? Fear...
Why I’m Pursuing Traditional Publishing
A few months ago, I mentioned to a group of authors that I wasn’t interested in independently publishing my historical fiction, and they looked at me like I had two heads. Why on earth, they ask, would I endure the headaches and constraints of traditional...