Bright Idea — but not mine!

During the night I awakened and joined my characters in the better part of an hour’s discussion about an idea, a brilliant plot twist that would punch up the suspense in my story. The idea, unfortunately, didn’t make it through to the light of day. Normally when something occurs to me during the night I

Whose Story Is It Anyway?

Authors get asked all the time about the source of their ideas and there’s never a simple explanation. A fragment of conversation, a fleeting glimpse of the unconventional, an unexpected sequence of events, and suddenly the writer’s mind is asking, “What if…?”   The idea won’t be original. There are basic themes that have regularly

The Authentic Me

Ever since moving into this house a poster has been prominently displayed on my office wall. It has meant different things to me at different times in my life but always the words have reminded me of an important truth.      As I write, it urges me not to try to emulate others no