The Frustration of Misunderstanding

To be misunderstood can be the writer’s punishment for having disturbed the reader’s peace. The greater the disturbance, the greater the possibility of misunderstanding. Anatole Broyard ~ I read agents’ blogs for several reasons. One is to learn as much as I can about the publishing industry. Another is to learn what separates one agent

Are we poisoning our chances for publication?

. Common snowberry, or Symphoricarpos albus, is a deciduous shrub in the honeysuckle family. It grows wild on shady hillsides and woodland areas but its attractive clusters of white berries have also made it a popular ornamental shrub in many gardens. It grows in wild abundance on our family’s Okanagan property and provides winter food

One Writer’s Admission and a Giveaway

. Fifty-three. That’s how many books I have on a particular shelf in my office, and that doesn’t include reference books or any borrowed from the library. All of them tell me how to write a novel. I counted them because I thought it would bolster my confidence. After all, if I’ve read that many

Fat Chance

If you’ve ever stood on a scale and cringed at what it told you, it’s possible you’re among the millions of overweight people who struggle with dieting. Ali Vincent, in her book Believe It, Be It: How Being the Biggest Loser Won Me Back My Life, says, “It’s a bigger issue than just calories in,

Writing Delay Tactics Revisited

Yesterday Rachelle Gardner gave her readers an opportunity to share how they use (or don’t use) social media such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc., and how they cope with the resulting time drain. Responses ran from those who interact via blogging but see anything else as a waste of time, to those who utilize every

Serving Up Omelets for Virtual Breakfast

Have you ever been at a late night party and found yourself inviting everyone over to your place for breakfast? In the blinding brightness of the morning sunlight you look around and suddenly realize what you’ve done. Holy moly… when are they likely to start arriving? What if they all show up? Let me check the fridge.