I always thought history was boring, probably because about the only thing I remember is memorizing dates for the reigns of monarchs (I’m from Canada, so we focused on British history). And I don’t do well with memorizing. But give me a tidbit of historical information, like the Pony Express, and I’m off to the […]
Behind the Scenes: A day in the writing life of Shannon Taylor Vannatter
Though I am not a morning person, I write from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. most days. I put on comfy clothes and brush my hair and teeth before I write. At 2:00, I get presentable and put on makeup. I don’t answer the door before 2:00 because I’m not presentable. My cat Charcoal lays […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Bonnie Engstrom discusses naming her characters
Common questions people ask me: How do you decide what to name your characters? And how do you plot or plan your story? I don’t decide what to name my characters. In the Candy Cane Girls series the names just burst into my head, except for Noelle in the series’ debut. I knew she ‘needed’ […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Colleen Scott tells two places where her ideas come from
How in the world did you come up with that idea? Suspense writers are often asked this question. I found it was no different for me after my debut novel, Misconceptions, released in January of 2016. I can’t answer for every author, but I can share two ways that have worked for me. The first […]
Ghost story needed
Got any lovers of creepy fiction out there? Want to take a stab at a photo caption for this one? Or a little story? We’d love to see what you come up with!
How does a novelist get started?
1. Don’t be a lone wolf. Get with other writers, show them their stuff, help them evaluate theirs. Ask them to brainstorm with you; writers all love brainstorming. A writers’ conference can be a place to make these connections, or a writers’ organization. While it’s great to find people writing in your genre, it’s not […]
Caption needed!
Captioneers, tell us your version of her story!
Behind the Scenes: Real Life Is the Catalyst, by James R. Callan
Over My Dead Body is a murder mystery, the second in the Father Frank Mystery series. But, what prompted the story line? The genesis for the plot came from the Keystone Pipeline. This massive project had been in the news over the last few years. It has raised much controversy, and Congress and the President […]
Author James R. Callan asks “what if?” to find book ideas
I majored in English with the intention of writing, but I soon found I couldn’t support a family that way. So I went to graduate school in the field of mathematics. For thirty years I worked as a research mathematician. When all the kids were out of college and successful, I returned to writing. In […]
What inspires writer Holly Michael?
I began writing seriously for publication on the day I quit writing. I’d grown weary of rejections, went for a walk, and explained to God that I was done with writing, totally giving it up. I had three young children and it seemed a waste of time if I couldn’t get published. I told God […]