Dear Gate-keepers of the Conversation:   Please, with respect and appreciation for the desire to build a better, more harmonious world –  Don’t tell artists what we can or cannot write, or say, or think, or express. Don’t squelch debate in favor of censorship, or require punishment for discussing ‘wrong’ ideas. Don’t promote a system […]

The year is coming to an end, thank heaven! Twenty-twenty will unquestionably go down in history as one of the absolute worst years EVER. For me, in addition to enduring the well-covered horrors that plagued the nation, 2020 was a mixed bag of accomplishments, disappointments and unfinished business. And like so many others, I’m hoping […]

In just a few days I’ll be participating in ‘PitMad,’ a Twitter event that helps connect writers with agents, acquisition editors and publishers. Authors (like myself) post a brief description of their current work, then industry professionals review the proposals looking for projects they think will meet their needs. They indicate their interest by ‘liking’ […]

I had a setback this month. Not a major one, not something devastating I’ll never be able to recover from — but still, a setback nonetheless. For a writer, it’s the worst type of blow: rejection. Yes, I was rejected by an agent via a boilerplate email saying simply, ‘thanks, but no thanks.’ It hurts. […]

As of now, I’m putting the final touches on  The Vermicular File, and it feels great to have the finish line in sight. Over the past few days I’ve completed Chapter 13 — the one where the big climactic confrontation occurs — then penned a concluding chapter, tying up loose ends. This week I’m working […]

This past month while I’ve been working on my book The Vermicular File, I’ve also been laying the groundwork for a new agent search. Finding professional representation can be difficult and time-consuming, but I know firsthand it makes a huge difference in a project’s success. Literary agents know the markets, have inside contacts among publishers, […]

I’m currently working on the biggest project I’ve done in years: penning a fact-inspired tale of ghosts and demons set in Charleston, South Carolina. I’ll be chronicling the process here on my blog, covering everything from trying to land an agent (mine retired in 2016!) to compiling the text to marketing the finished product once […]

I live just outside Charleston, South Carolina — easily one of the most beautiful places on earth. There are several gorgeous beaches within a 15 minute drive, where emerald green waters splash against glistening golden sands. The shores are especially stunning at sunrise, when the sky changes from purple to rose to tangerine before settling […]

This entire month the pandemic and its mandated lockdown have dragged on, and to be honest, it’s got me down. I really don’t feel like writing about writing. I don’t’ feel like writing AT ALL. Even getting up and dressed each morning is becoming a chore. Sure, there are some hopeful signs that this terrible […]

Another month is ending, and the whole world is still in lockdown. Many have been unable to return to their jobs and are wondering how they’ll pay the bills. Others have been confined to their house or apartment for weeks now with no end in sight. Some have had to say goodbye to loved ones […]