I tried my hand at a YA story. It's kind of quirky, but Mark at Story Station liked it enough to take it.

http://www.viatouch.com/learn/Storystation/Stories/friendship_balm.jsp

Cliff

Sisters in Crime/LA is proud to present a panel of mystery writers

featuring Lori Wolf, Mari Sloan, Christa Faust, and Kate Thornton, with

moderator Gay Degani. Whether you want to be terrified or thrilled,

these authors will talk about keeping their readers on the edge of

their seats.



The event will be held at the Burbank Library on October 20, from 2 -…

Posted By Leann Sweeney

Maddison Grace Sweeney arrived by C-section last Friday night and I can now call myself Grandma. Yahoo! The troubles that went before, not being there, all those selfish things didn't matter a twit once she arrived. A baby is a miracle for so many more reasons than I ever imagined before she came. You might say can't do anything but cry, eat, pee, poop and sleep, but there is so much more. She can unite a family in instant love. She can bring a smile…

Publishing is fraught with danger for the uninitiated. (I've always wanted to use the word FRAUGHT!) As a new writer, one must navigate a minefield of offers to "publish your book today." Most of us learn to resist the obvious scams, but some are more subtle and therefore more tempting. I once sent a query to an agent in Texas who wrote back with glowing compliments about my great characters and said she would be thrilled to represent an author as talented as I am. Luckily, even then I knew…

Where to draw the line when it comes to research is always and issue for me. A lot of it doesn’t go in — in the end. But it does help me shape character, setting and plot … and adds texture. It also gives me confidence in writing. I can get carried away though

(That’s one of our local Whistler Mounties in the…

I was intrigued by Daniel's forum post about cutting and editing work and the various routines writers employ so I thought I'd write a little here about my own routine.

The first thing is, I never outline. I'll make some notes of character names, minor details, occasionally pieces of dialogue that I may or may not use, but that's it. That's not to say I don't plan. For months before starting on a book I'll think it through, inhabiting the story until it's become completely mine. If…

Regulars to Love is Murder are all familiar with Joe Konrath, the 2008 Local Guest of Honor. He has a vibrant, dynamic personality and a genuine drive to help others in the writing business. His very popular blog, the Newbie's Guide to Publishing, has great tips on the business side of writing - marketing, conferences and more. Joe is a patron of the Schaumburg Township District Library, so it is unusual to not find one of his Jacqueline…

Posted by Jeanne Munn Bracken

Remember "Malcolm in the Middle"? The funny sit-com with the overwhelmed mother? I loved that woman--her family did what she told them to do! My style, overwhelm them with kindness, is not nearly as effective.

Anyway, the theme song from the show was "(You're not the) Boss of Me", lyrics that echo around every playground and family room with kids in conflict. The song was performed by an alternative rock band called They Might Be…

No, I haven't got ADD, but sometimes I feel like that. I have so many ideas that I'd like to explore on keyboard that it's hard to settle down and choose one. Just about the time I get started on a historical, do all the research, figure out the characters, and outline the plot, I'll be skimming through my files and think, "Oh, there's that thriller I did two years ago. Maybe I should dust that off and do some editing; it was pretty good."

I don't think it's altogether a bad thing,…

LONDON FROG's first review

After pulling off a sting of lottery winner Donald Birdie in upstate New York, Todd Gleason returns to his Manhattan home base to work on his next scam; also involving a lottery winner, the Procopio couple. Married ten years, Henri is the CEO of Looking Great Cosmetics while his wife Elise has just won the big prize. They are off on a honeymoon in London to celebrate her winnings.



Over the Internet Todd rents a flat in South Kensington from…

posted by Doranna Durgin

The writing world...especially the genre writing world...it's a small community. It's also a community of intensely creative people...and those who are successful have generally become that way because they're also passionate people. They believe in what they're doing.

We are also, I think, a fairly idiosyncratic group. Not to mention a wee bit professionally incestuous. Put those things together, and it would be easy to…

It's interesting to me that some authors get better with each book, some write the same book over and over, and some actually get worse.

Authors often deteriorate, in my opinion, because they are pressured to get that next book out, even if it isn't quite ready, even if the plot is thin as rice paper or the characters act like raving maniacs. We all had a long time, years for most of us, before that first book sold, and we tinkered with it every few months, improving and fine-tuning.…