Is it wet, controlled or controlling? Using rain, rein and reign

Today we're tackling a set of fraternal triplets of language, the homophones rain, rein and reign, as requested by Tricia O'Brien at Talespinning. Once again, I'll provide a definition,...

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Help for deepening character motivation

It's no small task to create characters that live and breathe on the page, that don't hamstring your story by behaving in a way that seems implausible. You can spend weeks dreaming...

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Release party for Closed Hearts

Announcing the release of Closed Hearts, the sequel to Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn. Book Two of the Mindjack Trilogy When you control minds, only your heart...

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Grin and bare it?

If you've ever used the expression in my post title, you probably got a few sideways looks. Or perhaps a snarky comment about gaining exposure in gentlemen's clubs. I'm sure...

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Loneliness and writing

"Friends sometimes ask me, 'Don't you get lonely sitting by yourself all day?' At first it seemed odd to answer No.Then I realized that I am not alone; I was in the book; I was...

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One trick for fixing those long, dull descriptions

I've hit the point in a manuscript where the protagonist and her companions enter a whole new world that's supposed to reveal a lot to them about the nemesis. In my literary/contemporary...

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When do I use...phase vs. faze?

In response to a comment on my post "Funky Favorites and How to Spell Them," I'm going to be regularly featuring a pair or group of homophones to help you get better mastery over...

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Turning green

I've been wanting to simplify my blog template for a while. I loved the retro-style wallpaper I had running in the background, but it has begun to feel too "noisy" to me. I tinkered...

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Celebrating A Spy Like Me

In celebration of the official release of A Spy Like Me, Laura Pauling is hosting a three-week blog series: A Spies, Murder and Mystery Marathon. Authors galore, guest posts...

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Another kind of favorite: change agents

How would you characterize "favorite" books? I tend to think of them as ones I read over and over. Perhaps they take me to wonderful places I want to revisit again and again,...

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Funky favorites and how to spell them

You don't have to be on the Internet long to find that spelling is in decline. In particular, I see a handful of common expressions consistently misspelled, or a homophone incorrectly...

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What does a mentor do?

A family member put someone in contact with me who's seeking a writing mentor. I have to admit I'm a bit clueless about how to even get started. So here are my questions for...

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