Have you ever read a series that would have worked better as a single book? Or a standalone novel with untapped potential? When a story’s natural ending is ignored or overlooked, it can create an unsettling experience for readers. As indie authors, we don’t have agents to guide us on this matter, nor do we […]

How to Create a Speaker One-Sheet Public speaking engagements are valuable opportunities for authors to increase awareness about their books. To increase your chances of getting hired, you’ll need a speaker one-sheet. While a straightforward email introduction can go a long way, a one-sheet is the ultimate [...]

  Where are you heading? ~ Is that where you want to end up? I believe these are two of the most important questions we writers can ask ourselves. If you’re happy with the answer, great! Let that affirmation boost your confidence and propel you forward. If not, that’s great too. Now you’re aware of […]

Have you ever seen an artist perform live only to discover a newfound respect for that person and a heightened sense of admiration for their work? When an author delivers a well-crafted speech to the right audience, it can have a similar effect on potential readers. Hearing you speak not only helps readers connect your [...]

Well, my writing career has officially gone to the birds. Literally. Today, I’m over on Writer Unboxed not as the author of another article on indie publishing but as the subject of a Take 5 interview about my new children’s book about a team of racing pigeons, High Flyers: Rookie of the Year, for children [...]

Today I’m over at Writer Unboxed talking about my new children’s chapter book, High Flyers: Rookie of the Year (ages 7-10), and how overcoming my fear of sharing creative control helped me find the perfect illustrator to bring my book to life. Check it out »

Have you ever wondered why some book covers attract readers while others are ignored? Today, I’m over at Writer Unboxed deconstructing the book cover design process and providing helpful hints for creating a cover that gets noticed. Check it out: How to Create a Book Cover That Connects with Readers

It’s been an exciting week. On Tuesday, my newest project, Author In Progress: A No-Holds-Barred Guide to What It Really Takes to Get Published, launched. This project is near and dear to my heart because I got to work with some of my favorite writers in the world: the Writer Unboxed team. Together, we assembled [...]

From time to time, we writers like to take the occasional break. Whether it’s a few weeks to let a manuscript cool or a summer off between projects, sometimes a little distance is nice. For fantasy author Richard Dalglish, a “little break” ended up lasting twenty years, culminating recently in the [...]