This is the first time that I’ve written anything publicly since my mother passed away suddenly on March 8th, excluding her obituary and her eulogy. To be honest, it felt like the creativity completely went out of me, and that my relationship with writing left me along with my mother.
Read moreWolf Pit Launch
Wolf Pit, the second book in the Purple Door District series, has officially been out for two months now. I didn't write about the launch in December because I wanted to wait for the second Iowa City launch to happen first. I'll say this, it was so much easier preparing for it this year than the first, if only because I had two wonderful establishments, M & M Bookstore and Sanctuary Pub, who took care of things!
Read moreMy Top 10 Favorite Writing Facebook Groups/Pages
As writers, we constantly hear how we need to have an online presence. Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Goodreads, Tumblr, etc., the more people we can connect with, the better our book sales. But exploring pages and finding a writing community can be difficult when you don't know where to start, or you're introverted like I am. So I've compiled a list of my top 10 favorite writing Facebook Groups/Pages that have helped me find a community, get published, create a marketing plan for myself, and much, much more.
Read more10 Tips for Writers
I interview authors every month to learn more about them and their craft. One of the questions I always ask is, "What are common traps for aspiring writers?" The answers have been very enlightening, and I'd recommend checking them out here. But it got me thinking, what tips do I have for fellow authors? Here are a few important ones that came to mind.
Read moreThe Year I Almost Lost
My readers know I’m not typically shy when it comes to discussing depression and anxiety. Suicidal thoughts is a harder topic to go over, though. I don’t want to scare people who are close to me who think I might go off the deep end. And for those who look up to me and think I’m strong, I don’t want them to feel, “Well, if she can’t handle it, then how can I?” The mind is such a beautiful, wonderful thing, but that doesn’t stop the darkness from creeping in. And what I want to talk about isn’t so much why I almost ended my life, but rather, why I celebrate that I didn’t.
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