Shirley Jackson‘s The Lottery was published in 1948. Apparently, she knocked out this this piece that will forever (it seems) remain on reading lists in college, in a mere afternoon. That’s pretty darn impressive. Premise of The Lottery A small village is preparing for the annual lottery. The majority of the story is the buildup…
Category: Write
Warnings About Free Courses
NOTE: FOR THE BEST OF THE BEST SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM Ever wonder if that free course is legit? Is your gut sending warnings that something isn’t right? Curious to know if the paid course offered at the end of the free course will be worth it? There are a gazillion and six writers…
A New Library In Town: One Stop For Writers
If there’s one thing all writers agree on, it’s that writing is TOUGH. The road to publication twists and dips as we learn the craft, hone our abilities, create stories we’re passionate about, fight discouragement, educate ourselves about the industry…and then start the process all over again as we realize there’s room to improve. But…
Grandpa Might Come Back
Today I’m sharing a little insight. This isn’t just for writers, this is for everyone. We all have times where we struggle to move forward and find a mantra that propels us – helps us put one foot in front of the other – can make everything much easier to bear. I’m in the midst of…
Mark Your Calendars: Chicken Soup for the Soul
Yep, this is happening. I am proud to announce I have a piece (No One Listened) in the upcoming Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dreams and Premonitions. I love these books, I’ve read them for many years. The stories have brought me to tears, made me smile, and produced uncontrollable laughter. Every story has…
Job Scoop: Live Sound Engineer
As writer’s we have common jobs we frequently use for our characters. In an effort to find a variety of positions I’ve been asking those I love, those I know, and those I’ve just met about their jobs. We can always guess what kind of conflict happens, but it’s nicer to get it straight from those…
Job Scoop: Pizza Delivery Driver
This is a new segment to my blog. I hate my characters to have the same old jobs and yet, I struggle to locate new positions where their work can be either a hindrance or a necessary component to the plot. Let’s face it, if I have a character stumbling across dead bodies on a…
K.A. (kick-ass) Cheerleader – Take Responsibility
Ever whine about someone getting a promotion over you? Ever grit your teeth and think “She’s so lucky, she just wrote that novel and got published.” Ever warm the bench and glare at the coach for not giving you game time? Well, stop it! It’s time to take responsibility for your life. Yeah, we all…
Job Scoop – Telecom Technician
*This is a new segment to my blog. I hate my characters to have the same old jobs and yet, I struggle to locate new positions where their work can be either a hindrance or a necessary component to the plot. Let’s face it, if I have a character stumbling across dead bodies on a…
So Your Character Needs a Job – Merchandiser
This is a new segment to my blog. I hate my characters to have the same old jobs and yet, I struggle to locate new positions where their work can be either a hindrance or a necessary component to the plot. Let’s face it, if I have a character stumbling across dead bodies on a…