I married a grump. Don’t get me wrong, Alpha Dog is my hero and my best friend, but he can be a bit – negative. Sometimes when I realize I’ve been listening to an hour long gripe-fest, I’ll put my hand up and tell him he can’t say anything else, until he says something nice. […]

Piper Bayard & Jay Holmes *** For those of you who write about covert operatives, we invited Bayard & Holmes back to share some insider tips on how to write believable spies. Enjoy! *** The basic function spooks serve is to spy on people and organizations. Technology makes that task easier. One major segment of […]

Susan Spann Exercise caution when reading the “Grant of Rights” in your publishing deal. The “grant of rights” designates exactly which rights the author is licensing (or “granting”) to the publisher, and in many cases it seems straightforward, but dangers and pitfalls often lurk in this part of the publishing contract. Contract language varies widely […]

Two months ago I wrote about writing lessons I learned in the Galapagos Islands. I've been thinking about that post. After returning from a week floating on a lazy river in Mexico, I've got more ideas on the subject, especially since I now have characters and a plot for another brand new book. (I can't travel […]

Margie Lawson I’ve talked to dozens of agents and editors about what makes them stop reading submissions. We’ve chatted on planes and on yachts, in several countries, on several continents. We’ve chatted at luncheons and dinners and late nights in bars. Some agents and editors shared general ideas regarding why they quit reading. They said […]