by Jessica Topper She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket She wears a cross around her neck Yes, the hair is from a little boy And the cross is someone she has not met Not yet This verse from The Black Crowes’ “She Talks To Angels” always stops me in my tracks. Even […]

  by Fae Rowen If you missed Part One or Part Two in this series on developing a character arc through believable backstory, no problem. Click on the part you missed to get caught up. Do you have a character whose arc has flatlined? Maybe you aren't using all of your character's backstory, so instead of […]

By Orly Konig Lopez Quick … what’s your favorite season? Why? Mine is summer. I love the laid back feeling that comes with long, hot days, the smell of fresh cut grass, the sound of sprinklers. Each of us connects with the seasons in a different way. A particular season may trigger certain memories or […]

by Fae Rowen This post isn't just for romance writers. As a genre fiction writer you know that to be drawn into your story, your readers have to care about your characters. This is true of all genres-women's fiction, historical, mystery, thriller, science fiction and all the rest, including the new "hybrid genres." As authors, we […]

by Orly Konig-Lopez Last month Sharla Rae wrote about switching genres. She’s a historical romance writer and has decided to take the leap into a futuristic. The common thread between the two genres that gave her the courage to try: research. That post has been on my mind. I’ve had a particularly bad case of […]