Tag: Rise of the Machines Human Authors in a Digital World

Social Media, Book Signings & Why Neither Directly Impact Overall Sales

The same articles that will discourage writers from social media because it doesn’t sell books aren’t also demanding we halt all book signings. Book signing are fun, they are social, and they’ve historically been a way to connect authors to an audience in a personal way. Until social media they were the only way.

Why Series are Becoming Hot, Hot, HOT! How Dragging Out the Pain is Good for Your Readers

Your readers will hate you, but it’s good for them. Do NOT protect your characters. Screw up their lives more than a meth-addicted multi-personality mother-in-law. Your characters NEED a crucible.

Don't Freeze Your Family—Physics PROVES Why We Writers Need to Lighten UP

This is empirical “proof” that yes, we parents were correct. Toddlers do drain energy. This also “proves” that children, as they get bigger, drain even MORE energy. Think how fast a 98 oz. margarita would chill your tamales (being “Tamale Mom” and “Tamale Dad”) and this explains why teenagers drain energy faster…unless the 98 oz margarita, um teenager wants to date or wear too much makeup and that will temporarily heat the tamales, er parents.

Is Your Life Out of Control? What Can We Do When Nothing is Going Right?

I believe our character will impact our dreams, our relationships, our well-being. And I would love to tell y’all I’ve got it all together, but I’ve been struggling…a lot. And I have some seriously clever excuses involving alien abduction, but….sigh. Tempting as it is, I won’t go there.

Pride, Perfectionism and Anger—Confessions of a Recovering Jerk

On the outside my clothes were perfect, my hair perfect, my house perfect, but truth was? I was falling apart. I felt that showing any weakness was bad, that it made me a failure. This made me prideful and afraid to ask for help. Others didn’t see I needed help because, “Well, Kristen is ‘perfect'” *rolls eyes* Granted, others probably sensed I was a mess so my “perfect” facade simply generated more resentment. People aren’t fond of phonies. Imagine that?