Tag: We Are Not alone

Nothing Says "Forever" Like a Dead Mother-In-Law Solitaire

I had to vacuum up my father, and he’s now laid to rest with cremated flip-slops, cat fur, dust bunnies one of my favorite earrings, and I hope that makes him happy after being a smart@$$ about that “being blown up in space” crap.

Why Too Many Flashbacks Might Be a Warning of Deeper Story Problems

Today, I’d like to talk about WHY flashbacks can be red flags for me as a teacher or editor. I feel I can speak to this because when I started writing I was CLUELESS. My first novel is being used in GITMO because it is more effective than water boarding.

Pirate Codes & Writing Rules—When is a Flashback a Literary Device?

If I give you guys the BASICS and explain WHY editors, agents and readers almost always dislike flashbacks, you know what is distressing about a flashback so you can avoid the pitfalls if you choose to employ a flashback.

The Hidden EVIL of Flashbacks

Great storytellers are nothing short of sadists. We take a perfectly empathetic/likable person, toss their life in a Vita-Mix and blend, churning that mixture from Level 1-1000.

The Single Best Way to Sell Books (Or Lose a Sale)

We can blog, tweet, promo, purchase ads and wave pom poms over our book and that is all lovely. Attention is grand. An on-line platform is essential. But, if none of these efforts translate into an actual sale? A lot of time and money wasted. What is the best way to sell books?