The dreaded question for any writer - where do you get your ideas? Neil Gaiman once said “Doctors, for example, are always being asked for free medical advice, lawyers are asked for legal information, morticians are told how interesting a profession that must be and then people change the subject fast. And writers are asked … Continue reading Three Ways To Generate an Idea for Your Next Novel
While I was gathering inspiration for the cover of my horror novel, Gevingey, I obviously looked to the King for guidance. His books often have multiple covers, which meant multiple different ways of telling people about a story in a new or different way (which is bully for an amateur designer trying to find her … Continue reading 3 Movie Tie-In Book Covers : Stephen King Edition
Grace Metalious (1924 - 1964) The story of Grace's life isn't an overly happy one. She was born into a broken, impoverished home in the backwoods of New Hampshire in the middle of the Great Depression. At eighteen she married George Metalious and had her first child. Grace drank, swore and wore baggy men's clothing. … Continue reading Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967) is the epitome of a literary triple threat - the man was a poet, novelist and a playwright. Besides being an absolute babe, he helped to create "jazz poetry", lead the Harlem Renaissance in New York City and was a political activist, culminating in being interrogated by McCarthy. A complex … Continue reading Poet Crush: Langston Hughes
Salman Rushdie Midnight's Children was Salman Rushdie's second novel, published in 1981. The novel blending magical realism and historical fiction won the Booker Prize that year. It was very uncontroversial, even being deemed the best novel of all previous winners of the Booker Prize. Salman Rushdie, a British Indian, wouldn't have such an easy time … Continue reading Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
You might think the world of literature and especially science fiction and fantasy, would be safe from the delusions of the alt-right. An area of writing dominated by white male authors for years, there's no way they could possibly try to say that diversity is ruining SFF. Right? In 2013, Larry Correia, an author of … Continue reading The Alt-Right’s Failed Attempt to Troll the Hugo Awards
At this time of year when it’s colder than Mars in Manitoba, disappearing into a book is a great way to be somewhere, anywhere else. One of the places I return to most often in the winter, it seems, is Thornfield Hall and the world of Jane Eyre. The setting is wild, gothic and romantic, … Continue reading 5 Jane Eyre Quotes to Inspire You To Be Kinder To Yourself in 2019
I’ve done a ton of research on self-publishing books in the last year. My self-published novel, Gevingey, will be coming out this February. For the past year, I’ve been diving into the world of self-publishing along with a few friends who are also on this same journey. A few things surprised me along the way … Continue reading Busting Three Ridiculous Self-Publishing Myths
Instagram is cashing in on bibliophiles. With over 27 million pictures tagged with #bookstagram, there's a lot of book lovin' going on. That's a lot of content to look through but luckily, you have me, a book addict who is Instagram obsessed, to curate accounts for you. Here are my top seven current must-follows (in … Continue reading 7 Bookstagrammers to Follow in 2019 for Reading Inspiration
Writing book reviews seems easy - just talk about the book, and whether you liked it or didn't like it and why. It's common to forget that a review (a critical perspective on a text) should have an argument it's trying to prove. There must be commentary, not just summary. In an effort to clarify … Continue reading How to Write a Book Review Worth Reading
