Three things I’ll never write in my author bio

Even before I started writing novels, I’ve always loved reading authors’ bios. When I try out a new novelist, I usually read the first page and then flip to the inside back cover. If they’re both well written and interesting, I feel more confident about my chances of connecting with the author and the story… Continue reading Three things I’ll never write in my author bio

Love lessons from contemporary romance heroes

This is cross-posted at  The Season. I’ve celebrated one Valentine’s Day in my entire life. One. It was in 2003, and my boyfriend (now husband) and I had been together for three months. He hated the idea of a manufactured day of love, and tried to explain that he didn’t think love was about exchanging… Continue reading Love lessons from contemporary romance heroes

Living vicariously through kick-ass heroines

This is cross-posted at The Season. I will never be a kick-ass heroine. Oh, I’ve had adventures and am proud of the things I’ve accomplished, but I’ve come to understand myself well enough to know my limits. I will never chase after a villain. In fact, the second I get nervous about a situation, I’ll… Continue reading Living vicariously through kick-ass heroines

How to write accents and speech patterns

I’ve written a couple posts about accents – specifically, about how to write a character who has a different accent to you, and some subtle differences in British and American English. Today I want to talk about an amazing debut novel that I think handles accents brilliantly – In for a Penny by Rose Lerner.… Continue reading How to write accents and speech patterns