28 Feb 2018

The Book Club Chat

by | posted in: Book Marketing | 8

Since Oprah started her book club years back, the growth of book clubs has exploded. Some five million Americans gather regularly in face-to-face book clubs. Among American women who read one book or more a month, an astonishing 56% belong to book clubs. Tens of millions more join discussions in online book clubs, and the number grows daily. Online clubs now offer exact focuses. Dieselpunk science fiction, paranormal romance, gardening, you name it, it’s out there. A few years ago, … Read More »
26 Feb 2018

RPLA Showcase: Susan Klaus

by | posted in: RPLA Showcase | 1

  2017 Published Fantasy The harpies, a humanoid, winged species, live in peace on their jungle planet, but evil forces conspire against them, and Shail, their golden ruler, again faces the challenge to save his flock. Flight of the Golden Harpy II, Waylaid Susan Klaus Susan Klaus is the author of award-winning thrillers and fantasy. She is founder and president of Sarasota Authors Connection (250 members) and lives in Myakka City, Florida, raising rodeo bulls. At the 2017 Royal Palm … Read More »
14 Feb 2018

Uh-oh, They Want a Synopsis

by | posted in: Writing Craft | 12

Agents and editors (and RPLA) are likely to want a synopsis. But how can you condense a story from hundreds of pages to two or three pages? It seems impossible. Don’t worry, it is possible. Here are some ideas: Use only the main plotline. Yes, the subplots are fascinating, but they cannot be included in a synopsis. Use only the main one, two, or at most three characters by name. Anyone else that has to be mentioned can be described … Read More »
9 Feb 2018

RPLA Showcase: Phyllis Smallman

by | posted in: RPLA Showcase | 0

2017 Published Mystery Phyllis Smallman With a twisting plot and a touch of romantic sensuality, this story captures the essence of small town life where no sin can be hidden for long. The discovery of the ravished body of a teenage girl sets in motion a tragic series of events. Secrets and desires are revealed. The second book in the Singer Brown series, Beach Kill is set on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest. Phyllis Smallman’s first novel, Margarita … Read More »
5 Feb 2018

Is Your Writing Tech Up to Date?

by | posted in: Writing Life | 5

I’m spoiled as a writer. I’m so plugged into my technology that I never pay attention to it unless it stops working. That’s a situation I’m facing now, as the T, R, 5, and -(dash) key have all stopped working on my laptop. That probably means a $500 – $600 repair on a laptop that’s about six months from its “best by” date anyway, so I bought a rechargeable Bluetooth keyboard instead. That inspired me to take a look at … Read More »
2 Feb 2018

The Writing Life: Into the Woods

by | posted in: Writing Life | 8

We’ve blocked off our time and we’ve sat ourselves down and we’ve ignored the distractions of our day to get words on the page. But at some point, our enthusiasm winds down. We find ourselves grasping for the next paragraph and then the next line and then the next word, feeling as if our work is going nowhere. We’re lost. Our work has not only veered off the road of its through line, it isn’t even on the side road … Read More »

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