For self-published authors, marketing is not easy. We need to sell the vision—the story, the characters, the world—we put so much of our heart and soul into with a very limited budget. Authors with greater resources can afford to buy advertising, but most of us don’t have that luxury. So, we have to market to the audience most readily available […]
“Who am I to judge?” This is a statement you have likely heard many times. Often it’s spoken by someone who judges without a second thought, until they are caught making an error in judgment. Judgments are a reality of life. We all make them. We all need to make them. They range from the simple (Should I wear long […]
For a long time, I resisted the idea of self-publishing my books. In my mind, a self-published book was a book that wasn’t good enough—a low quality vanity project for a person with no skill and no training. I have a lot of confidence in my stories and have worked hard on them. I have taken classes and gone to […]
I have a confession to make: I read the comments sections on news articles. Even though I know I shouldn’t—even though I tell myself that I won’t—they’re the disaster I can’t look away from. You could call it “online rubber-necking.” At times I do pretty well at exercising self-control, but at other times, they’re just too tempting to resist. Reading […]
I read Archer by Mira Jeffreys almost a year ago and the story is still with me. I meant to write a review at the time, but I’m glad I waited, because it gave me a chance to realize just how powerful its story is. Archer follows Lena and Janine, two childhood friends who haven’t spoken in over two decades. […]
A few months ago, I came across an article from 1973 by a man named Bruce B. Clark, titled “Creative Writing in the Church: A Challenge to Young Writers.” I wasn’t looking for an article for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dealing with writing, but I’m glad I found it. What amazed me the most […]
“I told my brothers that I want to name my future son Tiernan,” the labor and delivery nurse said. “They don’t like it.” “And that’s why you don’t tell people what you plan to name your baby,” I told her. Pre-birth nicknames started in my family when my mom was pregnant with my youngest sister. My dad and brother didn’t […]
“I’m going to the doctor,” Mom says. “Why?” Happy Boy asks, using his favorite word. “So he can check on the baby,” Mom answers. “Be good for Dad while I’m gone.” “Will he take out the baby today?” Sassy Girl asks. “No, it’s still too early.” Sassy Girl pouts. She wasn’t sure about having a new sibling at first, but […]
As I’ve said before, I’m a woman with strong opinions. That includes political opinions. Much more than I’ve ever shared. After all, my dad is an active, caucus-attending Republican, and one of the reasons my mom became an American citizen was so that she could vote for the leaders who make decisions affecting her life. But when it comes to […]