Where to go for free and honest book reviews — One of the most challenging parts of being an author comes after the book is finished. Marketing and promotion are necessary, yet most authors have zero marketing experience. Nevertheless, they are expected to know what to do to promote their book. …

Understand what your story is about and share it with your readers — I have been asked in interviews who my favorite authors are, and I never know what to say. I love so many authors, and it depends on the genre. It also depends on if the interviewer means modern writers or the greats who wrote classical literature. I love different writers…

Make Your Settings Come Alive — One of the joys of reading is being transported by the author to a new place. I love to travel, and before I had children and way too many bills, I used to travel a lot. London over Thanksgiving break, Alaska to run a marathon in the summer, and South…

And providing value for your reader — Mostly, I focus on fiction writing. It’s what I know best since that is what I write. But, after almost two years of blogging on Medium, I can share some real impressions and thoughts. First, what is the purpose of blogging? Back in the early 2000s when I had my…

Tapping into Your Creativity — Sometimes the backspace key is my favorite and most used key on my keyboard. I type a word, don’t like it, and backspace to get rid of it. I try again. Still not right. Again and again, I attempt to get that word just right. Finally, I locate the perfect…

Tapping into Your Creativity — Where does creativity come from? How do you make it show up when you need it to? We have probably all had those experiences where we struggle to figure something out with our stories or even in real life, and we can’t think of the solution. But when we least…

How to Fund Your Writing Dream — Years ago, I attended a conference in Miami. I was invited by another author who decided to gather a group of Latina writers and hold a conference. During lunch on a gorgeous hotel patio overlooking the ocean, authors performed a few readings, and I chose not to. Nely Galan, former…

What it takes to write great Women’s Fiction — Are you interested in writing within the women’s fiction genre? Do you know what women’s fiction is? Recently, I was invited to and spoke at a Kiwanis club about women’s fiction (it was Women’s History Month) and found that many people equated it with romance. Women’s fiction can have romantic…

Making major progress on your writing project — Today I’m snowed in! I couldn’t leave the house if I wanted to. We got about a foot of snow last night, and today the weather experts warn of high winds and blizzard conditions. My university is closed, and probably most businesses are closed as well. …