You ever have one of those days when you swear the universe is sending smoke signals but you just can't read them? Yeah. I had one yesterday, its residue strong enough to push me to write about it today. I was preparing to leave for an evening of non-fiction readings by two local authors at the newest event sponsored by the Springboro Historical Society -- Reading Between the Wines -- where I serve as facilitator. I have the honor of introducing the readers for the [...]
As a member of the Central Ohio Fiction Writers, I have attended a fantastic number of presentations by published authors, but none more fun, fascinating, and full of great tips than "Fast Drafting 101" by my delightful March author Jillian David, who lives, in her own words, "near the end of the Earth with her nut of a husband and her bossy cats." A rural physician in her real-world job, award-winning author Jillian David writes quickly (thus the idea of fast-drafting!), then slowly edits [...]
Fab February is here, the shortest and, perhaps the dullest, of the calendar months. Except for the cultural touchstones that keep it interesting -- Valentine's Day, President's Day, National Heart Month, and the birthdays of those we hold dear. For writers like me, the month is an uninterrupted span of days to draft, revise, revisit, and polish existing work and to read and research for future endeavors. There is also, for football fans, the Super Bowl. Now, if my team isn't in it, I have [...]
I'm thrilled to welcome New York Times best-selling author and the writer inspiration for not one but two TV series C. J. BOX to my author nook. I met him at the PrimeCrime Writers Conference in Indianapolis in October of 2022 and was immediately taken by his gracious personality and his willingness to engage with the assembly of writers. Plus, I love a great western tale, and C.J. has crafted over thirty novels, which include the Joe Pickett and the Hoyt/Dewell series as well as [...]
No one is happier than me to see 2022 disappear in the rearview mirror. I'm hoping that the new year brings more opportunities to share my writing, to create new stories, to see new places, and to welcome new friends into my life. To accomplish these goals, I first need to cleanse my workspace -- exterior and interior - of the accumulated baggage from the past twelve months. Therefore, I'm making a list... 1. Redo all sites and passwords* 2. Clean out all file folders [...]
I live in a small town outside of Dayton, Ohio, a city known for the Wright Brothers, a slew of VIP patents for things like cash registers and cars, and a fair amount of sensational murders. Enter Doyle Burke, a local resident who became a Dayton Police Officer in 1978, rose to the rank of Homicide Detective and remained on the job for 22 years. When Burke retired from Dayton P.D., he took a job as Chief Investigator for the Warren County Coroner where he [...]
December girls stand arrow-straight, wear winter white, carmine and black, cool colors for red-hot thinkers, the doers in the darkest part of the year's final gasp. December girls love with fierce ambition and deep commitment, spend themselves on soul causes. They draw Sagittarian bows, release the fletched and sacred darts toward future fate not yet revealed, set their sights on a higher plane and soar, unsullied into the coming year. ~~~ May you join this December girl in welcoming a new year, new ventures, and [...]
Does the romance genre have room for male writers? Definitely, and this month's author -- Jordan Riley Swan -- is proof of that. Swan is the alter ego of Bernie Miller, a self-proclaimed 'wild word hunter' who also writes with a crew to produce romance novels as well as epic fantasy tomes. In addition to running successful business concerns and writing, Swan has served as president of the Central Ohio Fiction Writers organization. His interview provides a delightful glimpse into his world that includes dropping [...]
November may be a dreary month, but I always feel energized by the essay opportunities it provides. After all, in the drabbest month, making a list of things to be grateful for lifts spirits. There is also the voting thing, which has become fraught with dissension and shows no sign of shifting back to the middle ground. And I serve as a poll worker, so training, which is now obligatory for volunteers in Ohio, demonstrates that even in a non-partisan environment, tension reveals itself. Several [...]
Joining the Central Ohio Fiction Writers group has been a positive experience for me, a chance to meet and bond with other authors, learn from the monthly presentations, and expand my list of books to read. I also had the privilege of working on the COFW Ignite the Flame Contest with the lovely Marisa Dillon, whose marketing expertise coupled with her writing provided a new direction for my own work. Dillon's novels are historical romance fiction set in Scotland. Her interest in writing about faraway [...]