Should Books Have Trigger Warnings?

Thursday, October 31, 2019
Recently, I was reading someone's blog post that was reviewing a Stephen King book. I can't really recall what the book was, but a comment by the blogger gave me pause. They mentioned how they wished there were trigger warnings for some of the content in the book. So, this made me wonder - should books have trigger warnings for specific content? In all my life reading, I have never thought to...
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The Rights and Wrongs of NaNoWriMo

Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Here it is, just two days from the start of NaNoWriMo, and I feel compelled to offer my annual advice concerning this November writing event. But first, for the uninitiated, a quick look at National Novel Writing Month: National Novel Writing Month started twenty years ago and I suspect that in the beginning, it was just a fun writing challenge to give a group of coffee shop writers a way to get...
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Interview with Stephanie Scissom, Spring 2019 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Stephanie’s Bio: Stephanie Scissom hails from Altamont, TN. She plots murder by day and works nights in a tire factory. She’s published in romantic suspense and horror and is currently working on an apocalyptic trilogy. If you haven't done so yet, check out Stephanie's story, "Murmurations." and then return here for a chat with the author. WOW:  What was the inspiration behind “Murmurations”?...
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Trying To Get a Book Published Is Not So Easy...

Monday, October 28, 2019
Last week, I announced that I would have a new picture book out titled, Listen, Lucy! Listen! A Red Ribbon Week Adventure, and I do! I did it! I got the book out before a lot of schools are celebrating Red Ribbon Week and before the National Family Partnership's Red Ribbon Week dates of October 23 to October 31, 2019. I am thrilled. But getting to this point was not easy. I share this story with...
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Engage Your Senses: Getting the Words to Flow

Sunday, October 27, 2019
There are times that even if you don’t feel like writing, you need to get words on paper. Maybe it is because you are taking part in NaNoWriMo. Or you might be facing a deadline. Or you get to write two hours a week while your partner takes the kids to the park and that time is NOW. Fortunately, engaging your senses can help the worlds start to flow. Sound. We often think of reading and writing...
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Satisfying Endings

Saturday, October 26, 2019
Joe Hill has a new book out. Full Throttle is a book of short stories he's written over the years. I drooled with anticipation when I saw it on the bookstore shelf, and didn't hesitate snatching it and rushing to the cashier. In case you aren't familiar with Joe Hill, he's one of the sons of Stephen King. In my opinion he's his father's equal. (Except when it comes to my favorites: The Shining,...
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Secrets of Dealing with Unhappy Clients

Thursday, October 24, 2019
Just typing the title of this blog post made me cringe. You see, I’m an enormous people pleaser. I hate conflict. I would rather crawl into bed and hide than face an unhappy friend, relative or client head on. It’s one of my greater weaknesses. This past summer, I took on a new role of working as an editor for a monthly lifestyle magazine. I had worked for this particular magazine for more than...
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Your Writing Space

Wednesday, October 23, 2019
I love asking people what their writing space looks like. I once thought if my office was set-up just perfectly I could be more creative...but the more successful people I talk to, the more I've come to realize it's not the space that makes them creative or successful. Some offices are tidy. Some offices are a small corner table at the local coffee shop. Some offices double as a kitchen table once...
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Interview with Elizabeth Maggio: Spring 2019 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Elizabeth’s Bio: Armed with a geology degree from New York University, Elizabeth Maggio moved cross country to begin her writing career as the science reporter on the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson and then as science editor at the University of Arizona were she founded a research magazine. After picking up a degree in Italian while at the university (“someone had to speak the family language properly”),...
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Look for the Small Successes (Wherever You Can Find Them)

Monday, October 21, 2019
This past week I received two rejection letters for a couple of short stories. You would think I'd feel disappointed, setback, and uninspired, but instead I feel hopeful. The two rejection letters I received had a tone of positivity. One part of me thought, "They probably say this to everyone." The other part of me thought, "Well, maybe not. This could mean you're writing is getting better." I'm...
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Facing Doubts and Insecurities So You Can Reach Your Goals

Sunday, October 20, 2019
Many of us who blog on The Muffin write about the topic of  writing doubts and insecurities. Most definitely, it’s the life of a writer. If you're reading this, you've probably had the thought: This manuscript is terrible. No one will ever want to read it. This is the dumbest idea I've ever had.  This is probably true for any creative people who pour their heart and soul into their work...
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Audience: Why You Have to Know Who They Are

Saturday, October 19, 2019
You have to know who your audience is. Otherwise, you can’t give them what they want. Don’t see the link? Then you should have been with my husband and I when we were trying to pick out an audiobook for a recent road trip. I had three different books already checked out. I just had to get him to choose one. They were: Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie...
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Friday Speak Out!: Stay Seated

Friday, October 18, 2019
by Mary Fleming Almost two years after I began to work on my first novel, I had a revelation: writing is not unlike a factory job. This may seem a depressing thought, especially for a writer who has the good fortune to live in Paris, but it has actually encouraged, even buoyed me on many an occasion. Before I took up writing full-time I represented an American foundation in France. I worked alone...
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Am I Ready For a Rocking Chair?

Thursday, October 17, 2019
I turned 60 this past summer. No big party (thank goodness). My family thankfully listened to me about what I wanted, and we had a great dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. No huge gala, but a huge pause. Things start happening after 60. Bad things. Sixty is the time when people start perusing the obituaries... They create a bucket list and tally up all the things they haven't done...
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It May Not Look Like Work...

Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Have you ever wondered if all that time spent on social media or even sallying forth to make actual live connections makes any difference in your writing career? I mean, here you are, hard at work, but does it matter? Really? And then I have a couple of weeks that feel like a genuine pat on the back. The other night I spoke to a women’s group about my writing life and the circuitous journey I...
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Interview with Martha Goddard, Runner Up in the WOW! Spring 2019 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Martha Goddard is a freelance writer, director and content creator for short and long-form drama. A graduate from the Australian Film Television and Radio School’s Masters programme, Martha has directed commercials, documentaries and award-winning short films that have screened at over thirty film festivals around the world. “Marigold” is Martha’s first work of flash-fiction but it’s definitely...
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Welcome to Maravilla by R. Douglas Clark - Book Blog Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway!

Monday, October 14, 2019
The tiny hamlet of Maravilla, New Mexico is not immune to modern-day problems. But the citizens of Maravilla have their own special problems, as well: A developer wants to build a Christian-themed amusement park next to Maravilla’s historic church. The county line runs right through the town, splitting it in two. And the government is threatening to close their post office! Into this muddle...
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