Why Writers Should Read Their Own Books….

…even after publication.   Before, for instance, turning in the next book (if at all possible.)  At least read the old manuscript file.  Because otherwise a person who thinks she knows *exactly* what the end of the previous book was like (after all, it’s the last thing she revised, and proofread, and sent off to Editor) Read More…

BOOK DAY

I was supposed to post this earlier but we had thunderstorms and rain and more rain and thunderstorms…and I did post it where people who don’t come here and might now know the book’s about to be out could find it easily.  But I sure didn’t mean to neglect y’all here.   It was a great Read More…

First Sighting

My UK editor sent me a “hot off the press” copy of COLD WELCOME.  Remember embossed titles?  This one isn’t, but my name at the top and the title at the bottom are in shinier ink.  Very classy.   This book-ended the week beautifully, since I had sent INTO THE FIRE to my US editor on Read More…

And It’s Off to Agent

Yes, INTO THE FIRE is now with Agent, and will go to Editor on Monday morning.   All the square brackets have been dealt with, all the timing issues I found have been fixed, lots of little errors have been fixed,  and the working file (with old filename…like the barn name for a show or race Read More…

Audio Book & Other Stuff

This week I learned that Brittany Pressley will be narrating the audiobook of COLD WELCOME.   She emailed me about characters, pronunciation of names, etc. , and I may have drowned her with information (writer of long novels.  Not really good at the elevator pitch.)   I also heard from Audible’s Author Care, which has suggestions about Read More…

Of Time and Orientation

If you write a novel with a linear structure and only one POV character–no skipping off for flashbacks, for alternate points of view or “meanwhile back at the ranch” segments–keeping the temporal continuity is simple.   First this, then that, then the next thing, and the solid singular POV keeps even the writer perfectly oriented to Read More…

And a Reviewer said…

From Booklist‘s review: “Moon returns to hard sf after nearly eight years, visiting familiar characters from the Vatta’s War series. Though it is intended as an alternate entry in the series, readers need not have read the previous books to enjoy this one; Moon provides enough backstory to fill in any blanks. A gripping page-turner Read More…

Cold Welcome: Signs of Spring

Spring flowers are coming out here (including the non-native little white daffodil-shaped things) and not having a cold welcome from the weather at all.  Dandelions, a honeysuckle that flowers in winter and smells like lemon, swelling buds on all but the most wary trees and bushes.   So…what about Cold Welcome?  You’ve seen both the covers.  Read More…

UK Cover for COLD WELCOME

I  can now reveal the cover for the UK edition of COLD WELCOME (Orbit UK, April).   However, I have to write a few lines about it, before this particular WordPress theme will let me post an image and it may not be a good big one.  If this one looks small,  hop over to my Read More…