Category: Newsletter
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How NOT to be Distracted while Writing a Novel
Or anything, really If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you’ve tried everything. Or you want to try something new. Or you find yourself getting distracted while writing and are curious about things you might try. This post is not so much advice for the distracted as a product review. But it is an honest…
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I have a shiny first draft!!!!!
I have had it for awhile now, but what with the busyness of the holiday season (and the month of December in general, especially for parents and teachers), I haven’t had a chance to announce it. But… Taming the Beast, sequel to my forthcoming young adult historical fantasy novel Breaking the Silence, officially exists! It…
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Writing When Sick :(
I’m on day 34 of a writing challenge, and I would be lying if I said it was smooth sailing the entire time. About 2/3 of the way through October, I came down with a nasty cold. These are my reflections on powering through writing when I felt like doing anything but. It is inevitable:…
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Time for a Challenge!
It’s fall, and for a good portion of writers who grew up with the NaNoWriMo novel writing challenge, creativity is in the air. And to be honest, I’ve never been able to keep up a daily writing habit without a good, solid deadline. At this point I’ve been writing for decades, but it doesn’t matter…
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I Love a Good Map
In this Breaking the Silence summer update, I muse about maps and what they can add to the experience of reading a novel. (Yes, there will be a map at the beginning of Breaking the Silence, and I’m really excited about it!) Geography and the Novel Geography is hard. Especially to the non-spatially inclined, figuring…
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The Art of the Historical Note
I suppose I knew all along, but never gave much thought to, the fact that once I finished a book I would have to write a whole bunch more things before I could publish it. A whole bunch more things in other genres. One of those things is the jacket blurb, which you can view…
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Announcing: Breaking the Silence
I’m excited to announce that I have officially signed a contract with Tree Shadow Press to publish my novel Breaking the Silence. In the coming weeks and months, look for a new page dedicated to Breaking the Silence, a cover reveal (I have seen the initial drawings, and I’m really excited!), and information about publication…
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Start ’em Young
This past week I made several interesting observations about the reading and writing habits of kids, which I’ve been reflecting on a lot as a middle-grade author (and also, not going to lie, as a parent and a teacher). Here are a few: I don’t have any profound conclusions to offer from these observations, but…
Tiggy McLaughlin 