I hit the ominous send button. My query letters, for better or worse, are out there in the world. Now I wait, the fate of my success, my dreams, my identity as a writer in invisible hands. Uh, ok, maybe the … Continue reading →

Ah, the literary agent… a magnificent creature, part-myth (few in my world have ever seen one), part-magic, for he or she has the ability to make authors’ dreams come true. You see, they have the power to open magical gateways … Continue reading →

I know… I get it. I understand why literary agents and publishers want a synopsis–a brief summary of the whole novel, including the ending. They need to see that a writer can craft a coherent story from start to finish … Continue reading →

My fictional story opens in a “progressive” world which believes religion of any kind is the root of all evil. It’s the First World in which Lyra, my protagonist, grows up, and the one in which she naturally accepts the anti-religious views … Continue reading →

“Set a schedule,” they say. “Writing is your priority,” they say. “If writing is important, fit it in,” they say. They. The infernal they. The online advice gurus, the well-meaning “how-to” hacks. They all say that you set aside time to write and … Continue reading →

I’m taking the plunge! I’m quitting my job to write full time! Ummm, ok, slight exaggeration. I’m dabbing a toe into the warm waters of the shallow end. I’m taking a one-semester leave of absence to write full time, starting … Continue reading →

Drumroll please… Phoenix Cells by Jen Braaksma (Yeah… I like how that sounds 🙂 ) I always liked the idea that my title should relate to Lyra’s super cells, but I never liked the phrase “super cells”. I always hoped … Continue reading →

While I wait (impatiently) for feedback from my beta readers, I’m starting to work on my query letter. It’s a one-page “sell” of my book that I will submit to literary agents or publishers in hopes of catching their eye. It’s … Continue reading →

“I loved it, Mama, I thought it was perfect.” Yay! Somebody likes my book! Yes, ok, I know it’s my own 12-year-old daughter, but still, she was my first beta reader–a person who reads through a manuscript to see if the whole … Continue reading →