The Writing Rituals of Indie Authors
Over the years, I’ve interviewed hundreds of indie authors on Laura’s Books and Blogs. The interview questions have evolved, but a lot of great writing advice has come out of
Category: Writing and Reading
Posts about all things writing. How to write, how I write, how others write, writing themes, writing tips, ideas, famous writing, and more.
Also posts about reading: how to read, why we read, and what we should read.
The Truth About Writers
As a writer, it’s comforting to see writers in fictional stories. Those characters are instantly relatable, even if they’re not likable or identifiable. Still, books, movies, and shows don’t always
21 YA Indie Book Recommendations
As an adult, no book genre is off limits, and they all have lessons to teach us, no matter what the intended age group. That’s why I have no shame
Psychic Sisters from the Planet Leshma: The Friendship that Inspired Fires Burning Underground by Nancy McCabe
Instant best friend The first day of junior high, in the midst of so much newness and uncertainty, I found an instant best friend. Marissa and I lived on the
My Favorite Moments in Judy Blume’s Fudge Series
As a kid, I liked a variety of book series, but I was always looking for books that could make me laugh. It’s not easy to laugh out loud at
The Alphabet of Me: A Journey of Self-Belief, Family, and Purpose By Desiree Dusablon
From self-doubt to storytelling I never imagined I’d be here—writing, sharing my story, and inspiring others. If you had asked me years ago, I would have said English was my
16 Adult Fiction Indie Book Recommendations
In seven years, I have read and reviewed over 160 books on my blog, most of which were indie books in multiple genres. The “A” months, April and August used
11 of My Favorite Types of Book Covers
The rule of thumb is to never judge a book by its cover, but why not? Cover art is a big deal. It’s part of the package of assembling a
10 of My Favorite Baby-sitters Club Books
As an avid reader growing up, I spent a lot of time at the local library which was literally across the street from my house. As soon as I’d walk
Three Whistling Kettle Winter Teas Paired with Wintery Stephen King Novels
Horror is rightfully most often associated with autumn. However, the long, cold nights, gray snowy days, and the isolated feeling that comes with winter, particularly in classic wintery climates, makes
Laura’s Books and Blogs Blogging Recap 2024
It’s no secret that today’s media is very image driven. The most popular content creators make videos and share their daily lives as well as their interests and skills. I
Hosting a Holiday Party for the Authors on my Bookshelf
This year, I decided to go all out and invite all of the authors from my bookshelf to a holiday party. The authors arrived in groups according to their genre,
Heroes and Villains: Crafting Compelling Characters by Dante
How to write about villains who are very successful from a financial standpoint without glorifying them or resorting to tired stereotypes and creating heroes with great earned achievements that are
What I Would Have Done Differently Before Self-Publishing My First Novel
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to write children’s books. By that, I mean chapter books for children, otherwise known as middle grade. I wanted to write
Has Anyone Else Had Their Characters Dictate Their Story? by Elaine Franklin
The inciting event A few years ago, I was at a writing class at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) in the middle of writing a serious book when I