Lots in a Name by Judith Crow
By: Judith Crow I love naming characters – it’s one of the first joys of writing any book. My parents gave all their children fabulous names, especially us five girls
“You’ll Be Okay” Short Film Review and Interview
As a cisgender, straight, white female, I don’t seem like a likely candidate to speak on stories about the transgender community. But I have plenty experience living as an outcast.
Winning Streak by John-Michael Gariepy Author Interview
One summer, my brother, sisters, and I became obsessed with Monopoly. We played it several times a day and got into massive, board-flipping fights over stolen properties and frustration at
How to Effectively Carry Out a Developmental Edit on Your Novel
By: Chelsea of Stand Corrected Editing Once you’ve finished writing your manuscript, you may experience an intense feeling of joy and achievement. You’ll get the champagne out and celebrate with
8 Great Ghost Story Tropes
Ghosts. Like most paranormal entities, they are not just one thing. Yet, they are immediately recognizable. Many believe ghosts to be the spirits of the dead. Others think of them
Willful Evolution by Janice Beetle Author Interview
Back in April, author Janice Beetle wrote a guest post for this site, Spirited Author Hopes to Inspire with Her Book, Willful Evolution, detailing the process of writing her two
My Five Favorite Films: A Guest Post by Jonathan Edward Durham
Movie magic and movie mayhem Movies are as imperfect as an art form gets, which is why they’re absolute magic when they’re done right…and utter disasters when they’re not. To
101 Funny Writing Prompts and Ride + Write by Paulina Combow Book Reviews and Author Interview
Writer’s block tends to hit the hardest when we put too many expectations on ourselves. We intend to sit down and write out a fully formed, polished piece whenever inspiration
The Last Symphony by Tonia Lalousi Author Interview
Mystery readers love the genre because it involves putting the pieces of a puzzle together. Mystery authors love to write mysteries because it involves designing the puzzle and then mixing
Blogger Expertise Essays: Part II
Welcome back to Blogtober 2021 on Laura’s Books and Blogs! Below is part two of this year’s collection of blogger essays highlighting each blogger’s expertise in a subject or skill
You Can’t Kiss a Bubble by Karen A. Wyle Book Review and Author Interview
Whenever my nephew is upset, I grab his giant tub of bubbles, pull out the wand, and surround him with floating orbs of soap. He calms down almost immediately, transfixed
Shells by Joshua Radburn Author Interview
A visual brain is a crucial asset to the writing process. Many authors love other fields of creativity, such as art and film, because that visualization is hardwired into them.
Blogger Expertise Essays: Part I
This year, I put out a call to bloggers asking them to write about an area of expertise other than writing or blogging. Over two blog posts by 12 bloggers,
Jail Journal by Nancie Wiseman Attwater Book Review and Author Interview
For three years I worked in corrections, though I never stepped foot in a jail or prison. Even from behind a computer screen, I could feel myself simultaneously judging and
Badfish by Sue Rovens Author Interview
Writing allows us to develop the parts of ourselves that we don’t always get to show to the world. This is especially true of people who have a dark side