My notes on promoting seem really scattered. That might be because promoting can be overwhelming to me. There’s this huge ocean of books and my own recent release is just a bitty drop [...]

I had a signing yesterday at Barnes & Noble in Charlotte, NC. It ended up going well, although my plans for the event were completely hijacked. (Yes, that’s me in the corner of [...]

While I was writing in Mexico (Epcot’s Mexico, let me hasten to add), a very pleasant Hispanic Disney staffer came over to talk to me. He was curious about what I was doing. [...]

At first glance (and second and third glances, too) my writing process is chaotic. I pick up and put down the laptop, I write at stoplights, I grab my moments. All summer I [...]

I’m going to take a walk on the wild side this Friday morning. Here we go: what role does luck have in getting published? This is something of a controversial topic. I’ve heard [...]

Yes, it’s Thursday morning again. Today I’m sharing a bowl of chicken soup…with all the ailing passengers I encountered on my flights to Orlando and back. Enjoy! Yesterday I touched a little on [...]

Say what you will, Disney is one of the long-time masters at presentation and delivery. If you go to their parks with the mindset that you want to have fun, they’ll do their [...]

Driving my car to the airport, I was nearly blown off the road by a car on the highway. It flew by, then cut directly in front of me and sped off. As [...]

Today I’m over at the Midnight Ink blog, Inkspot. I’m sharing some thoughts on a movie about writing that I thought was interesting, and I’m sharing some regrets about having murdered a few [...]

The book signing yesterday went well and I sold about a dozen books.  The staff was great, the customers were nice, and I got to visit with my parents! So it was a [...]

Love them or hate them, book signings have become a necessary part of what it means to be a published writer. I think that even if you’re an extrovert (not that many writers [...]

With my Myrtle Clover series, I developed a protagonist who is a very dominant main character. The characters alongside her are far weaker in every way. Even when Myrtle is pitted against a [...]

It’s Thursday! Today’s Heart Attack on a Plate is sponsored by “Southern Apple Cobbler.” Want to know how much sugar is in this recipe? Pop on over and find out! :) Revision Notes: [...]

This week I’m going to be trying some new things. One thing I’m going to do is practice doing live interviews. I’m not a fan of live interviews, I have to admit. I [...]

There was a funny episode of Seinfeld ages ago where George Constanza decides that all his instincts in life are misguided and that every life decision has been wrong. His life is the [...]

Mysteries are full of conflict. It’s a good versus evil struggle with internal and external conflicts abounding. Most novels, in fact, are heavy on conflict. Otherwise, it’s a dull book. Even if the [...]

My sister told me a hilarious story the other day. It was so funny. She and I had such a big laugh over it! But I can’t share it. She’d have my head. [...]

I’m the Queen of taking on too much.  It’s never my idea, mind you, but because I’m known as a volunteer (school, Scouting), people come to me with ideas on more ways for [...]

I’m a mystery writer, but my books are only minimally scary. They’re more about the puzzle and the characters. But I think it would be fun to try something different. The other day [...]

Yes, it’s a busy day here at Mystery Writing is Murder. For those of you who are just joining me, I have a post below this one that persuades you that asparagus would [...]

  Yes that is an incredibly healthy looking picture for a Thursday morning on the Mystery Writing is Murder blog.  But hold your horses.  It does have bacon and nuts in it.  My [...]

Maybe this post should be about the family I neglected the past few days before my project deadline. But no, it’s actually about a manuscript that I need to dust off and start [...]

5 a.m. Yesterday, the day before deadline—get up, drink coffee.Decide to pack kids’ backpacks before writing. What’s this? Seems to be an uncompleted sheet for son’s 7th grade Business Computer class. And…oh no. [...]

I’m a huge fan of storytelling. My mother used to read stories to the children at my elementary school, my parents read nightly to me growing up, and I read to my own [...]

So I’m back in the grocery store yesterday afternoon (because I can’t organize a week’s cooking menu to save my life) and I’m navigating the extremely crowded aisles at the Harris Teeter. They’re [...]

Well, school started back this past week here in North Carolina. I have to admit in many ways I was glad. Don’t get me wrong—I love my children and love spending time with [...]

As you know, I had a good-sized revision to make on my manuscript. But—ta-da! I finished it and now have resumed my favorite activity of picking my project to death before I email [...]

As promised, I’m reporting in on my book club appearance from a couple of nights ago. I have to say I was really impressed with the group. Favorite parts of the evening: In [...]

I’m not the most flexible person in the world. I like sticking to a plan whether or not it turns out to be a good one in the end. I can abruptly shift [...]

This evening I’m speaking to a local book club. I know writers who do quite a few book club appearances, but I’ve only spoken to a few. Galen Kindley wrote a great blog [...]