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Review: Country Bride
Rating: DNF — I am a huge fan of escapist romance reads. Improbable situations? Great. Ridiculous deals leading to romance? Fantastic. And even better, this one promised to be devoid of secret billionaires, celebrity, exotic locations — all the soapy stuff that is usually the hallmark of shallow characters.
Tied Up in a Bow
What's the one thing that keeps a reader turning the page? One word: tension. To be more specific, it's the build up of tension and the expectation of release. But that's such a broad concept with a myriad of options, how can one possibly write a single article on the...
Announcing: The Little Owl
There is no such thing as right anymore. Gwen has set herself strict rules to keep her heinous abilities in check: No listening in. No Coercion. No lies. But now she must decide how much of a monster she's willing to become in order to save the people she loves. I am...
On the Prowl
A deleted scene for Table Five. Spoilers ahead: Mae and Jamie are looking for someone to help her check off the final item on her list. Several guys caught Mae’s eye as they danced, though most of them backed off the second they saw Jamie, who was obviously dancing...
The Beautiful Beta
If there's one thing every author needs, its eyeballs on your page. Not just one pair, but many. Of all the long, complicated, fluid steps involved in writing a book, one of the most valuable is the Beta Read stage. At this point, you have finished your novel and are...
Crazy Aunt June
Some notes about the one character that never quite made it to the page, from The Ordinary Life of Emily P. Bates. Crazy Aunt June, as described by Emily. This excerpt didn't make the final cut. June Bates. There’s only one way to describe that woman: ...
Much Ado About Pat
Taken from my notes document for Table Five. The big problem: how do I get Pat and Mae to meet? Okay, I want Mae and Pat to meet at some point without Mae realizing who she is (at least not at first). First of all, Pat knows how Mae is involved with Jamie, so her...
Performance Anxiety
An excerpt from Chapter 8 of The Ordinary Life of Emily P. Bates. Emily visits Finn at the Cornell Library, where he works. “So,” I started, and then stopped to gather my words. “So I was actually kind of avoiding this party thing for a reason.” “Really?” Finn sounded...
Sex and Climaxes
I am personally all for getting nasty in print (as proven by my latest book, set to come out next year!) But even the raunchiest of us know that graphic sex scenes aren't always appropriate. You have to consider things like audience (you don't want to be handing porn...
Review: Break the Stone
Rating: 5 Stars — I read Break the Stone as a preliminary beta reader. Even with an unpolished copy, I could not put it down. It’s a fantastic debut for new author Cassie Swindon, full of suspense and romance.