Can there only be two types of characters in fiction? I’ve read many articles about types of stories, claiming that there are a limited number of stories in existence. I don’t believe it. Not for a second. There are as many stories as there are human beings — and humanity is changing all the time. But when you’re creating a character, a fictional construct perhaps based on a real person, you have to make a…
I’m thrilled to be part of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association first ever quarterly Author Happy Hour. Thursday, March 22, at 7 pm Eastern Time (4 pm PacificDaylight) I was on live video, answering questions and chatting with three other women’s fiction authors! Here’s the event link — now archived on Youtube.
My Author Interview at Fiery Seas is up today! A few tidbits of writing tips, author secrets, and comments on movie stars from the conversation: Which book would you want adapted for the silver screen? The Renaissance Club was made for the big screen. Just think of all those gorgeous places in Italy — Rome, Assisi, Florence, Venice. Not to mention the gorgeous and exciting Bernini (ideally played by the gorgeous and exciting James MacAvoy).
You’ve written a novel that’s been published — traditional, small press, or indie — HOORAY! And you launched. Now you’re watching the sales numbers and offering to do blog tours and readings. What else? How to build buzz for your debut novel? You look at author websites and see pitches for freebies and long lists of books. You see bestseller list mentions, excruciatingly gorgeous blurbs from famous authors, and you might feel a little perplexed…
Promoting your book should be fun and easy — are you crazy? When there are millions of books out there competing for attention, getting your published book to shine in a spotlight that readers can find seems at first like finding a gold ring that’s been thrown into the ocean. If you’re a new author and waiting for your book to launch, or it has just launched and you’re obsessing over not doing enough, you…
The most wonderful thing has happened, the thing I always wanted, and I’m in here under the covers hiding from the book launch day for my first novel, The Renaissance Club. It was published on January 23 by Fiery Seas Publishing, a wonderful new publishing company. Your book launch may not be as scary as mine, but probably it will be. You might find yourself hiding like I am because after all the effort to write…
In Places That Verb Your World- Around the World in Books, I’m going to create a series of posts about novels and nonfiction books that take you traveling. Armchair traveling is one of my favorite ways to travel around the world. I’m not much good on an airliner these days, unless in First Class, and so I do a lot of my traveling via books. I have my longtime favorites and my new favorites, which…
The month-long blog tour arranged by my publisher, Fiery Seas, has yielded a wonderful, thoughtful review of my novel The Renaissance Club. I’m very pleased at today’s review on the book blog, What Cathy Read Next. This sensitive reviewer has visited some of the places in the book — Rome and Venice — and seen some of Bernini’s art. One of my favorite paragraphs in the review connects my writing as a poet with descriptions…
My novel, The Renaissance Club, has been very well launched! My wonderful publisher, Fiery Seas, not only threw a five-day virtual launch party, but also organized a 31-day blog book tour! These book reviewing blogs feature excerpts, author interviews, reviews, and Q&As with authors.They’re the online equivalent to flying the author around the country to appear at bookstores to sign and read from their books. In the new world of social media and virtual appearances,…
Having a book out in the world isn’t a new experience for me. With three poetry books out in the world, I’ve experienced the elation, stage fright, happy overwhelm, and sheer joy in completing a book and giving it an audience. But to have a novel published is in another sphere. It’s a goal I’ve had since I was a child. And yesterday, I achieve it, with the release of The Renaissance Club from Fiery…