Blog
Read my new poetry book for free!
Poetry is my safe place as a writer. It’s what I turn to—either to read or to write—when I need a mental pick-me-up, something to wake my mind and tune my senses, or shock me out of a creative rut. It feels like a very free place to play in,
One simple tool for creating a strong character arc
So you need a protagonist, they said. So your protagonist needs an arc, they said. Okay… how do you make that? The protagonist’s arc is crucial, not just for character development, but because it often functions as the spine of the entire story. Of course, there’s no one way to
8 Things to Remember When You’re Struggling to Write
Writing is hard. Getting yourself to write, often, is harder. It took two cat naps, three internet breaks, and a muffin just to get me through the writing of this blog post. Here are eight things I remind myself of while I write to push past mental blocks and stay
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Todd
While in lockdown for the coronavirus, I know that many of us are looking for some free entertainment these days–or at least some distraction. So I wrote a short story in case you could use a bit of diversion in your day. Writing it was a nice, creative distraction for
I’m a white woman writing a black woman’s story: Let’s talk about it
One of the two main projects I’m working on at the moment is a screenplay about the life of abolitionist and author Harriet Jacobs. If you’re not familiar with her, check her out; she was amazing. As I’ve started to mention this project to people, several have asked why I,
Cheap Chic: Home Office Makeover
After being itinerant for most of my adult life, I recently bought my first house. Now, as part of the landed gentry, I wear a pocket watch on a gold chain and say things befitting my station, like “hitherto” and “befitting my station.” I also have a mortgage, which means
The Real-Life Haunted Mansion
The Story of the Heck-Andrews House I’m in love with a building. It started when I was a child growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Every time we’d drive through downtown, there was a certain house I couldn’t get enough of, craning my neck to see it as long as
Five Revelations from my First Book Tour
This month, I embarked on my first-ever BOOK TOUR! It was terrifying and joyous and I’m here to tell you all about it. This is what I’ve learned. 1. Everyone has opinions on AI Since The Plus One is about a robotics engineer who builds her perfect boyfriend, the topic
I Suck at Instagram
I’ve been told that Instagram is the place to be for writers. So a year ago, I buckled down and made an account. So far, the promises about Instagram’s book culture have proven true: I’ve gotten excellent reading recommendations from bookstagrammers, and seen enough drool-worthy photos of overstuffed bookstores and
A Troglodyte Predicts: Thoughts on the future from someone stuck in the past
I have a well-documented history of being severely behind the times. See Exhibit A, the leggings I wore in the 2000s (after they were popular in the 80s/early 90s and before their resurgence in the 2010s), or Exhibit B, my keyboard phone. In this spirit, I am bringing you my