When my book Dolls Behaving Badly published a few years ago, I was a first-time author. I was so naive! I knew nothing about promotion or blogging or the importance of reviews. I assumed that the publisher would take care of everything and that I would sit back and bask in the glow and glory… Read More How to not piss off a book blogger when requesting a review
Happy World Book Day everyone. Okay, I realize that World Book Day was yesterday, but I still feel a need to celebrate. Because, I did it! I met February’s book challenge goal, even though it was a short month. (I think I deserve a cookie for this. No, make it two cookies or, heck, maybe… Read More February’s books, and still gushing over Kevin Wilson
I love you, Luanne Castle! For those of you who don’t know, Castle is the award-winning author of Doll God, with work in such esteemed publications as Grist, Barnstorm Journal, The Antigonish Review, TAB, River Teeth, Lunch Ticket, Wisconsin Review, The Review Review, Ducts, A Narrow Fellow, Redheaded Stepchild and The MacGuffin. When it comes… Read More Another Book Inhabited by Dolls
Guess what? I’m featured on Reading Recommendations, along with my first novel (well, my only novel so far but saying first novel makes it sound much more impressive), “Dolls Behaving Badly,” and I have to admit, the post looks awesome good, too (thanks so so much, Susan!). There’s even a picture of me with The… Read More I’m on Reading Recommendations
Happy Leap Day, everyone. An extra day (!!) to write and submit and obsess and waste time not writing and then even more time by obsessing over why you’re not writing. Mondays, I submit (submit to the master, oh lord, do I sound like I might write “Fifty Shades of Grey” wannabe erotica, lol?). And… Read More A little extra, for Leap Day
Fifteen years later, I see him again. In the green, wet world of rain. We wear sandals, our toes damp and plump. His mouth is the only thing dry. We’re older now, and ruined. Our words spit scabs, salt cutting tongues. Such is love, in the now, in the future of our perfect selves. Read… Read More New work up at 101 Word Story
The Outskirts of Hope, Jo Ivester, 2015: She Writes Press, 238 pages I finished this book a few days ago and on one hand, I loved it. On the other hand, there were parts I found frustrating. Yet, it was truly engrossing. I read it in one day (it was a raining-hard-with-tornado-warnings-staying-inside-and-reading sort of day).… Read More Review: The Outskirts of Hope
I love this post by Kevin Brennan on the real cost of paid reviews, and it’s worth a good read. Like it or not, there are writers out there paying big bucks for reviews with the purpose of pushing their books up on the Amazon rankings, and sadly, it’s working. Sadder still, many of these… Read More Paid reviews–is it shady business?
Saturday, I took a break from writing and my sister and I walked over the newly constructed bridge to Manayunk to watch the Mummers Mardi Gras Parade. Until I visited Philly, I had never heard of a Mummer. Then I read an article in the newspaper and knew I had to see them. Last year,… Read More What I do when I’m not writing
I’m embarrassed to admit this, but even though I’m a writer, who very much depends on book bloggers and their reviews, I never gave much thought behind how difficult it is to write reviews, week after week. Until I started posting my own reviews on this blog. Then it hit me: It’s hard, hard, hard… Read More Hello, Julie Valerie, book blogger extraordinaire
Cinthia Ritchie 