Tag Archives: authors

Voyager Valentine’s Day Character Dating Contest!

Posted on February 2, 2015 by fairysockmother

  To enter the Voyager Valentine’s Day Character Dating Contest, read the dating profiles in this entry of 2 characters from my forthcoming novel Among Wolves (HarperCollins UK May 2015) then ‘match’ any one of them with a character from the author blogs … Continue reading →

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Fledgling Wordsmiths

Posted on August 10, 2013 by fairysockmother

I have the privilege of working with two groups of young writers at my library. I am continually astounded by their amazing creativity! They grasp subtle elements of plot construction and characterization so easily. Their viewpoints are uniquely fresh and … Continue reading →

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Writer’s Holiday

Posted on July 14, 2012 by fairysockmother

Writing must be a disease. I met three deadlines this week and have a weekend free of the hustle and stress of trying to finish a manuscript (or three or four). I could be gardening, painting, or (God forbid) cleaning … Continue reading →

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First Impressions

Posted on March 30, 2012 by fairysockmother

First impressions are everything! How often have you heard it said that if you can’t grab an editor’s attention on the first page, the rest of your manuscript won’t be read. This isn’t just true of editors either. How often … Continue reading →

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Writing in the Check Out Line

Posted on February 6, 2012 by fairysockmother

Details enrich writing. Fortunately, they aren’t hard to find. Material is constantly available, ready to be mixed into whatever literary concoction you are working on. Gather characters and images while you stand in line at the grocery store: That sobbing baby who pats his … Continue reading →

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Winter Evenings

Posted on January 12, 2012 by fairysockmother

Dark  winter evenings draw us inexorably inward, just as people used to gather to hear stories around a crackling fire. We may think times have changed but we still crave the warmth and comfort of the metaphorical hearth when the … Continue reading →

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Through the Eyes of a Child

Posted on December 12, 2011 by fairysockmother

Sometimes, we think that children are exposed to so much flashy media stimulus that it is hard to capture their imagination with just books. After a recent preschool visit where I read The Christmas Cats, I passed out bookmarks to … Continue reading →

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Ordinary Time

Posted on November 12, 2011 by fairysockmother

When I was a child, I hated reading in the bulletin that a Sunday was designated as “ordinary time.” It meant there was no special holiday, nothing to celebrate or to look forward to. It is only in the past … Continue reading →

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Triage for the Harried and Hurried

Posted on October 28, 2011 by fairysockmother

Weeks with no downtime. Assignments pile up, deadlines loom. Each day leaves more undone. What to do? Write lists, jot notes, on any available surface. Expound on ideas as time allows. Prioritize. Work in short bursts – even 15 minutes … Continue reading →

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Critiques

Posted on September 19, 2011 by fairysockmother

We all like to feel we’ve written the perfect manuscript, but it’s always better to get a second opinion. When you are immersed in the creative process, it’s hard to spot inconsistencies in your own work. Readers will find the holes in … Continue reading →

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