February 9, 2010
It’s almost time for the Big Sur Writing Workshop and this year I’m super excited because I’m only using it as a writing retreat. Instead, it’s my son who’s going to the workshop to […]
February 4, 2010
How is it possible to love a city as much as I love New York? It’s not even my home town. I only lived there for a few years, twenty years ago, yet each time […]
December 1, 2009
As another mad National Novel Writing Month challenge comes to a close I’m particularly grateful to have any words on the page at all, never mind over 50,000 of them. Quite what possessed me to […]
November 25, 2009
One of my favorite books of 2009 was Arthur Slade’s THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS, so when Shelley Souza interviewed Arthur, I asked if she’d mind sharing their conversation here to spread the word. We need more books […]
November 24, 2009
It’s 1.27 am and the house is quiet. Even my hyper Irish hound is out cold. The cats are snoring ever so softly. No Harleys are thundering past my window, making the glass rattle in […]
November 23, 2009
I was delighted when Donald Maass, NY agent and president of the Donald Maass Literary Agency stopped by my chat room recently to answer a few questions for some of his recent workshop graduates. Here’s […]
October 21, 2009
I got a chance to interview debut YA fantasy author Janice Hardy for The Enchanted Inkpot blog this week, and I was so thrilled with her thoughts on the writing process and the genesis of […]
September 4, 2009
By pulling our punches as writers for fear of upsetting a censorious minority we are crippling one of teenagers’ most powerful conduits to growth. Don’t do it. Ignore the naysayers. Laugh at those who don’t […]
July 15, 2009
I just got an e-mail update from Laura saying the edited pitch I’ve posted here is “excellent – very nicely compressed and made more urgent.” So there you have it, straight from the agent’s mouth. […]