Beginning with the Stock Market crash of 1929, the Great Depression, as it would later be called, swept across the United States, plunging much of the country into an unprecedented state of poverty. Crop prices fell by 60%. Construction projects and manufacturing ground to a standstill. Unemployment wavered between 25-33%. And, out west, in the … Continue reading Suicide Sal and the Barrow Gang
writing
#NaNoWriMo, Post-Op
I did it. After several years of cowering in fear at the very thought, I successfully completed my very first #NaNoWriMo. 50,000 words in 30 days. Yes, you read that right. 50,000 ever-loving words in 30 stressful, sleep-less days. You know when you're either really distracted or really tired, and you have to go somewhere … Continue reading #NaNoWriMo, Post-Op
I’m NaNo’ing!
Hi, all! Just wanted to give you a quick heads up that this page may be updated less frequently during the month of November due to NaNoWriMo. I'm finally doing this year! Or I'm going to die trying! For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, and it takes place … Continue reading I’m NaNo’ing!
Lost Dreams and Found Hope
When I was growing up, I wanted to be a news reporter. Other kids my age idolized Michael Jordan or Chuck Norris or Debbie Gibson (yes, I'm dating myself here). I, on the other hand, worshiped Jane Pauley. At only ten years old, I never missed an episode of Dateline and would spend hours conducting … Continue reading Lost Dreams and Found Hope
“This rusty car creaking along the highway to the west…”
In 1935, facing mounting pressure from Congress about the "Dust Bowl" problem, and thanks in part to Hugh Bennett's passionate plea to save the Plains, President Roosevelt created the Resettlement Administration. The main purpose of this entity was to give a buy-out, about seven hundred dollars per family, for people affected by the drought and … Continue reading “This rusty car creaking along the highway to the west…”
How I (finally) Got My Agent
I never thought I'd be able to write one of these posts. Four years, three manuscripts, hundreds of rejections...and today I can finally announce to the world that I am now represented by Natalie Grazian of Martin Literary Management. The road to this moment was long and twisty and not as much fun as I … Continue reading How I (finally) Got My Agent
Home (Or A Lackthereof)
I saw a post on Twitter recently that said "Retweet with the type of character you always write." Hmmm.....type of character I always write? Interesting. Out of the three novels I've written, I believe each protagonist to be remarkably different. In fact, even the stories themselves are pretty varied: I went from a contemporary new … Continue reading Home (Or A Lackthereof)
Livin’ On A Prayer
Well, I've done it. I've officially put another manuscript baby out into the world by submitting my first batch of queries. I've talked a lot about querying on this blog, about the pitfalls, the anxiety, the pain, and trying to stay positive throughout the whole heart-shattering process. But, can I be honest with you for … Continue reading Livin’ On A Prayer
Novel Aesthetic
Sometimes it's hard for me to get back in a manuscript after taking a few weeks off. I sent my latest WIP off to a beta reader and, as I'm waiting for her critique, I can feel the "new-ness" of the piece wearing off. The excitement of having finished a draft wears off, and all … Continue reading Novel Aesthetic
Why Querying in The Worst…And The Best
I have been in the query trenches for a long time. A loooooong time. I started querying my first manuscript in 2014, my second in 2016, and will probably start querying my third here in 2018. Looking back over my manuscripts, I can see from one to the next how I've improved as a writer … Continue reading Why Querying in The Worst…And The Best
