I should be working on the first draft of my next book, but a character asked a question I can’t answer. While the back of my brain chews on that problem, I did some productive procrastination and wrote this short, inspired by a song, and having nothing at all to do with the song at... Continue Reading →
Compulsion and Other February Reads
I finished twelve books in February:The Post-Birthday World by Lionel ShriverThe Wolf of Tebron by C.S. LakinThe Dirt on Ninth Grave by Darynda Jones (audiobook)The Ruins by Scott SmithLike Water For Chocolate by Laura EsquirelCompulsion by Martina BooneHarry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne End of Days by... Continue Reading →
The Gallows Girls
In today’s episode of Chuck Wendig made me write it, I was given a choice of ten titles and told to go forth and write a story to match one. Go here to see the list of titles and what other writers have created. Here’s my story.Sometimes we leave bits behind. Pennies. Stubs of pencil.... Continue Reading →
The Book Thief (and other January Reads)
I finished 12 books in January:Reversible Errors by Scott TurowThe Book Thief by Markus ZusakThe Dark Tower by Stephen King (reread)Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCourBehold the Bones by Natalie C ParkerLimitations by Scott TurowFight Club by Chuck PalahniukThe Grimm Legacy by Polly ShulmanThe Ketogenic Diet by Kristen MancinelliThe Silver Witch by Paula BrackstonWinter... Continue Reading →
Dry
This bit was written in response to a Chuck Wendig blog post asking people to write about something that scares them. This snippet is fiction, but feel free to pull tendrils of my broken psyche out of it.I forgot my water bottle.Not a big deal, really. I can pick up a bottle of water in... Continue Reading →
A Year of Words
I finished twelve books in December:Cress by Marissa Meyer90 Days to Your Novel by Sarah DometCompany Confessions by Christopher MoranBossypants by Tina FeyThe Things They Carried by Tim O’BrienGeorge by Alex GinoIsolation Ward by Joshua SpanogleCode Name Verity by Elizabeth WeinThe Winner’s Kiss by Marie RutkoskiAs I Lay Dying by William FaulknerSplendor by Anna GodbersenLinger... Continue Reading →
When Vivvie Met Bryant
This is a scene I wrote last month during NaNo, knowing that it would never belong in the final book. It might be the best bit I wrote.... This is my spot. Midway between two guard towers. Which means moms and dads and babysitters shy away from it. They want to be near the guardians.I... Continue Reading →
November and The Light Fantastic
In November, I only read six books:Naked in Death by J.D. RobbThe Complete Short Stories by SakiThe Girl on the Train by Paula HawkinsCarry On by Rainbow RowellLisey’s Story by Stephen King (reread)Beware the Wild by Natalie C. ParkerI say only, because that is a much smaller number than normal for me. But as I... Continue Reading →
Five Things I Learned While (Accidentally) Winning #NaNoWriMo
"I did not win NaNoWriMo this year. I failed to write 50,000 words in 30 days." Those were the words I wrote on Day 27 of NaNo. And then I accidentally ended up winning. (I’ll explain below, I promise)This is how the month of November went:I was on track until the last week of November,... Continue Reading →
#NaNoWriMo Week 3 AKA The Pit of Despair
Hello, my name is Susan. It is the end of week 3 of NaNoWriMo and I hate my novel.Okay, that’s not really true. I don’t HATE it. But we are in the super awkward, I don’t want to write you anymore, but I committed to you, so I am forced to spend time with you,... Continue Reading →
Susan Monroe McGrath 