George Orwell (1903 – 1950) was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His birth name was Eric Arthur Blair. The Times, in 2008, ranked Orwell second on the list of “The 50 greatest British writers since 1945”. “Good prose should be transparent, like a window pane.” “Good novels are written by people who are […]
NaNoWriMo Participants
NaNoWriMo Participants aim to write a 50,000 word novel in November. As the last week of NaNo approaches, how are you all doing? Have you gone to write-ins? Have you gone to the forums on-line? I look forward to the writing frenzy every year. I missed a couple of years, but the five years I […]
Smiles in Sophie Littlefield’s The Missing Place
I’m reading Sophie Littlefield’s latest novel, The Missing Place. Colleen and Shay, the mothers whose two sons are missing, have frequent disagreements due to their different backgrounds. Littlefield contrasts these characters in a realistic, sometimes humorous, way. On page 69, they argue outside about how to proceed with searching for their sons. Shay gives in […]
Writer Interview with Linda Todd
Linda Todd has a short story called “A Marriage Blessed” and an essay titled “Tuesdays with Julaina” in my anthology, Written Across the Genres. She helped me with the editing and prep of the anthology for the press. The book includes two collaborative stories, “Dock Story One” and Dock Story Two.” Both stories had the […]
The Sagging Middle in Novels
Sagging middles in writing novels can be a mess. Often everything gets thrown into the middle while the plot goes around in circles. New characters or too many characters flounder, back story info dumps create road blocks, tension disappears, dialogue goes on and on by characters who are in their heads instead of taking action, […]
Antiphrasis Rhetorical Device
Antiphrasis is a figure of speech in which a phrase or word is opposite to its literal meaning in order to create an ironic or comic effect. Examples: “The Chihuahua’s name is Goliath.” “The actress was a mere babe of forty years.” “Get in, little man,” he told his six foot tall friend. Antiphrasis surprises […]
Author Stacey Gustafson Book Signing
Magical Holiday Evening Author Book Signing Towne Center Books with Stacey Gustafson Let’s help support our local favorite indie bookstore. Meet Stacey Gustafson at Towne Center Books in downtown Pleasanton on November 22 from 5-7 pm during the Magical Holiday Evening, the annual open house including a visit from Santa. The streets will come alive […]