Looking for Story Inspiration and Overcoming Writer’s Block

The ever-elusive story idea. What’s gonna hit? What’s worth exploring? For some, story ideas flow like a never-ending stream, while for others, new ideas are as hard to come by as toilet paper in a pandemic. I’ve occasionally found myself on both sides of this coin and am here to share some tips on how … Continue reading Looking for Story Inspiration and Overcoming Writer’s Block →

PitMad Tips and Strategies | Twitter Pitch Events

With the last PitMad of 2020 coming up on December 3rd, I thought I’d share my latest tips, tricks, strategies, magic spells, and general thoughts on how to get results for this and other Twitter pitch events--and things you can take away from PitMad even if you don’t get that coveted agent like. What is … Continue reading PitMad Tips and Strategies | Twitter Pitch Events →

Black Friday Sale | Editing Services

Happy holidays! Now is the time to book your manuscript critique, developmental edit, or query package critique with these today-only Black Friday deals! 25% off a full manuscript critique 25% a developmental edit $50 query package critique To learn more about these services, go here. Use the form below to book and lock in these … Continue reading Black Friday Sale | Editing Services →

A Penguin Eats a Boy Named Simon | Also, Free Stuff

Well, it looks like the Big Five might soon be the Big Four. I woke up to the not-so-awesome news that I’m sure you’ve heard about already: Penguin Random House is slated to acquire Simon & Schuster. Rather, its parent company Bertelsmann, which bought S&S for $2.2 billion. As far as I know, there's no … Continue reading A Penguin Eats a Boy Named Simon | Also, Free Stuff →

Tory’s 300 Word New Year’s Eve Writing Contest

I just wanted to make a quick post to let my blog subscribers know I've created a new Contests page, and the first writing contest is now live! Submit 300 words of your best prose and win one of many prizes, including random drawings. All genres accepted! Click here for submission guidelines, prize details, and … Continue reading Tory’s 300 Word New Year’s Eve Writing Contest →

2021 Market Trends in Book Publishing | My Unqualified Speculation

IT GOES without saying that this has been a tumultuous, tragic, and terrifying year, and to writers hoping for a publishing contract, or book lovers looking for their ravenous thirst to be quenched, it begs the question: What will publishing trends look like in 2021? Will it be a year of rom-coms, slapstick comedy, and … Continue reading 2021 Market Trends in Book Publishing | My Unqualified Speculation →

It’s a Small World Till a Loved One is Murdered | Guest Post by Kyle Anthony

In dark inner city basements. In sinkholes and caves and shallow graves. In ditches, riverbends, lakes, and streams.  In fifty-five-gallon drums filled with concrete. In ashes. All over the world, perhaps not far from where you sit reading, bones lie undiscovered. Searches have long been called off, the grieving mostly—if not completely—forgotten. Mothers, fathers, wives, … Continue reading It’s a Small World Till a Loved One is Murdered | Guest Post by Kyle Anthony →

Casting Paperback Comedian | Guest Post by E.C. Flickinger

Who should play the lead in the movie version of Paperback Comedian? You’ve probably thought about casting the perfect person for your favorite book, maybe even for something you’ve written. Yeah, it’s a bit daunting. THE BEST at their craft have a special presence, a gravity. We admire them instinctually. We choose to orbit their … Continue reading Casting Paperback Comedian | Guest Post by E.C. Flickinger →

How We Accidentally Wrote a Book for Our Times | JJ Blacklocke

HOW WE ACCIDENTALLY WROTE A BOOK FOR OUR TIMES by JJ Blacklocke AN ADVENTURE In 2016, two best friends traveled to New York City for a pair of adventures: to see HAMILTON on Broadway and to sit down together and plot out a science fiction series. Four and a half years later, we can watch … Continue reading How We Accidentally Wrote a Book for Our Times | JJ Blacklocke →