How Did You Come Up With That Idea?

Readers often wonder where the idea for a book originates.  For me, the inspiration for Princess to Prioress began decades ago on the campus of a small Midwestern college. The December of my sophomore year, there was a campus-wide computer dating event. Questionnaires were filled out, matches made, and events were held all over campus

Help, My Writer’s Group Is Making Me Crazy!

On the first and third Saturday of every month, I faithfully attend my local writer’s group. They’re mostly retired teachers, a professor, a doctor, and an array of other talented people. Some are highly published and others are just beginning their journey. They’re a quirky, lovable bunch with a smorgasbord of genres and styles.I worry

What’s in a Name: Naming Characters in Fiction

Character naming is a critical element of your story. Do you only use the character’s first name, first and last names, last name, or no name at all?  In today’s litigious society, many writers must be careful about how they name their characters. Even though the following letter was written in 1937, it shows what

Red Facade-Secrets Within Expatriate travels in China

I did not start out to write a book.   When I was thirteen, I began journaling. My diary became a haven for my innermost thoughts on friends, teachers, my first kiss, and first boyfriend. My diary fell into the hands of my siblings, and they used my words against me. I was a sensitive

An introduction to my sci-fi fantasy novel “I Am Sheffrou”

1 I had another argument with my husband this morning. Sometimes I wish I could change my life. Be somebody else. Be somewhere else. I stomped out on the back porch, fuming. I climbed down the steps leading to the yard careful not to dirty my new sneakers, stopped on the landing, and pondered the

Flittering Flowers: Population Crash of Local Butterflies: Myrtle Beach State Park, South Carolina

Introduction Rainfall is one of the variables frequently studied in butterfly dynamics, and butterflies are among the best climate change indicators. Rainfall caused by the oceans’ increased evaporation can affect the five interactions of a butterflies life and their necturing plants. This blog will describe the five interactions listed below related to the effects of

THOUGHTS ON WRITING A SERIES

Writing a series of novels introduces another level of challenge heaped upon the significant task of writing a book. I share a few approaches and tools I employ as I develop the ninth volume in a historical fiction series. OUTLINES AND OTHER FANTASIES THE IDEA. I will use a travel analogy: A drive to Las

Welcome to the SCWA–Surfside Blog Words Matter

We are writers and story-tellers. Many of our stories are truthful and some, well, perhaps some are more tall-tale than ordinary fiction. If you read the “About Us” section of this blog, you discovered that we write in different genres and we are not all at the same stage in our careers as authors.  What