Claire North explores why emotional stakes, character choices, and consistent worldbuilding matter more than shock endings or deus ex machina moments in speculative fiction. Does this storytelling advice apply across all genres? Join the discussion.
Category Archives: blog
Author Spotlight: C. Helen’s story of chronic illness, truth and hope.
An interview with debut author C. Helen on The Other Side of the Butterfly, exploring chronic illness, sisterhood, mental health, and the journey from lived experience to fiction.
Author Spotlight: Lis McDermott on writing, mentoring, and making a book better.
In this author interview, Lis McDermott discusses her writing process, character development, and experience as an indie author. We also look at mentoring, editing, and how effective author–editor collaboration strengthens a manuscript.
Author Spotlight: the creative life of Angela M. Joyce
Discover the creative world of author Angela M. Joyce, as she shares her journey from business librarian to novelist. In this author spotlight, Angela discusses her debut novel The Rydle Year, the inspiration behind her storytelling, and her wider creative life.
Book a sounding board session for real (human) advice
What happens in a publishing sounding board session? We covered genre, audience, marketability, querying agents and navigating publishing advice online.
What does the viewpoint character know? A reminder from Nancy J. Cohen.
I’m reading Writing The Cozy Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen. Here’s a reminder she gives to writers using the first person or a close third: Avoid out-of-body experiences, such as “If I knew what was going to happen, I’d never have walked through that door.” Who has knowledge of the future? The Author, that’s who.Continue reading “What does the viewpoint character know? A reminder from Nancy J. Cohen.”
Author Spotlight: Morgan Christensen on her latest book and what it’s like to work with an editor – me!
Celebrate the release of Morgan Christensen’s new book, Haven’s Warrior. Go behind the scenes to see how this dedicated indie author crafts high-quality fantasy novels worthy of a spot on your bookshelf.
It takes a village to write a book: you’re not on your own.
Community matters. No books are written in a vacuum. Find your community.
I can help you fix your story.
I love being involved with books in their early stages. Developmental support lets me help writers see what’s working, what isn’t, and how to fix it—so their stories become clearer, stronger, and more satisfying for readers.
Writing Tips: When Actions Overlap
What is false simultaneity and how do I avoid it in my writing?
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