Published on January 29, 2014
writing career advice

When my book, The Secret S*x Life of a Single Mom, was just a manuscript, a few people (including two literary agents) told me they thought it would make an awesome movie. I took it with a grain of salt, assuming every author thinks the same of his/her work. Nonetheless, when my publisher, Seal Press, bought it, I held onto 100% of the movie rights “just in case”…
Published on January 23, 2014
writing career advice

No matter what type of writing you do, you can find a writer’s conference that will help you learn more about your craft. While the price tag on some of the conferences may seem daunting, keep in mind that the impact of a writer’s conference can continue far beyond the few days the conference lasts…
Published on January 15, 2014
writing career advice

Possibly the most exciting thing to have happened to me in my long life is knowing that my historical novel, The Pomegranate Pendant, was to be made into a movie. Despite having written 13 books, I never expected one of them to be shown on the silver screen…
Published on December 27, 2013
author, Print on demand, self-publishing, writing career advice

I have always been offended by over-the-top marketing verbiage. Saying something is a “good deal” is one thing but trying to tell me a product or service is going to “make my dreams come true” is insulting to an individual’s intelligence. I always wonder how people can fall for so much of the garbage being shoved our way by marketing executives these days…
Published on November 13, 2013
writing career advice
When I walked away from my corporate career to become a writer, I not only walked away from a steady income, but I walked into a field I knew nothing about…
Published on October 9, 2013
writing career advice
I can see the headline now: Struggling freelance writer catapulted into a deadly game of fraud and foreign assassins…
Published on September 25, 2013
writing career advice

When I started writing, I read somewhere that if you wanted to be a successful writer you had to stick to one genre and develop your craft. But, I loved to write everything: poems, essays and short stories. I searched the classifieds in Poets and Writers Magazine, and found places to send my work. My poems were published first – in literary magazines that didn’t pay a dime. Poetry anthologies were next; no money came with those publications, either. At least now I had credits to list in cover letters when I submitted essays and short stories…
Published on August 28, 2013
writing career advice

People ask me all the time how I became a travel writer. My answer is: travel…
Published on July 17, 2013
writing career advice

How many people would ask a contractor to remodel their kitchen (a $20,000 job, or more), and expect the contractor to agree to be paid when you sold your home for a hefty price several years down the road? More significantly, how many contractors would take such an offer, knowing that the real estate market could tank, leaving the seller with less money than they anticipated and none left to pay your bill?
Published on June 12, 2013
book marketing, diversify your writing income, promoting your writing, writing career advice, writing tips

As the owner of WritersWeekly.com and BookLocker.com, writers and authors frequently add me to email notifications they send out when they update their website or blog. I’m happy to receive these and I often find interesting and intriguing tidbits in these individuals’ posts. Unfortunately, some of them have great blog posts or website articles but very boring email notifications so nobody opens them…