Updates

This month’s issue of Writing Life is on its way to inboxes. Included are updates on the projects that have been keeping me busy over the past month as well as an article on avoiding infodumps and practicing the fine art of showing instead of telling. Not a subscriber? Click here to read the newsletter online.

I have a problem, and I’m not sure if there’s a cure. I’ve read all the books and all the helpful blog posts, and I know that if I want to be out there in the public eye and I want people to read and buy my book, then I have no choice but to make a lot of noise on the various social networking sites. I need to write blog post after blog post. I need to Facebook like crazy. I need to Tweet like there’s no tomorrow. I should be vlogging. I should be doing whatever it is I’m supposed to be doing with LinkedIn. Now I need to get the word out on Google Plus as well. I understand all this, really I do. I even have all these grand elaborate plans how I am going to be a social networking powerhouse. But then everything falls apart. When life...

Saturday, before the storm hit this area I was busy having a blast at this year’s PAYA Festival. I was so glad that so many book-lovers braved the elements to come out to the festival. The crowd in attendance was proof that even a hurricane can’t keep a true bibliophile away from books. Although it was raining a little bit on the drive back to New Jersey, the real rain didn’t start until Saturday evening. Then it started raining cats and dogs and elephants, and it kept up all night. As if the hurricane wasn’t enough there were tornado warnings too. We heard some gusts of wind here and there, but the big damage around here was mostly water related with flooding in all sorts of places and trees falling down thanks to the extra soggy...

I’m going off the grid for a few days  for a mini camping vacation. I can’t say that I’ll be disappointed to be away from this computer for a few days. Sometimes I feel like a slave to this machine. In the meantime, before I forget, I wanted to spread the news about a couple of upcoming events: First, next week, Saturday, August 27 is the big PAYA festival, and I’ll be there! This festival in West Chester, PA features a really exciting lineup of YA authors that I am honored to be a part of. Writing workshops take place in the morning, and book signings begin at noon. For those of you who are up Massachusetts-way I’ll be doing a book signing on Thursday, September 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Tatnuck Bookseller in Westborough, MA. As...

Around these parts, we’ve had record breaking temperatures over the past week, and so I haven’t been spending much time playing outdoors. Then again, my schedule hasn’t really allowed for it. Last Tuesday I was lucky enough to visit the Cape May County Library as a guest workshop leader for their annual teen writing workshop program. It gave me the chance to meet some talented teen writers who are working on some exciting projects, everything from high fantasy to memoir. I had a great time! On Saturday I attended the second annual Monroe County Book Expo. Last year, I attended as a writer anticipating the release of her first novel. It was nice to go back this year, with actual published books. It was also nice to meet so many talented creative...

For close to a week now, I have been dealing with some internet connection issues. It’s made life more interesting, and since most of my problems seem to stem from various Windows security settings, it’s convinced me that my next computer will be a Mac. Of course, in the meantime, I’ll muddle through with my troubled PC. In some ways, this problem is almost nice. When I can’t get online, I don’t have to worry about making sure I check my email and keep up with Twitter and Facebook. I almost feel a little bit more productive. Well, except for all the extra time I’ve spent trying to figure out how to solve my internet issues and driving to places where I could pick up a wireless signal. This past weekend was the first weekend in...