March 28, 2023

Judy Prescott Marshall is the self-published author of a non-fiction book, Be Strong Enough, and a trilogy of novels based on the same theme. They follow the life of Julie and Dan Holliday, as they navigate the shoals of a long marriage, and come to safe harbor at last. The last in the series is…

March 20, 2023

This part of the update covers topics ranging from writing retreats, to plotting your novel, to writing contests, to book advertising and distribution. Hope you find something useful for you here. My friend Kristin Leonard runs writing retreats in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the next one takes place from April 14-18. If you’re looking…

March 18, 2023

What the…? Why did my friend Carla Damron (author of The Orchid Tattoo) let me use this photo of her inimitable cat Dickens? If you’d like to find out, download this bonus short story about a feline character in my novel, A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Over: Hemingway Comes to Stay… The cat in the…

March 16, 2023

We had an excellent meeting on Wednesday, and lots to talk about. Among other things, there are two author events and two contests for Microfiction (variously defined as 500 words or less, or 100 words or less. Read on to find out more. Here’s a chance to meet three bestselling authors of historical fiction. On March…

February 19, 2023

Here’s the second part of the writers’ update for February – it includes workshops, contests, advice on how to write more, and an award you can apply for.  In addition to providing weekly newsletters with lists of places to publish, Authors Publish runs regular online workshops. Their next one is a five-week course beginning February…

February 16, 2023

Seventeen of us showed up for the February meeting yesterday, and we covered a lot of ground. Read on to find out about events for writers, a number of them free. So let’s get going! The APSS (Association of Publishers for Special Sales) is offering a free webinar this Saturday, February 18, from 10:30–11:30am ET, on…

February 14, 2023

I thought you might enjoy this Valentine’s Day extract from A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Over… Luke (Molly’s employee at the bookstore) took a bite of the home-baked, heart-shaped cookie Molly had just offered him. She’d brought a plateful of them into work that morning. “Hmm. Not bad. I think I’ll save one for later,…

January 28, 2023

Today’s author is Annie Cathryn, whose debut novel, The Friendship Breakup, will be published on February 7, by Alcove Press. A story about the importance of female friendship, the dynamics that can leave someone out in the cold, and the effort it takes to re-establish relationships, this book has both humor and some tears. A…

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