My daughter asked if I planned to include a map for my urban fantasy novella, The Monsters of Chavez Ravine.
The answer was no. But as soon as she said it, I thought it would be a good idea. While the characters and […]
I almost feel guilty for using the amazing Pando quaking aspen forest in central Utah as a setting for a horror story.
All those pictures of your massive single root system not only stuck with me for years […]
While monstrous things happened to bring about the end of the neighborhoods of Palo Verde, La Loma and Bishop, “The Monsters of Chavez Ravine,” is a work of fiction.
The characters and creatures are the products of my imagination and while the backstory of […]
Here it is! The cover for “The Monsters of Chavez Ravine,” an urban fantasy novella.
Luckily, I have a graphic designer who talked me out of some pretty terrible ideas and with limited input, came up with a cover that captures what this book is about. A big […]
As a new indie author, I’m acutely aware of the importance of book reviews. They help convince readers to read the story and, more generally, help promote the book.
But here’s the thing. There are lots of people like me who read and love lots of books, yet rarely leave a […]
For published or unpublished authors it can really be a challenge to obtain book reviews—you know those darling little things with stars and someone’s […]
Years ago, I wrote and recorded a story for the weekly public radio program “This American Life,” chronicling my struggle with hypochondria and anxiety. The program is celebrating its 25th anniversary! I just discovered the episode, “Mapping,” is a recommended staff favorite.
Here’s […]
Well, now I know I am not part Jewish. DNA tests for adoptees like me are a game-changer.
That’s the thing about being adopted. I was at the mercy of other people’s stories about me.
In my early thirties, my adoptive father told me I was Jewish, although he […]
Okay, as an indie author I knew to pick two categories for my book published on Amazon. I did not know it was possible to choose more specific subcategories.
To this, I credit a chapter in, “How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon,” by Penny […]
I am spectacularly bad at this.
First off, I think too literally. Like, my story has a feisty young woman, so we should see her on the cover! Or the novel is set in a dusty, rural area seventy years ago, so maybe a sepia tone might help […]
