It’s a Brave New World–For Women Speculative Chick-Lit

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I want a new category on Amazon that more accurately reflects the changes afoot in our ideation of a woman’s place in the world. In order to do this, I feel I have to branch out in my writing and create stories in genres that are typically male-dominated. Women need in a voice in those, too. Thus, I will be adding this new tag to all my books. I call it #SpeculativeChickLit. It is distinguished by feminism. (“The radical notion that women are people.”) A classification free of the usual formulas that the less evolved members of society wishes us … Continue reading →

Out of this world… a review of Spirits Smirits by KB Draper

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I think I just might be in love with KB Draper’s writing. Dramedy is difficult to pull off, but so is this genre of adventure-comedy, which I would call “Adventurdy.” Since I am both a reader and a writer, I have two categories in which to sing her praises. First, as a reader: Spirits Smirits is immediately engaging, laugh out loud funny, and a happy circus of quirky humans, clever monsters and universal themes that will have you on tenterhooks drying out after feeling you have experienced everything right along with the main character. And that main character is a … Continue reading →

FALL IN LOVE WITH LESFIC SALE OCTOBER 19TH - October 27th

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I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to stay focused on work this time of year. With nighttime falling earlier and the temperature getting chillier, all I want to do is log off the computer and curl up on the couch with a cup of tea, a cozy blanket, my grouchy but lovable cat at my feet, and a book. I need to stock up on books for winter. How about you? Eleven authors (including me) have joined forces to keep you entertained at rock-bottom prices. Below, you’ll find all the goodies on offer. Before I get … Continue reading →

Gun Control vs. Second Amendment In the Wake of the Mandalay Bay Massacre

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  When I was in the military, I could disassemble an M-16A1 and put it back together. I qualified as Expert, only one shot away from Hawkeye, (due to a miscommunication by the Drill Sergeant with the tower). I appreciated and admired the design and power of this weapon. But as a civilian vet, now, do I need an automatic weapon? No. No, I do not. And neither does any other civilian. These guns are for killing. They are for killing other human beings. IN WAR. They are not toys. Neither should they be a civic statement of outrage or bitterness … Continue reading →

Reviving Dead Spots One way to get unstuck in filling out a story

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One quarter to one third of the way through a novel, I sometimes hit this dead spot. I’m not sure where the story is going. For instance, this happened with Building Character (Book 2 of the Northwoods Trilogy).  Instead of a linear progression from one scene to the next I had a beginning and an end, but there was this entire middle part missing. I wondered how I was going to fill it in. There didn’t seem to be much room for story there. One character was in transit to the location of the other characters and I wondered how I … Continue reading →

Apple in my Eye A good idea gone bad

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I’m done with you, Apple. You hear me? Done. I can recall the joy I felt when I got my first iPhone. I was thrilled with the phone, and I used it for everything, and it made my life so much easier. I was in love with it. Now, the honeymoon is over. The love didn’t just fade, it was like continued infidelity. Spousal abuse. After the last few years of Apple’s proprietary restrictions, the constant purposeful inconveniences. To wit: …repetitive requests to logon after every update, which happened whether i was currently using the phone or not, the inability … Continue reading →

Rocking the Boat Authors must defend themselves

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Don’t say anything. Don’t make a comment. It will make you look bad. That’s the usual advice in the publishing industry when someone posts a caustic review of your book, under the assumption that this is about some type of insecurity on the part of a writer. This is not insecurity. It is frustration, and in this case, it’s also outrage. In fact, historically, authors are expected to keep their mouth shut about these things, but I am a proponent of the adage Silence equals Death. This advice to stay mum strikes me as the same mentality that got that Orange Nightmare in the Oval … Continue reading →

Is it Goodreads or Badreaders? Mean-spirited behavior is a learned behavior. It can be unlearned.

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I’ve always believed that every ill in our society falls under one or more of three categories: Greed, Ignorance or Zealotry. I was faced with an example of one or more of these while updating my author page on Goodreads. I came across a negative review, quite by accident, of one of my earlier books. Against my better judgment, I read it, and was horrified. The reviewer, obviously, did not like my book, and that’s fine, in and of itself, but this reviewer made statements that were patently false. She claimed the character in my book was “helping a pedophile.” … Continue reading →

Sex & menopause in Lesbian Fiction Facebook Livestream video

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… Continue reading →

What Happened & What’s Happening Our first Facebook Live Stream

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Melissa and I did our first Facebook Live Stream on the 16th. Here it is. SUBJECTS: Hillary’s new book, my new releases, Melissa’s book projects, calling the cops last night because someone shot at our house. … Continue reading →

The Girls in the Band After Words

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from the Girls in the Band backmatter…. After Words My days in a chick-band are some of my most cherished memories. There were plenty of challenges, but none of them could eclipse the joy I got from performing my music in front of an audience—that instant validation that comes from applause, after you have given your all. Nothing else has compared to the unique bond I shared with the other girls as we created music together and shared it with whomever would listen. As things morphed into a situation I could no longer tolerate, I had to walk away from … Continue reading →

What Happened Hillary's Book, My book, and such

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This blog is from both of Us. My words in black, Melissa’s in red. So, here’s a funny thing…I guess you could say it’s WHAT HAPPENED. We preordered– SHE preordered. Though I won’t complain. …Hillary’s book, expected it on the 14th, but this morning it still wasn’t in the mailbox… (our morning starts about 3pm these days). I’m about to send Amazon a snarky note– Then it hits me, I say, “Oh!” and me and my birthday-suit jump out of bed and jiggle down the hall to the foyer… I do so enjoy the fact that she sleeps au naturel. …where there is … Continue reading →