Category Archives: Baggage

Baggage (Review & Excerpt)

Posted on by

“I have read 2 of Baeli’s other books–Armchair Detective and Also Known as DNA, both of them in the lesbian fiction genre, so I decided i should also check out her mainstream novels–Achilles Forjan and Baggage. I started with Baggage. I have to say, Baeli is every bit as good in the mainstream genre; she’s just a solid, quality writer who never disappoints, no matter what genre she chooses to write in. In this case, the book Baggage was an engaging, heartfelt and enjoyable story–it’s a little bit family-saga, a little bit romance, a little bit suspense. But it grabbed … Continue reading →

"Belongs on Bestseller List" (Baggage Review)

Posted on by

Another review emailed to me: “I have read 2 of Baeli’s other books–Armchair Detective and Also Known as DNA, both of them in the lesbian fiction genre, so I decided i should also check out her mainstream novels–Achilles Forjan and Baggage. I started with Baggage. I have to say, Baeli is every bit as good in the mainstream genre; she’s just a solid, quality writer who never disappoints, no matter what genre she chooses to write in. In this case, the book Baggage was an engaging, heartfelt and enjoyable story–it’s a little bit family-saga, a little bit romance, a little … Continue reading →

Sex is Appalling, but Killing is Okay

Posted on by

Below, is a review posted on Amazon regarding my book, Achilles Forjan. As with the previous post about reviews of Unbearable Lightness of Being UNBEARABLE, it seems there is a tendency for people not to pay attention to what they buy. I added my comment on Amazon below her review… 3.0 out of 5 stars Should have been warned, May 4, 2010 –  By Rachel B. Beard This review is from: Achilles Forjan (Paperback) My grandson wants to be a firefighter. He is a High school junior so I gave him this book for Easter. No where did I read … Continue reading →

My Beginnings

Posted on by

In my readings about writing, I came across several good points about how the beginning of your book is often the most important part–at least, if you intend to grab the attention of an editor, publisher or agent. I wondered what all my beginnings really looked like…and so I gathered them here for kicks. Would these beginnings make you, as a reader, want to keep reading? I welcome all comments. My beginnings…. The openings (first sentences/paragraphs) of my books. “Sully’s, on South Prospect, was the quintessential biker-bar, complete with hefty, leather-clad Harley worshippers, and stringy-haired heroin-addicted women who made the … Continue reading →

Style Editing: Word Choice & Attribution

Posted on by

What is meant by a writer’s “style”? I’m not referring to MLA or Harvard or APA style; nor am I referring to terms such as “expository,” “Journalistic,” or “academic.” In the context of book authors, I’m talking about a writer’s unique voice; the way a writer strings words and phrases together on a page; the method by which a writer can engender fear or sympathy or suspense in a reader. These things can be as much about setting, atmosphere, and characters, as they can be about sentence construction and word usage. I’ll focus on word choice and attributions in this … Continue reading →

Kairos

Posted on by

I’ve been working on Baggage all day. Made some good progress with the language, the prose aspects. Spent time finding more specific ways to convey different aspects. And I’ve been integrating everything from random musings to dreams into the book, too. Snippets of conversations that play out in my head when I’m about to doze off…. I discovered this fabulous word today::: Kairos. (kay-ross). It’s an ancient Greek word meaning the “right or opportune moment” or “God’s time.” It’s that undetermined time “in between” linear time in which something “special” happens….I used it in the manuscript today, even though i … Continue reading →

No, the Other Baggage…

Posted on by

  I sat down with my coffee and noticed no mail yet from the source of my current vexation. Within 5 minutes, (last night after our phone call, I sent the txt: Thank u for being u. I get a text from her- Got ur txt. : Training 2day, No email. grr. I text back: Rats! Guess I’ll work on writing, music, sculpture & my self. Have a good day! . . . So I’m spending the day trying to be productive. I have to stop obsessing on this woman. Baggage still needs another 20,000 words or more, unless I’m … Continue reading →