My “Annotated” BayCon 2018 Panel Schedule

April 24, 2018

BayCon season is upon us and my panel assignments look like they’ll be fascinating discussions. I am the moderator for most them, so I plan to do my best to make that happen. Good questions from the attending members are … Continue reading →

New Story, New Venture: Exploring Kickstarter with BooksGoSocial

April 17, 2018

Have you ever supported something on Kickstarter? I’ve backed many projects, but this is my first time on the other side of the picture. BooksGoSocial (BGS), an author-driven marketing company headed by Laurence O’Bryan, is exploring the world of Kickstarter … Continue reading →

Which metal man do you want to win a date with the cover of Steam and Shadows?

March 13, 2018

Work has begun on the cover concept for Steam and Shadows, Book 5 of The Steamship Chronicles, and I thought it might be fun to see what my readers thought. This is the overall print cover art concept not cropped … Continue reading →

Focus on Characters: Nat of The Steamship Chronicles

March 6, 2018

As I mentioned in Sam’s introduction, the cabin boy Nathaniel Bowden came about because of a desperate need. A book where the main character is both feral and stuck hiding in the steam engine room of a converted sail ship … Continue reading →

Focus on Characters: Aubrey and Barbara of A Country Masquerade

February 27, 2018

Both Shafter and Beneath the Mask came into being as standalone novels. They were never meant to be the start of a series, but one of my talents is creating a whole world around my characters. My readers enjoy these … Continue reading →

Focus on Characters: Trina of Seeds Among the Stars

February 20, 2018

I told you about the villain of the first book in Samuel, but skipped the main character, a decision I will now correct. If you haven’t delved into the Seeds Among the Stars, or even if you have, here’s a … Continue reading →

Focus on characters: Samuel of Seeds Among the Stars

February 13, 2018

Everyone loves a good villain, whether that means unflinchingly evil, completely twisted, or working for the wrong side. I’m rarely able to introduce a character I can’t connect with, so my villains tend to have more going for them than … Continue reading →

Focus on Characters: Sam of The Steamship Chronicles

February 6, 2018

Samantha Crill, or Sam as she prefers, first came to me many years ago, but I balked at the story. I couldn’t see how to be faithful to her nature while offering a character who connected with readers. You see, … Continue reading →

Focus on Characters: Beneath the Mask

January 30, 2018

Some authors come to their stories through genre, plot, place, or idea. I’ve almost always been driven there by a character who wanted to tell me something. I write Regency romance not because I planned to but because Daphne (depicted … Continue reading →

The Fifth NaNo 2017 Progress Report: Wrap-Up

December 5, 2017

See all my NaNo 2017 posts. Last week I talked about how the National Novel Writing Month challenge (NaNo) had worked for me. The true chaos of it stood out as the main theme. I also mentioned maybe shifting some … Continue reading →