I’ve enjoyed meeting readers through various interviews and book events these past two weeks. Having the opportunity to discuss NEWPORT is a real perk. Often, readers point out aspects of the novel that I’d never considered, and it’s fun to realize that they’re absolutely right. I’ve been asked one particular question several times now, and…
Lessons
NEWPORT has been out in the world for a week now, and the last seven days have been busy. I won’t bore anyone with the details, but let’s just say that I was ridiculously optimistic (or totally naive) in thinking I’d be able to produce a viable blog post for today. I’ve learned a lot…
Hello and Goodbye
Happy Launch Day to me, Happy Launch Day to me … sung to the tune of … well, you can guess. Think cake. Think candles. Think best wishes for this next year, because as of today, Newport is officially out there in the world, figuratively “born.” But, wait. What’s that other piece of music I hear swelling…
Ooops!
Back in fourth grade, I was fascinated by the 19th century westward expansion of the United States. The stories I wrote reflected that. Research? Nah. I just wrote. This probably explains how I found myself writing a scene set in a one-room prairie schoolhouse where a bunch of students expressed their boredom by throwing paper…
My History with Historical Fiction
There are only two weeks before Newport‘s official publication date, so please excuse me if this post is a little scattered and self-indulgent. Really, it’s better to let me get it out of my system now so that I can start being more interesting as quickly as possible. I’ve been thinking about my love affair with…
Superstorm Sandy and Love Locks
Newport’s Cliff Walk is one of my all-time favorite places. What’s not to like? It’s a 3.5 mile public access walkway that skirts the ocean, offering phenomenal views of not only the sea but many of Newport’s Gilded Age mansions as well. It wasn’t always like this, of course. Historians suspect that the original path…
Of Course Book Covers Matter
I’ve fallen in love with the covers of all three of my published novels, and you can see why: Aren’t they gorgeous? I’ve been lucky. It doesn’t take a special study to know that book covers matter. A good cover inspires a potential reader to pick up the book to learn more; a bad cover…
Why Newport, anyway?
I grew up in Annapolis, MD. Maybe that statement feels like a non sequitur following the title of this post, but bear with me. When I began thinking about the novel that would become NEWPORT, location images floated across my mind. They looked like Annapolis. There was a picturesque historic district dotted with homes and buildings…
I Join the 21st Century: or, Audiobooks
NEWPORT will be released as an audiobook on July 7th, and I couldn’t be more pleased. I do, however, have a confession to make: as excited as I am about my novel’s audio release, I’ve never actually listened to an audiobook. I know. What rock have I been living under? Because now that my own…
…wield it wisely
You’ve just finished reading a novel. (For the sake of random and totally unbiased argument, let’s say it’s mine.) You love, love, love it; can’t imagine how anyone on earth could love, love, love it; think the author needs serious help. You want to review this book online because everyone should read it – it’s…
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