Columns

Baby Come Back...To Your Library

February 27th, 2019

Here’s the bittersweet relationship between the public and libraries: People like their libraries (sweet). They just don’t use them all that often (bitter). Libraries and the general public are in a failing relationship. We still love each other, but damn, we aren’t making enough time for each other. We live in the same house, but the passion is gone. We barely feel like friends, let alone lovers. How do we repair our flaccid relationship?

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Dirty Little Secrets, Part Two: Why Your Beta Readers Never Finished Your Novel

February 26th, 2019

If you’ve read more than three or four articles on writing and publishing, you’ve no doubt seen beta readers emphasized as a critical component of any successful writer’s team. It seems there’s hardly a published author out there who doesn’t gush about how great these people are, how she wouldn’t be where she is without their astute eye and insightful comments.

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Taking Your Patreon Game To The Next Level

February 25th, 2019

A couple of years back I wrote about how I more than doubled my Patreon in 30 days. But Patreon is a long game and if you want to retain patrons and grow your audience, you have to keep plugging away, working, and evolving. Below are some tips and suggestions that I hope will encourage you to take your Patreon to the next level. As with all advice, your mileage may vary.

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Book vs. Film: "If Beale Street Could Talk"

February 21st, 2019

If ever there was a time for a cinematic James Baldwin adaptation—and thus a resurgence in interest in the author (because these things so often go hand in hand), that time is now. Why? The opening paragraph of a short biographical piece on Baldwin from the American Masters series's webpage answers that question:

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Dirty Little Secrets Part One: Why No One Cares About Your Protagonist

February 20th, 2019

Photo by Luis Galvez via Unsplash If you’re a novelist, your fictional characters are likely very real to you. You’ve felt that moment of knowing when they first laid eyes on their soul mate; you’ve felt the depths of despair when their loved one met their untimely end.

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8 Books You Should Read Before Seeing The Movie This Awards Season

February 19th, 2019

When favorite books are adapted into movies, mixed emotions ensue. Often you’re excited at the prospect of getting to watch the story unfold, but feel trepidation that Hollywood (or other such movie-making centres) just won’t get it right. According to notable and prestigious organizations such as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the following eight film adaptations of books got it right — right enough to be nominated for a slew of different awards.

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10 Books That Feel Like Exes

February 18th, 2019

Image via Daniel G Remember that book you read a decade ago and still hate? Remember that book that was with you while you were going through a tough time? What about that book that introduced you to something you fell in love with? Or that novel you read that made you stay away from a whole genre for years because the experience was traumatic? Well, here are some books I read that changed me/stuck with me/moved permanently into my memory. Some for good reasons, some for bad.

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The 13 Best Women Writing Horror Today

February 15th, 2019

It’s Women in Horror Month, which can mean a lot of different professions and people: filmmakers, scholars, fans, makeup artists – and authors. There are so many brilliant women spinning terrifying yarns today, sprinting ahead on the path forged by Mary Shelley and Shirley Jackson. Here are thirteen contemporary authors who will scare the bejeezus out of you. Put them on your must-read list immediately.

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If Books Were Assorted Chocolates

February 14th, 2019

A good box of chocolates has a personality. An overall feeling that comes from the act of discovery, the flavors, and the trust implied by diving into a piece of candy that's unidentifiable at first glance. That's probably why it's such a popular Valentine's gift. You can show someone you know them, treat them to something nice, and they can show you, just a little, that they trust you. 

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50 Provocative Questions About Romantic Subplots

February 12th, 2019

Header image via Pixabay This article was born when I sat down to watch a movie with a bad romantic subplot. It got me asking questions about romantic subplots. Their utility, their effectiveness. Their very right to exist. I came up with a list of questions. Let's think about this. Apply this to your work. Annoy your friends next time you see a movie together. Ready to take the romance out of romance? Let’s go.

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