Oh yes, the weather is starting to change here in Tennessee. My favorite season of all is about to be upon us. It's beautiful as the mountains change color the weather gets cooler. It's great weather for Disc Golf campfires and hiking. What are you planning to do this fall?

Carol is an Asian American author whose Goodbye Orchid series deepens empathy for characters with disabilities. Her work has been featured in Glamour, Woman's World, WABC Radio, WMFZ TV, Bookish and more. Her writing has been recognized by the Best of Women's Fiction, Wnter's

Celebrating 33 years of marriage to the love of my life!

Lately as I've been working on my next young adult novel, I've been reading lots of folklore and urban legends. What's your favorite urban legend from when you were growing up?

This week, crime writer Victoria Dowd joins me to discuss the art of the red herring, how to plant clues in plain sight in a way that no one will notice, locked room mysteries, and coming up with (almost!) impossible crimes. We also discuss her latest historical mystery, Death in

I'm wishing everyone a wonderful Monday. This morning I was thinking about an old quote that I heard years ago. It says "A ship is safe in a harbor, but that's not what ships you're built for." Sail somewhere amazing today.

Recently, I was notified that I won a Go Write Your Book grant from James Patterson. I'm really thrilled about this opportunity to work on a new novel that I've had an idea for and I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to James Patterson and The Authors Guild for this

Recently, I was notified that I won a Go Finish Your Book grant from James Patterson. I'm really thrilled about this opportunity to work on a new novel that I've had an idea for and I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to James Patterson and The Authors Guild for this

I was so thrilled that my friend Arndt was able to visit me on his trip to America. When one of you lives in Tennessee and the other in Dubai, it’s tough to get together. Safe travels my friend and I hope your conference goes well.

I had total knee replacement surgery last week on my left knee. When I told my friend how much it was hurting, he said, "Dude, of course it does. They chopped off your leg! That's what pirates used to do!" Never thought of it quite like that... Aaarrrg. I'm just glad it was my

This week, Jennifer Fawcett joins me to talk about how playwriting and novel writing intersect and inform each other. We explore what a scene is and why scenes in plays are longer than they often are in novels. We also talk about the importance of surprise, the difference between

Watched #PrimitiveWar last night and I was super impressed. What a fun ride if you like dinosaurs if you like action if you like war you’ll like this movie I can’t believe honestly that it was made for less than $12 million check it out.

This week on The Story Blender, I chat with horror writer, Daniel Church. We talk about folk horror, the importance of atmosphere in scary stories, what frightened him as a child (you might be surprised when you hear what it was!). You'll also catch some of his recommendations

“My protagonist doesn’t seem likable enough. What are some ways I can make her more relatable to readers?” Give her a secret she must keep, a burden she must carry, a loss she must recover from, or a wound we all share (for instance, grief, guilt, regret, shame, or

Don’t miss this week’s conversation with novelist Yannick Murphy. We examine whether or not there is such a thing as talent, how a story is like a mirror, and how to write in a way that makes the reader feel like you are their best friend. Learn to observe what has gone

Have you seen the movie Primitive War? It was a blast. If you like war movies and dinosaurs and alternate realities, you’re going to love it. And to think that they made the movie for less than $12 million… Good for them.

This week, Chris Riley, the author of the classic screenwriting book The Hollywood Standard, joins me on The Story Blender. In a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss how to keep viewers and readers from leaving the dream, when to focus on our shared humanity in the stories we

My guest this week is an author, editor, and publishing professional who has written more than 50 books and coached hundreds of authors on how to put together book proposals. Terry Whalin and I talk about the importance of details, gripping openings, showing instead of telling,