What Screenplays Teach Novelists
“Books and movies are like apples and oranges. They both are fruit, but taste completely different.” – Stephen King When I was working on my first novel, Graëlfire, I asked a novelist-cum-screenwriter to copyedit an early version of my manuscript. I wanted feedback on my handling of exposition, a tricky job in fantasy and sci-fi. World-building…Read More
Birth of the Novel
“Novels aren’t about heroes; they’re about us.” – Thomas C. Foster Have you ever stayed up late because you couldn’t stop reading a book? The kind with characters you connect with—full of drama, emotion, and unexpected turns? Stories like that haven’t always been around. They started with something new: the novel. And the name says…Read More
Choosing a Strong Title
“A good title is the title of a successful book.” – Raymond Chandler Choosing a strong title for your story is a pivotal step. When readers browse books—whether in stores or online—they make snap judgments. The title is usually what grabs them first. Along with the cover image and blurb, it hooks attention, sets the…Read More
Mastering the Game: Characters, Plot and Setting
Plot Meets Place Creating a story often begins with a spark of inspiration—an image, a moment, or a theme. For my first novel, Graëlfire, that spark came from two primary sources: a theme for a plot and its setting. The theme was a quest for the Holy Grail. The setting was the landscape around my…Read More
Portal Fiction
If you see a fairy ring In a field of grass, Very lightly step around, Tiptoe as you pass; ― William Shakespeare Portals in fiction are gateways to other realms, times or realities. Whether magical, man-made, or natural, they overcome boundaries to travel. There’s something mysterious about them—even dangerous—and that’s what makes them so fascinating….Read More
Writing Bedtime Stories
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” — Albert Einstein When winter set in, I decided to compile all the bedtime stories I’d created for my granddaughter over the years. It started when she was three, inspired…Read More
