Well-crafted “Mary Sue”/”Gary Stu” Characters

Mar 19, 2020 | Writing

There is a fascinating discussion right now on Quora on Mary Sue/Gary Stu characters. People argue in favor and against the possibility of writing a well-crafted, enjoyable character like that. For anyone not familiar with the Mary Sue term (Gary Stu or Lary Stu are...

Infographic: Selling your Business with Ebooks

Mar 17, 2020 | Marketing

Did you know that a great way to promote a business is through an ebook? As regular readers of this blog know, I have been focusing on freelance writing this past couple of years. So, this is a tip that may be of particular interest to non-fiction writers and anyone...

Five myths about Jane Austen

Mar 15, 2020 | Fun Historical Facts

Jane Austen, the writer of Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility (among others) is widely considered ignored in her lifetime–and a bit of a prude. As Devoney Looser explains in The Washington Post, these are just two of the persistent myths...

A Heaven for Toasters: Chapter 8

Mar 13, 2020 | Free Stuff, My Publications

After relaunching A Heaven for Toasters, complete with new cover, I promised to publish it here in installments. After neglecting it for a while, here’s the next chapter. Note: You can find a link to all published chapters at the end of this post or read more...

OIRWA 2020 Workshops

Mar 11, 2020 | Writing

Last week, I started attending Creating Great Villians, a great workshop on villains from OIRWA – the Outreach International Romance Writers Chapter of RWA®. Taught by Rayne Hall, one of my favorite writing aids authors, it is just one of four courses OIRWA...

How I Became a Freelance Writer

Mar 7, 2020 | Writing

When I wrote in my last post about the Evolution of Blogging, I didn’t expect so many people to contact me asking how I managed to become a more-or-less full-time freelance writer. A friend even said that she knows a lot of disabled writers who would be great at...

The Evolution of Blogging

Mar 5, 2020 | Publishing

I have been online since 1985. I was one of the first members of the BBS (Bulletin Board) scene in Greece back when we connected to a server using landline modems. I still remember my thrill when I finally got my hands on a 9600 bps modem and could download pictures...

5 Reasons Why Audiobook Usage Is Up Among Students

Mar 3, 2020 | Publishing

I have been writing about audiobooks a lot lately, as audiobooks are a growing trend in publishing. Now, Frank Hamilton is pointing out another trend: audiobooks used by students. Interestingly enough, some of his reasons, such as accessibility, also apply to eBooks....

A Heaven for Toasters: Chapter 7

Feb 29, 2020 | Free Stuff, My Publications

After relaunching A Heaven for Toasters, complete with new cover, I promised to publish it here in installments. I realize now I haven’t posted an installment in ages, so thank you for your patience! Here’s the next chapter. Note: You can find a link to...

What did Medieval People Really Wear?

Feb 27, 2020 | Fun Historical Facts, Quora

Contrary to popular belief, people in the Middle Ages loved color – and could afford it. They also liked to be, well, naked. Which makes sense, considering how much Medieval people liked throwing rotten vegetables at each other. Some people take the term “Dark...