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Dispatch from the query trenches
Happy March! Welcome to this month’s IWSG post, a/k/a my latest dispatch from the query trenches. I continue to labor away, though my querying is winding down. I’ve queried all the agents on my query list that are open to queries. Fortunately, some agents I have my eye on have opened in the new year, so I’ve sent a few more queries out. Otherwise, I’m in waiting mode, which is so much fun.1 Before I whine say more about my querying experience: This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) blog hop. On the first Wednesday of every month, we IWSG-ers share our doubts, fears, struggles, and…
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What it’s like to reread my old work
This week on the IWSG blog hop, we’re talking about rereading old work. What’s it like to reread my old work? Before I dive into that: This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) blog hop. On the first Wednesday of every month, we IWSG-ers share our doubts, fears, struggles, and triumphs. Our awesome co-hosts this month are J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox. Stop by and leave them some comment love. Each month our fearless leader (Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh) gives us an optional question to answer. This month’s question is, Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you…
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My 2025 highlight reel: writing, travel, and more
It’s time for my 2025 highlight reel post. I love writing annual highlight reel posts, because 1) I get reminded of things I forgot I did last year, and 2) I get to relive some good memories. 2025 was our first full year here in Clovis and in our new house, so there was lots of settling in, and since it’s me, lots of gardening. Also a little (very little) writing and some travel. Here we go: Writing highlights Academic writing The academic book I co-edited in 2024 was released early in 2025, so that was exciting. There’s nothing quite like holding a book in my hands with my name…
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My writing plans for 2026
New year, new plans. Resolutions, SMART goals, out with the bad habits, in with the good habits. Eat less, move more, meditate, write every day, hustle harder. If we’re lucky, that holds till maybe MLK Day, then it’s back to our usual behavior. Usually. I’ve never been much for resolutions, but I used to be all in on goal-setting and morning routines (example: my 2020 goals, which seem hilarious in hindsight). Don’t get me wrong–those are good things. But the last couple of years, dealing health issues and watching Long-Suffering Husband deal with ever more health issues, I have learned to be gentle with myself. So I have scaled back…
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The best gift I ever received as a writer
If the hordes of people at our local mall are any indication, it’s holiday season, so I’ll get into the spirit and write a post about gift-giving. Specifically, I’m going to write about the best gift I ever received as a writer. But first: This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) blog hop. On the first Wednesday of every month, we IWSG-ers share our doubts, fears, struggles, and triumphs. Our awesome co-hosts this month are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre. Each month our fearless leader (Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh) gives us an optional question to answer. This month’s question is, As a writer, what was…
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My So-Called Writing Life: expectations vs. reality
I love books about the writing life. In fact, they are one of my favorite ways to procrastinate from living the writing life (by, you know, actually writing). I want to know every famous writer’s writing routine, favorite beverage while writing, where they wrote, what they wrote with, even the name of the human/animal/epic tragedy that inspired them to write. Writing is a vocation that inspires awe. We like to imagine that it involves some kind of magic (and really, I’m half convinced Stephen King’s works are actually written by a sentient Ouija Board, because he’s clearly channeling something). So let’s talk about the writing life, or at least my…
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My favorite thing I’ve written–and the terrifying real-life event that inspired it
Thanks to some work commitments, I’m very late with my October IWSG post, but better late than never. At least this month’s topic is an easy one: What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why? Before I get to my answer: his post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) blog hop. On the first Wednesday of every month, we IWSG-ers share our doubts, fears, struggles, and triumphs. Our awesome co-hosts this month are Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine. Please stop by and leave them some comment love. Now, back to my favorite thing I’ve written. I like all my writing (eventually, after…
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I’m doing a public reading at LitHop Fresno on October 18
I’m doing a public reading at LitHop Fresno on Saturday, October 18! I’ll be reading an excerpt of my award-winning short story, “Walk Me Home,” at Mi Cafesito on Van Ness. Participants read in teams of four, and my team is scheduled from 2:00-2:45. If you’ll be in the area, come on out, have some great coffee, and find out what happens when Robert walks Rachel home on a foggy night in Sacramento. LitHop is an annual pop-up literary arts festival in Fresno, California. All events are free and open to the public, so if you stop by, be sure to check out all the other authors doing public readings…
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The most unethical practice in publishing
What is the most unethical practice in publishing? There are plenty to choose from, from scammy, predatory publishers (not all publishers! just scammy, predatory ones) to the zillions of businesses popping up like dandelions to profit off authors without adding any value, to publishers that want to profit off authors and readers without adding much actual value–e.g., minimal editing, minimal marketing, no willingness to invest in an author’s career. (Again, I’m not talking about all publishers here.) But the most unethical practice in the publishing industry puts these to shame. But before I do the big reveal: This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) blog hop.…
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Interview with Karen McCoy, author of The Etiquette of Voles
Today I’m going to introduce you to Karen McCoy, author of The Etiquette of Voles, a middle grade Victorian mystery, and a good friend from my Flagstaff days. And since we’ll be talking about middle grade fiction, I’ll share a little about the books that impacted me when I was a kid. But first: This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) blog hop. On the first Wednesday of every month, we IWSG-ers share our doubts, fears, struggles, and triumphs. Our awesome co-hosts this month are PJ Colando, Pat Garcia, Kim Lajevardi, Melisa Maygrove, and Jean Davis. Each month our fearless leader (Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh) gives us an optional question…
Janet Alcorn
Suspense | Horror | Romance
