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Where my story ideas come from
Where do you get your ideas? That’s a stock question almost every author gets asked at some point. For authors of crime fiction and horror, like me, it’s often asked with a tinge of, well, horror. I imagine the person’s thought bubble as either, “How does a nice girl like you think up so much murder and mayhem?” or “I’m going to back away slowly before she kills me and dissolves my body with quick lime.”1 Today I’m going to share where my story ideas come from. The short answer is, everywhere. For the longer answer, keep reading. But first: This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group…
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The most inspiring feedback I’ve ever received
As soon as you show your writing to someone else, you’re going to get feedback. Readers, critique partners, agents, editors, contest judges, hell, even your mom–all will have something to say about your creative darling (let’s hope at least your mom is kind). Some of that feedback will be encouraging, some will be daunting but constructive, and some will break your fragile little writer’s heart. Then there’s the special kind of feedback querying authors are all too familiar with: silence. As someone wiser than I once said, No answer is an answer–and it’s rarely the answer you want. But I’m not going to talk about the heartbreaking feedback or the…
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How my novel, Delta Dawn, got its name (#IWSG)
If you’ve been hanging out here in my little cobweb-infested corner of the interwebs for very long, you know that I’m currently revising a domestic suspense novel called Delta Dawn. Inspired by this month’s IWSG discussion question, I’m going to tell you how it came to be called Delta Dawn and infest your brain with a wonderful early 1970s earworm. But before we get to the brain infestation: 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 Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass. Each month…
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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…
Janet Alcorn
Suspense | Horror | Romance
