I can’t believe it’s that time of year again, time to look back on my year of reading. I read 78 books this year–with a lot more nonfiction than previous years. I’ve also fallen in love with Audible, after years of saying I don’t like to listen to books. Turns out I like to listen to — Read More
Why stories matter: Practicing empathy with fiction
I worry that people think dust has settled after the election. It shouldn’t settle. There is so much that is (and should be) very unsettled. Regardless of your political opinions, the election was a 9.0 on the Richter Scale. It shook us. We realized we are not as united as we thought. People we assumed were on — Read More
Famous authors on why they write
Every now and then, I ask myself why I write. I mean, it’s such a strange thing–creating these all-consuming alternate realities and fretting about them for months on end. It calms me to see how other writers describe their need to write. I’ve collected some favorite quotes here: “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what — Read More
In defense of unlikable characters
Generally speaking, the reviews for People Who Knew Me have been good. I try not to make a habit of reading them, but I get the general gist when I visit Amazon or Goodreads. If people don’t like the book, it’s usually because they don’t like the main character, Emily (who fakes her death on 9/11 — Read More
The 5 stages of grieving Donald Trump
This is a blog about fiction writing. I know. And I’m sorry if you’re here to read about fiction. For the first time since I started this blog six years ago, I feel compelled to talk about real life. I am grieving. There’s no other way to describe it. On the evening of the election, — Read More
Spotlight on: Donna Tartt
I fell in love with Donna Tartt’s writing when I read The Goldfinch. For some reason, it took me a year or so to get to The Secret History, her first book. The book she wrote between the two, The Little Friend, is next on my list. She writes the kind of books I dream of — Read More
Book clubs, I’m coming for you
I’m embarking on a virtual book club tour, talking with readers in cities where my characters stopped on their road trip from California to New York. No matter what city you’re in, contact me if you’re interested in an author appearance (via phone, Skype, or in person) at your club meeting. If you’re looking for questions — Read More
A chat with Suzanne Redfearn
One word I really hate: Networking. It gives me chills in that nails-on-a-chalkboard kind of way. When you’re trying to make it as a writer, people will tell you to “network.” For years, I resisted this, and then I realized that I didn’t have to “network”; I could just talk with fellow writers, like group — Read More
An interview with my husband
When my book was released back in May, I was on a local radio show (full broadcast here) and my husband Chris tagged along for support. At one point in the interview, the host directed a question at Chris: “What’s it like being married to a writer?” Chris was not expecting any questions at all, — Read More
A chat with Anita Hughes
When PEOPLE WHO KNEW ME was released in May, I realized I didn’t know much about the publishing industry. My publicist suggested I rebel against my introverted tendencies and talk to other authors to get their take on the business of writing. Thankfully, there are quite a few authors in southern California. There’s even one — Read More