For writers, one of the most difficult things to find is honest advice from a qualified source. Friends and family can offer inspiration, but unless they are professionals within the publishing industry, they can only help so much. Even those in academic positions, who may have a very in depth unde[......]
Archive > November 2009
Miss Snark, the Literary Agent – Website of the Month
ISHMAEL: AN ADVENTURE OF THE MIND AND SPIRIT by Daniel Quinn
When it comes to reading, I will never have as much time as I would like. Because of this, I try to be selective about what I read. With the sad knowledge that I will never be able to cover every book ever written, I do depend on intelligent and highly perceptive friends to expose me to great books [......]
Chris Howard – Interview
Chris, was there a single moment when you knew that you would be a published author?
I don’t think there was a single moment, more a growing feeling spread over a long time that I was close. There were rejections that came back with editors actually saying something about the story, sometimes[......]
Crafting Twists and Dropping Clues – Part 1
Twists and clues are most common in mystery novels, although we see them in other genres such as romance, sci-fi, Westerns, YA novels. Actually, twists and clues work in almost every sort of story you can think of.
They intrigue the reader…challenge them and keep those pages turning.
The important w[......]
THE POWER OF THE DOG by Don Winslow
I will admit that I obtained this book, The Power of the Dog, through less than admirable means. I refuse to discuss that era of my life, but I can tell you that this book vastly changed my expectations when approaching new authors. I’d never heard of Mr. Winslow, nor had I heard of this book,[......]
Roxanne Smolen – Interview
Roxanne, tell us about your soon-to-be-released novel, SATAN’S MIRROR.
In Satan’s Mirror, my protagonist, Emily, is the host of a paranormal television show. Her mission is to debunk all myths and urban legends. But when she meets Satan in a haunted house and calls him a fraud, the repercuss[......]
Solving the Mystery of “IT’S” vs “ITS”
It’s or its? Which one to use? Most people face the dilemma of figuring out the correct spelling—if not all the time, at least once in a while. Sad to say, even spell check doesn’t seem to know right from wrong, when it really is quite simple. When someone in the know spots the wrong spelling, it c[......]
FRANKENSTEIN: DEAD OR ALIVE (BOOK 3) by Dean Koontz
In terms of excellent reading, Dean Koontz can be very hit or miss, as much as I love the man’s work. Sometimes he can keep me turning the pages on a quest to stay engrossed in the tale and sometimes I find myself cringing quite frequently at awkwardly inserted ideas that don’t fit the s[......]
Denise Robbins Book Contest – Winner Announced
Last month we held our first Book Contest on Perpetual Prose, where entrants had to name author Denise Robbins’s upcoming novel.
Our chosen winner is:
Theresa Garrido with her tongue-in-cheek entry “BRIEF ENCOUNTERS.” Congratulations, Theresa!
While Denise will not be using this t[......]
Jennifer Swanson – Interview
Jennifer, tell us about your award winning Penny and Rio mystery series.
My books are about the dynamic canine detective duo of Penny and Rio. Penny is the highly inquisitive, busy dog that always needs to know what is going on. Rio is more laid back and really loves to eat and take a good nap in t[......]
