One more week to get dozens of free short stories, freebie novels, and freebie excerpts!

It’s Summer, and time for adventure!

Today, let’s talk about a few tips that can ensure you don’t set yourself up for failure with your beta readers.

It’s unbelievably easy to sit down at the computer, dissociate for nine hours, then come to, wondering why I’m thirsty and I have a headache. Alternatively, I might end up sitting doing nothing, while simultaneously feeling guilty for doing nothing. Here are a few things I like to do to make this outcome less likely.

If you’re writing a book with intent to publish, then no matter what else happens, you’re going to need a cover for that book. Today, let’s talk about where to get book covers made and what’s so important about them (other than, you know, you have to have one.)

More and more, aspiring writers are advised not to include something in their manuscripts – the dreaded prologue. Why is this? Anecdotal evidence strongly indicates that many readers don’t think they’re useful, and some just skip over them entirely. 

Other than the fact that books typically release on Tuesdays, there’s a whole array of months and seasons available to authors when it comes time to pick a release date for their books. While it’s not down to a science, e.g. “If you release a mystery novel in July it’ll be a guaranteed bestseller!” there are some months that are better than others for books releases. It depends mostly on your genre. Let’s break the possibilities down, month by month.

It seems like the old vanity press scam has been evolving in recent years. There’s now an offshoot, which I guess we’ll call the Marketing Agency Fake Author Scam.

(This is a repost from May 2024. Sue me. Here’s the new bit: The Case Of The Dead Man’s Policy is available tomorrow wherever books are sold!)

The Case Of The Dead Man’s Policy is out March 4th, 2025!

Today I’m discussing my most liked and most disliked POV/tense combos. Mind you, these are not the best ones, or the worst ones, just the ones that I happen to feel strongly about, as a reader. What do I know? I’m just some guy on the Internet.

Time For A Writing Update!

So, last time I posted I mentioned starting a new project outside of the Chloe novels. This has been going really well and I’m making good progress on it.

So, 2024 is a wrap. 

As is customary, I’m going to jump on the “Year In Review” bandwagon of posts, but I think this is also a good time to look forward at what’s in store for 2025.

Get The Case Of The Cheap Suit Plot for $1.99 on Smashwords through 1/1!

Still need to catch up on the first book in the Chloe Stewart Novels?

Few of us are divinely inspired enough to have the very first novel we write - or attempt to write - be a hit. Heck, most writers’ first novels may not even be a good idea. It’s still a good idea to write a “practice novel” or two before working toward publishing, though. The experience of simply writing and completing a WIP is very valuable. 

I’m in a nostalgic mood, with American Thanksgiving so close at hand, so let’s walk down memory lane and review my “practice novels” that got away from me for various reasons.

How do I stick with the current WIP? I have a few different methods I use to keep myself on track.

Last chance to check out some free short, scary stories before the event ends on November 1st!

A few of us in this world are blessed with perfect health, but most humans struggle with some kind of a health-related challenge in their daily life, and I am no exception. It’s been one of the biggest obstacles to my creativity making it to any kind of fruition, and it’s been a thing for me since I was a teenager who my family thought just snored really loudly. I have sleep apnea, and it’s a bitch.

It's time to support some indie authors and get a chill in your bones at the same time.