Matters of Faith is my second novel, and I'm delighted that the advance reviews have been fabulous. They've also surprised me with their clear understanding of exactly what I was trying to write about, not because I think critics are thick, but because I tend to think for years and years about a story, and am convinced that it's clear in my head, but am often concerned that I was able to get it down as clearly on the page. And now I get to try to actually explain that process? You're brave people, you really are. Continue reading...

If you're a fan of the mystery genre, you'll enjoy the writerly insights on these blogs.

Poe's Deadly Daughters

The Little Blog of Murder

Mysterious Musings

Type M for Murder

"What was it like, writing a book together?"

This is the second question people always ask — after "Are you identical twins?" — when we tell them that we recently finished Turning Tables, a novel based on our experiences waiting tables. That we wrote it while living on opposite coasts sparks the next question: "Wow, did you ever argue?"

Apparently, yes. Continue reading...

How do you get a novel published? Some books to help you perfect your pitch.

The Sell Your Novel Tool Kit

Making the Perfect Pitch

Give 'Em What They Want

How to Publish Your Novel

The cult of Jane is as strong as ever. Take a stroll through these blogs for all things Austenian.

Jane Austen Today

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Austenprose

Jane Austen's World

Austen-tatious

Successful writers of fiction need to master the fine art of self-editing. Here are a few books to help you clean up your prose.

Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers

Write Great Fiction: Revision And Self-Editing

I always hated Shakespeare.

They made me read him. First it was Julius Caesar. Then Romeo & Juliet, which was only cool because we wasted a week watching the movie. Next came Henry IV, Part One. I said, "You've got to be kidding," and scraped by on class discussions. The Bard and I were not friendly.

So how did I end up writing The Master of Verona, a novel based on his works? Continue reading...