For a long time, I thought giving up on books made me a quitter. But as a busy person (mom of four, full-time employee, part-time novelist), I’ve realized there’s not time for everything. And there’s especially not time for books I don’t love. Choosing not to finish a book might mean I'll miss out on …
I didn’t realize the 20th century had become such a popular setting for historical fiction, until I looked back and saw that six of the last seven I’ve read fit that description, all of which I've read this year. Honestly, this gives me a boost of confidence, considering my finished novel and the one I’m …
Continue reading Saturday Six #23: Twentieth Century Historical Fiction
Dear Dad, I’m sorry. Every time you pulled out your 3-disc set of rock hits from the 1970s, I rolled my eyes. Aside from the fun melody of “Crocodile Rock,” I did not understand your obsession with this music. It was old. It was boring. I wanted The Lion King soundtrack instead. Not my dad's …
Today is the first day of spring. Usually, I am ecstatic over this change. Winter, to me, often feels like a long, drawn-out, ugly season that can never be over soon enough. I long for sun, warmth, flowers, and thunderstorms. Spring is not my favorite, though. In fact, I love all the seasons for different …
Never is a strong word. In fact, just this week, I was asked if that was really the word I intended to use, and I had to take a moment to think. The context: I said that when I write, the written words never come out as lovely as they sound in my head. I’ll …
Have you heard the term “meet-cute”? If you’re not into reading contemporary romance novels, you probably haven’t. I don’t mean the trade paperback romances, but a larger genre that has developed, consisting of full-length novels about heroes and heroines who often have dark or tragic pasts but find one another and a lasting, fulfilling relationship. …
I wasn’t sure what last year would mean for me in terms of reading. For the previous seven years, I’d worked at least part of the year at a library, and I’d run one, then two, book groups, so I had the very good fortune to read on work time. For those years, I typically …
When I worked for a county library system in Ohio, one of my responsibilities was to create and facilitate a new adult book group at the central location. There had been a group running for years on Monday evenings, and our director wanted to add a second option during the day. I tried a few …
Emily DeArdo decided more than a decade ago to share her experience living with Cystic Fibrosis. In more ways than one, she is an inspiration. I've asked her to share a little about her story as an author. When did you discover your love for writing? I think I've always loved writing. I remember writing …
I want spend a little time today gushing about my favorite books because they played a pretty big role in my aspirations to become a writer. You’ve likely never heard of these books. It’s the Apple Valley Series by Nancy Covert Smith, a young adult writer who doesn’t have a great many titles under her …
Andrea Green, Author 