Tag: Writing

The Shame of Accomplishment

If you have just published your first novel, congratulations to you. For now, you can bask in the warm afterglow of having accomplished something you may have always wanted to do. Enjoy. You should probably stop reading this now.

There will come a time when you will look back on your first book with the shame of accomplishment. You will be sick of that book. You will be tired of talking about it, promoting it, reading from it, plugging it, writing about it, answering questions about it, even reading reviews of it. Continue reading “The Shame of Accomplishment”

What Are They Really Thinking?

My husband found the DVD box set of one of my favourite TV shows the other day. All three seasons! I was a pretty happy lady. We’ve been watching an episode or two each night and I’m loving it just as much the second time around.

Do you want to know what it is?

Lie To Me.

It stars a British actor – Tim Roth. He plays the role of a human lie detector. His official title is Deception Specialist, but basically he can read people’s micro-expressions and tell what someone is really feeling, whether they’re holding something back or are afraid or guilty or ashamed or disgusted – he can see it all when most normal people wouldn’t even notice. The show is based on research conducted by Dr. Paul Ekman, a clinical psychologist, author and manager of the Paul Ekman group – a small company that produces training devices relevant to emotional skills, and is initiating new research relevant to national security and law enforcement. (link: http://www.paulekman.com/)… and then of course Hollywood added some sugar and spice.

Personally, I think anyone who writes fiction should watch this show and here’s why… Continue reading “What Are They Really Thinking?”

In Defense of Imperfect Books

by Leesa Freeman
In a conversation with my sister recently, she defended a book that I really didn’t like. While she admitted that this particular book wasn’t great, she kept refuting my arguments that the author had poorly created characters (does she have to be a virgin? Oh, that’s right, because Bella Swan is), no knowledgeable description of the setting (since when is it always sunny in Seattle?), and that people (women) were only getting into it for the sex.

Well maybe they are, and maybe they aren’t, but her point was maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe the point is this author had the courage to write a book, get it marketed and published, and turn it into an international phenomenon, despite its (considerable) imperfections and flaws. Continue reading “In Defense of Imperfect Books”

Ed’s Casual Friday: My TGI(‘m)I(ndie) moment of the day.

Warning: I’m going to talk a little bit about my own writing in this post, which I usually try to avoid on Casual Friday in favor of topics that are of more general interest to people who are not, well, me. But I’ve got a point, I promise.

I am presently in the midst of writing the fifth book in an epic fantasy series, and quite suddenly, the wonderful absurdity of that statement hit me. Continue reading “Ed’s Casual Friday: My TGI(‘m)I(ndie) moment of the day.”