Developing characters that light up the pages
Why do actors ask, “What’s my motivation?” IT’S ALL ABOUT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Character development is a crucial aspect of any story or narrative. It refers to the process by which a character grows and changes throughout the course of the story. Well-developed characters can make a story more engaging, and ...
Adrian “Jazzer” Johnson’s favorite bands
JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE LANA DEL RAY GRETA VAN FLEET JANELLE MONAE RUN DMC DOPE LEMON THE GLORIOUS SONS ROYAL BLOOD RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE MAD SEASON LARKIN POE
Judgment
En route to my first Burning Man, we drove through the dusty plains of Washington’s wild horse country. Small towns fascinate me and Judgment is about what lurks behind the curtain of country life. No one believed Petey and if there’s anything that can cause a man to hang his head its friends and ...
There’s Something About You
An ode to all the creepy stories I’ve loved over the years! ***There’s Something About You*** I suppose I could blame myself, but I won’t. It’s all Josie’s fault. ✚✚✚ Memory #1 Josie failed grade nine twice which is how we became friends. Most were too scared to even talk with her. When she ...
Awards Season!
Proud that my second novel, A Rainbow Like You, is blessed with so much reader and media love! 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards Results Congratulations and sincere thanks to the independent authors and publishers who participated in our 25th annual, 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards contest. POPULAR FICTION GOLD: A Single Tear, by Nemo James (Derek Newark ...
Fabulous Book Fiends Interview
Interview with the Fabulous Book Fiends! First question-bit of a cliche-how did you get into writing? I’ve always loved writing and reading; have been a massive book nerd my whole life. After working in TV for years, creating numerous shows and pitches, I committed to writing fiction. I sat down one September and wrote for ...
Blood Lust – A sassy vampire tale
BLOOD LUST This is a fun story I wrote for a contest. Who doesn’t love a sassy vampire tale? Enjoy! *** Frank Rooney had been the manager of the Shop & Save for thirty-eight years, and he wasn’t retiring anytime soon. He didn’t need to. He’d been in the town of Cartage for ...
Writing an original song for a novel
My latest novel, A Rainbow Like You, comes with a bonus song of the same title. Many books have lyrics written in them, but I always knew this book needed the full meal deal: an actual, real song. I’m a huge music buff and have always been fascinated by the creation of songs. I’d never written ...
How to Write Great Antagonists – Three Tips
How to write great ones. Can I just say, I LOVE antagonists. They don’t carry the major weight of the plot and therefore can be a little crazy, weird, or just plain ass jerks. And since readers don’t have to like, or side with the antagonist…at least not right away…you can have mucho fun with ...
How A Rainbow Like You Came to Life
It was inevitable, really. I caught the concert bug as a teenager and ever since, have travelled the globe to see my favorite bands play in the world’s most iconic musical venues. In other words…it was my destiny to write a story set against the backdrop of a touring rock band! But why this story ...
Creators Unite! Making Diversity a Reality.
All hail the King! Who is this lovely man? His name is Exile and he is one of the main characters in my upcoming novel A Rainbow Like You. A TIME OF CHANGE I started writing the book two years ago, with no idea it would be released in such a time of change. I’m ...
Cool Things. Volume #6. First Loves.
FIRST LOVES “We had found the stars you and I. And this is given only once.” – André Aciman. In a lifetime of firsts, nothing quite compares to a first love. THE BEGINNING I met Jason Robertson at a house party when I was sixteen years old. He was fun and quirky and we shared ...
Cool Things. Volume #1
Cool Things – Inaugural edition. For the past few weeks, I’ve been brainstorming for a blog series. My interests and inspirations are varied – like my writing – so it was crucial to craft a theme with enough depth and breadth to support years of posts. Enter…Cool Things! Writing has heightened all my senses and ...
The agony and the ecstasy
The agony and the ecstasy: the birth of a novel. Since starting to write, I’ve had countless people tell me: “I’ve always wanted to write a book.” If this is you, you’re in the right place. Read this post before you start! Writing is neither glamorous or social. Yes, there are prizes and bestseller lists, ...