I got this idea from reading the latest issue of Writer’s Digest, so fair warning! Jane K. Cleland says unreliable narrators have been around since before Arabian Nights was written. […]
JES Hays
JES Hays is the author of the Devon Day and the Sweetwater Kid stories: Down the Owlhoot Trail and the upcoming Outlaw Security.
What I’m Reading: The Mahu Series
I’ve started a new mystery series, this one set in Hawai’i by author Neil Plakcy (yes, Grammerly, I spelled it correctly–I double-checked). Mahu is the Hawaiian word for homosexual, and […]
Inspire Yourself
It happens to all of us once in a while: you just don’t feel the old muse inspiring you. But what–if anything–can you do about it? Here are some of […]
Showing vs Telling
I’m sure you’ve heard that you should “show” instead of “telling” in your writing. But what, exactly, does this mean and how do you do it? “He felt angry” is […]
What is Conflict in a Story?
I have a lot of trouble making sure I have enough conflict in my plots. I tend to like “caper” stories, where the characters proceed in a fairly orderly fashion […]
Analysis/Review: The Moonstone
So I finally finished reading this classic Gothic novel, supposedly the first detective novel ever written. Here’s what I thought of it: This is a long book — 423 pages […]
What I’m Researching: The American Healthcare System
OK, not so much research but hey, you take whatever information comes your way, right? I spent most of Monday in the urgent care center and emergency room because every […]
Books on Instagram
If you’re not on Instagram, you’re not hitting all your readers. Younger folks prefer Instagram, Snapchat, or even TikTok to the “golden oldies,” Facebook or Twitter. Here are some ideas […]
What I’m Reading: The Moonstone
OK, I’ve had to put Woman in White down as un-finish-able. Maybe I’ll go back to it later, but for now I’m trying the author’s other famous novel, perhaps the […]
The Writer’s Toolkit
What am I writing on and with, you ask? I’ve been a Mac user for a couple of decades now, since a PC fan blew and lost a manuscript! I’ve […]