Our own Michele Torrey has recently interviewed Holly Cupala on her blog. Holly's novel, TELL ME A SECRET, debuts June 22, 2010 (just one week away). You can find the interview on Michele's blog. While you're there, read more about Michele. She's a well-traveled writer, and has a non-profit called Orphans Africa. Just one fun... Continue Reading →
Michele Torrey: story beginnings, part 2
She's continuing the lesson at her blog with a discussion of hooks: For me, picking out a new book is as simple as reading its first page. Does it grab me? Do I want to read more? Do I want to read it badly enough to: a) check the book out? b) spend my hard-earned... Continue Reading →
Michele Torrey on story beginnings
Looking over the first pages of your story? Michele Torrey has great advice on where to start: We’ve all read them: books that stupify the senses for the first few pages or — ack! — the first few chapters. Like the literary troopers we are, we wade through those mind-dulling pages, meanwhile muttering incantations, It... Continue Reading →
Sweet news from Michele Torrey
I posted a call for donations to benefit Orphans Africa, a terrific charity Michele helped found. She has a very sweet blog post about the success of the endeavor: Maybe I’m tootin’ my own horn here, but I just have to say that the writing community here in the Pacific Northwest is pretty dang awesome.... Continue Reading →
Techno hate and ink pots
Michele Torrey has a blog post that's fun to ponder on a Thursday. Here's an excerpt:All this has got me thinking. Just how and when did my life became so interconnected with computers, the Internet, and email? Just when did my entire day get flushed down the loo if my computer froze or had to... Continue Reading →
Books to benefit orphans in Africa
Here's an opportunity to help via our colleague, Michele Torrey:As many of you know, in 2007 I co-founded Orphans Africa (OA). Part of our mission is to educate some of the 2.5 million orphans in Tanzania, East Africa. On February 27, 2010, we are holding a benefit dinner and auction at the Liberty Theater in... Continue Reading →
How to research historical novels
Our own Michele Torrey has a great blog post about how she researches her historical novels, including pitfalls to avoid and sources to use. Here's the start:As a writer of historical novels, I must conduct a lot of research. Over the years, I’ve become quite adept at finding what I need and separating the wheat... Continue Reading →
Michele Torrey on retreats
She has a lovely post on the value of retreats (just in time for ours next month). You can read the whole thing at her blog, but here's the start:Writing must be the loneliest occupation on the planet. Okay, maybe working in the space station is lonelier, or captaining a sailboat after all your crew... Continue Reading →
Tips on finding an agent
Michele Torrey, one of our dear PALs, has a great blog post on finding an agent--and specifically, how to make that list of people you'd like to query. Here's the start: Finding That Top Agent - Part IFace it. It’s a jungle out there. Finding a literary agent can be a confusing, agonizing, and frustrating... Continue Reading →
An Interview with Author Susan Marlow
Michele Torrey sends this along: I first met Susan Marlow at a writers' critique group, where we took turns critiquing one another’s book excerpt or short story. I immediately “took a shine” to Susan. She was down-to-earth, insightful, and funny, her writing strong and resonant. Although at the time she’d not been published in the... Continue Reading →