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What I’ve Learned by Writing a Trilogy

Apr 16 2019
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Beginner Resources, Industry Life, Writers Toolbox, Writing Life

I’ve always been a sucker for a trilogy. It started with the countless Star Wars marathons my brothers and I watched together. From there, I’d pick up N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth series and Pierce Brown’s Red Rising trilogy. Genius compilations like Lilith’s Brood and The Hunger Games and The Lord of the Rings. They say good things come in threes. That includes my own breakthrough in the industry. Back in 2014, Random House acquired Nyxia. […]

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A New Method for Antagonists

Feb 6 2019
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Beginner Resources, Writers Toolbox, Writing Life

I’ve had the pleasure over the past few summers to teach at Duke Young Writers’ Camp. One of my favorite courses was a Dark Fiction class for middle grade students. It was an opportunity to walk young writers through fiction that really pushes the boundaries. Unsurprisingly, many of my young writers go a little too far. One infamous story featured a villainous assassin targeting a list of grandmothers. It was a great opportunity to talk […]

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The Querying Process Tool Kit

Dec 19 2018
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Beginner Resources, Industry Life, Writers Toolbox

I’ve been watching a lot of Bob the Builder. My son loves anything with wheels. I’m a fan of British accents. The show works for both of us. One thing the show does very well is that it explains the importance of having the right tools for the job you’re doing. It’s common sense, but I still love that they explain the role each machine plays in completing the larger task. Querying can be that […]

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A Few Gift Ideas for Your Readers

Nov 28 2018
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Beginner Resources, Miscellaneous, Writers Toolbox, Writing Life

You forgot, didn’t you? In the adrenaline rush that is Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you actually forgot to get a very special person a present. Sure, you found your brother in-law that vacuum he wanted at a discount. Mom’s getting that gorgeous plant holder she keeps hinting at. You even remembered the nephews and their strange new obsession with dinosaurs. But you forgot to get a present for us—your readers. (Live footage of your […]

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Taking Advantage of Our Unpublished Work

Oct 29 2018
Posted in:
Industry Life, Inspiration, Tips From Industry Pros, Writers Toolbox

Gather around the fire. Let’s tell a ghost story. I have a middle grade novel that releases next year. The series follows characters that train for their potential stories by attending Protagonist Preparatory. In the book, my main character stumbles upon the Sepulcher. But instead of hosting dead people, the school’s catacombs are full of dead books. All those books you started but never finished in high school? First chapters that never quite took off? […]

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