Books

iRead Book Tours: A Happy Third Anniversary! { Includes Giveaway! }

I never imagined, when I first started blogging back in 2008, that I would meet so many amazing people.  Fellow bloggers provided me with inspiration through their own blogs as well as tips, help, and just plain support.  Readers started trickling in during the first months Sahar’s Blog was born, and as their confidence in… Read More iRead Book Tours: A Happy Third Anniversary! { Includes Giveaway! }

Community, Community Building, NaNoWriMo, Writing

Did I Win? Some Thoughts on NaNoWriMo 2014

NaNoWriMo 2014 came to a close on 30 November, but I was lucky enough to reach the goal a couple of days before. Although I don’t know if all of them will make the final cut, I managed to write over 50,000 words of the sequel to the Spirit Within Club. I had discussed at… Read More Did I Win? Some Thoughts on NaNoWriMo 2014

Ask An Author

Ask an Author: When Your Characters Take You Somewhere You Didn’t Want to Go

Summertime is more of a season we associate with reading that with writing—but for our group of authors, we continue to write away, just as much—if not more!—than we read.  That’s why we have some great news to share: at New Zealand’s 37th annual national conference for science fiction and fantasy, author Lee Murray won… Read More Ask an Author: When Your Characters Take You Somewhere You Didn’t Want to Go

Author Spotlight, Writing

Author Spotlight: Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper

As mentioned in my review of the book, I found between the covers of Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper’s Populatti a story that created a safe environment for a conversation on social media’s role in our relationships. The story delves into the increasingly complex maze of interactions that defines high school in the age of social media.… Read More Author Spotlight: Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper

Ask An Author

Ask an Author: You Write What You Read

It’s finally summertime where I live, which means the season to spend time on a deck somewhere with a pitcher of ice-cold water and a pile of books to read!  A couple of years ago, I started reading not just books that I was interested in, but books that I wanted, as a writer, to… Read More Ask an Author: You Write What You Read

Author Spotlight, Writing

Author Spotlight: Bernie Strachan

Under the pen name Claire Sandy, Bernie Strachan wrote a wonderful book I recently had the pleasure of reviewing. What Would Mary Berry Do? is a delightful tale about a happy family trying to live life in a better way, namely by the female head of the household reaching out to her new found touchstone,… Read More Author Spotlight: Bernie Strachan

Author Spotlight, Writing

Author Spotlight: Sieni A.M.

I am lucky to count author Sieni not only as a friend, but also as one of those with whom I have had many a fantastic chat on the role writing fiction can have on personal and community development, which resulted in many an undone chore. What can I say – sacrifices must be made.… Read More Author Spotlight: Sieni A.M.

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Lee Murray’s Return

Community-building is a passion of mine–which makes sense, seeing as how it is one of two major concepts addressed in so many of the various features on this blog!  As a writer, I have been puzzled for quite some time at the perceived dichotomy between the very personal business of writing and leading a social… Read More Author Spotlight: Lee Murray’s Return

Ask An Author

Ask an Author: Title and Covers, Seemingly Easy, Anything But

Communities are awesome.  Well, more specifically, communities bound together with a common vision and the strength of stepping up to the plate again and again are awesome. I have to tell you the story of how this edition of the Ask an Author feature came around because, although it is a little embarrassing for me,… Read More Ask an Author: Title and Covers, Seemingly Easy, Anything But

Author Spotlight, Writing

Author Spotlight: Melissa Cistaro

I discovered author Melissa Cistaro’s Pieces of Me through NetGalley late last year. Although I posted a review in January, the story remained for quite some time on my mind. I was struck by this story of a growth daughter dealing with the imminent passing of her mother, with whom she has had quite a… Read More Author Spotlight: Melissa Cistaro