By the time this gets posted, I’ll be on a trip to attend two speculative fiction conventions, Au Contraire in New Zealand and AussieCon 4 in Melbourne. I have a busy schedule at both, appearing on panels, giving a workshop and fronting up for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards, for which my novel Heart’s Blood [...]

As I mentioned in last week’s blog, I’m giving away two freebie short stories to celebrate the release of my second book, Dark Moon of Avalon.  And I’m so excited to announce that the first of the stories, titled, The Witch Queen’s Secret, is available now!  You can download it for free in various e-reader and [...]

Hey gang, I’ve been out of town on a personal reason, but I had to go to Target and look what I found!  Totally made my day.  Congrats, Therese!

I was thirteen when I learned I’d switched the voices of the ABBA women by giving the blonde’s lyrics to the redhead’s, and vice versa. It shouldn’t have mattered. Frida and Agnetha continued to harmonize; their melodies remained the background music as my sister and I washed the nightly dishes. In truth, though, it took a [...]

Valued contributor Sophie Masson’s latest children’s novel, THE MADMAN OF VENICE, releases in the U.S. on August 10!  Sophie is traveling from Paris to her home in Australia this week, so hopefully she has time for a Take 5 interview to tell us all about her latest project.  Until then, here is the teaser blurb: Venice in [...]

Two days remain to enter this huge contest, where you can win two copies of one of 102 books. Includes novels by Brunonia Barry, M.J. Rose, Leah Stewart, Carleen Brice, Joe Wallace, Barbara Samuel, Juliet Marillier, Therese Fowler, Melissa Senate, Allison Winn Scotch, Marilyn Brant, and 40 other generous writers. We’re currently at about 450 [...]

Every book requires research. Even if it’s set in your hometown and your protagonist is a whole lot like you, there will be some moment where you’re not sure of a fact – was the corner store there in 1994? Is it 15 miles to Waverly or 16? – and you will, in some way, [...]

Just a quickie driveby post for a WU squee!  We have early word from dearauthor.com that valued contributor Barbara O’Neal has won a RITA award for her book THE LOST RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS!  Her category was Novel with Strong Romantic Elements.  Blogmama Therese Walsh’s novel THE LAST WILL OF MOIRA LEAHY was also nominated for Best First Book, and while [...]

Newsy tidbits for writers from around the ‘nets. Am I the only one who hasn’t yet heard of the viral website I Write Like . . . ?  If you are like me, one of the last to know, I Write Like analyzes a sample of your writing and determines which famous writer you most [...]

Happy birthday to one of WU’s two blog mamas, Kathleen Bolton. Glad you’re taking the day off, Kath. Enjoy!

Please welcome novelist Christine Lemmon to Writer Unboxed. Christine is the author of three novels -Sanibel Scribbles, Portion of the Sea, and Sand in My Eyes, and the gift book, Whisper from the Ocean. She has lived all over the country writing for radio, newspaper, television and magazine. She currently lives with her husband and [...]

July 5th isn’t a major U.S. calendar holiday, but because July 4th fell on a Sunday this year, many people with full-time jobs are taking July 5th as a holiday from work. Including me. So I’m here but not here. And do you know what I’m not doing, wherever I am? I’m not writing. I’m [...]

Happy 4th of July!  Here’s to grills that don’t burn food, ice cold beverages, bug-free picnics and sparkly fireworks!  Back to work July 5.  Until then, have a safe and fun holiday.

My book is called The Kitchen Daughter, and it’s about a woman who discovers she can invoke ghosts by cooking from dead people’s recipes. Does that say everything there is to say about my book? Heck no. But does it say enough? In my opinion, yes, just. Writing is hard, and I’m not just talking [...]

Today marks the release of Allison Winn Scotch’s third novel, The One That I Want–a book that’s already been named a top summer pick by the editors of Cosmopolitan and Glamour.com, and tagged for summer reading round-ups from the Chicago Tribune and Minneapolis Star Tribune. Allison’s last novel, her sophomore effort, Time of My Life, [...]