UPDATE: I just learned that the author Sherrill Lewis died January 27, 2016 after a long battle with ALS. I never knew her, but here is what Kimberly Pennell said about her: “Her husband said her two goals in life toward the end were to see all her far-flung kids and finish the 4th book in the series. She got both and died the day after finishing the book. (shiver)” Shiver indeed! She definitely stayed around to finish what she had set out to do. I loved this book and will read the rest in the series. Now, on to the review. Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review.... Read More

Meet 40 Authors & Hear 11 Speakers at Meet the Author Day in Kimberling City on Feb. 6. 9:30 AM – 2 PM Event is FREE & open to the public Whatever you read you’ll find an author you’ll want to meet at this Southwest Missouri event at Kimberling Area Library in Kimberling City Missouri. For those of you who know me I’ll be there, but I don’t have a table. I’ll be at the special drawing table with a gift basket to give away. Here is a video showing last year’s event:  Kimberling City, MO. – Meet 40 regional authors and hear from eleven speakers... Read More

Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review. I review a well-written book, highlighting what makes it good from the reader’s perspective and what writing skills and techniques make it an irresistible read. Thus, each review serves both writers and readers. This week’s review is a paranormal romance that’s more about the dead than the living. It’s called At the Corner of Magnetic and Main by Meg Welch Dendler. THe publisher puts this book in their mainstream category. I’d call it magical realism or paranormal, as it is about ghosts/spirits. Welcome to all... Read More

Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review. Each week, I review a well-written book, highlighting what makes it good from the reader’s perspective and what writing skills and techniques make it an irresistible read. Thus, each review serves both writers and readers. This week, I’m reviewing a fun and touching book told from the point of view of show dog Tally. This book has certainly gone to the dogs. O’Branagan anthropomorphizes dogs, and I often don’t like when authors do that. You’ll find out if this is an exception shortly. Here is the description: Twilight... Read More

UPDATE 11/27/17: this book comes out soon from The Wild Rose Press. Get your free sneak peek here. I just did an interview for a funeral home. Not a job interview. The kind a writer gives to an interested party. Yeah, I don’t know “why Ronda” either, but there it is. Anyway, the topic of grief naturally arose, and I mentioned how grief infiltrates life the way a teabag infuses its essence into water. Grief can be a powerful motivator for a wide variety of actions a character takes (or does not take).  For the reader, seeing how the protagonist or other character responds... Read More

Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review. Each week, I review a well-written book, highlighting what makes it good from the reader’s perspective and what writing skills and techniques make it an irresistible read. Thus, each review serves both writers and readers. Interesting story behind me reviewing this book: I had a chance to read it before Mr. Tafoya had found a publisher. I was reading “slushies” (aka slush pile submissions or open submissions for a publisher. When I read the start of this book, I HAD to read the whole thing, and once I did that, I recommended... Read More

Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review. Each week, I review a well-written book, highlighting what makes it good from the reader’s perspective and what writing skills and techniques make it an irresistible read. Thus, each review serves both writers and readers. This week, it’s a cozy mystery called Melody for Murder. College professor Bertie Bigelow thinks her biggest problem is her job being on the line when one of her students goes off the rails at a live performance. She soon finds herself accused of murder and in deeper danger than she ca imagine. Melody for Murder:... Read More

Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review.  Each time, I review a well-written book, highlighting what makes it good from the reader’s perspective and what writing skills and techniques make it an irresistible read. Thus, each review serves both writers and readers. I was on hiatus for a while because I traveled to Leader Dogs for the Blind in Michigan to train with my new guide dog. We have been home for a short while, and I’m back to writing This week, I’m sharing Ridgeline, a historical fiction novel by an excellent writer, Pamela Foster. I’ve reviewed another... Read More

If you’ve perused the digital shelves of Amazon Kindle looking for advice on how to earn more as an author, you’re not alone. Every author wants to earn more, because the fact of the matter is that royalties are no big whoop, even if you’re selling a $20 tome. “Authors earn more money BECAUSE they’re authors than they do from actual book sales.” — Ronda Del Boccio I have a couple books at 99c. Perhaps you do too. This little volume by Kristen Eckstein is right in line with what I teach all my mentoring students about earning money from y your books.... Read More

Having taken Jan Morrill’s live workshop on creative characterization, I was thrilled when I saw the announcement that she had made a print (and Kindle) workbook to accompany it. Creative Characterization by Jan Morrill  In Creative Characterization, award-winning author Jan Morrill discusses six different methods she uses to develop characters such as those in her historical fiction, The Red Kimono: • Interviewing • Describing Photos and Paintings • Writing Letters • Writing in a Different Point of View • Accessing Character’s Inner Child • Internalization The exercises... Read More