Since every author needs social media and since I’m always reading articles and books to keep on top of things, I thought I’d share one of the excellent books about social media. And it won’t overwhelm you with hundreds of services you don’t understand, either. Please take a close look at this book review and grab your copy of… The Art of Social Media by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick One thing I love about this book is that it won’t overwhelm you. It gets right to the questions you probably have including: How to optimize your profile How to get more... Read More

I encountered author and social media Frances Caballo through her podcast of the same name. It’s short, useful, and straight to the point. Based on that, I hadhigh expectations of her book. I’m happy to report that she did not disappoint. I’d recommend listening to it. Here’s the link. Review –  Social Media Just for Writers by Frances Caballo Warning – this book COULD overwhelm you. It’s not one of those how-to books  you’ll want to read cover to cover. There is a LOT of info. It’s like the writer’s social media desk reference,... 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 time it’s a chilling psychological thriller called Depraved by Woody P. Snow. And I have to warn you this book is not for the faint of heart or the seuqamish.  Depraved by Woody P. Snow Trapped between life and death while a murderer lurks, only thoughts of revenge keep him alive. Trapped between life and... Read More

Some writer friends and I had a rousing discussion about whether our work in progress books were cozy mysteries or not. A cozy mystery has a dead body or two, but not a lot of gore. The reader can cozy up with a good book by the fire, under a blanket, and have a good story without being terrified or having a lesson in forensics. An amateur sleuth gets involved trying to solve the riddle of “whodunit.” I go into more detail about it in this article. Hannah Swensen (Murder She Baked) series and the Cat Who series are examples of cozies. I like them, because I’m not a big fan... Read More

elcome 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. I happen to love suspenseful books, both reading and writing them. I don’t mind a bit of romance, so long as the story is focused on the suspense. I read and decided to review it for you. Vanished (Callahan and McLane, Book 1) by Kendra Elliot   When an eleven-year-old is abducted on her way to school, the FBI... Read More

One of my favorite cool tools for authors is AudioAcrobat. It’s a fabulous service to record and store audios, videos, and even podcasts. I’ve been a happy customer for years, and I love this service. I use it to make a backup recording of my webinars and workshops, no matter what web conferencing service I am using at the time. So here’s my cat Trippy helping me give a testimonial. I even used AudioAcrobat to record that video. Start your free 30 day trial right now, and be sure to join in the many free classes they offer to help you make the most of AudioAcrobat. Please... 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 depart from fiction book reviews to cover a memoir. Perhaps this is a bit selfish on my part, as I am starting to write a memoir of my own, but I haven’t yet reviewed a memoir, so why not, right? Memoir VS Autobiography Perhaps you, like many people, have some confusion about the difference between... Read More

Point of view is perhaps the most difficult skill to develop. SOme writers have more trouble with it than others, but whether trying for deep POV or not-so-deep, it tends to vex every writer to some degree. So if you find it a challenge, you’re in good company! I came across this book and decided to read it so I could see if it’s a worthy resource for you. Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson Deep point of view is so fully in a characters mind that the reader doesn’t just read your book; she lives the story. Go deep enough and your rreader will... Read More

I don’t like being lost. I doubt most people do! But here’s a video I made for my “404 page” which means the page that says you got to a page that doesn’t exist. You’re welcome to use it if you like!  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. I found this week’s read because I bought her book on writing cozy mysteries. Being a fan of cozies, I had to give one of hers a try. Description of Permed to Death from Amazon: Meet Marla Shore, a Florida beauty salon owner with a knack for creating dazzling dos—and solving mysteries . . .Marla was already... Read More