historical fiction writer, amateur photographer, retired computer guru and math geek
Every year, we try to take a small vacation to get away from the winter doldrums. We don't always escape the weather, but just a change of scenery is enough to get through until spring. This year we headed south--that is to the Southern Tier of New York--and we tried something new: we took the … Continue reading Trumbull’s Corners
Too many times, we learn only one side of a story. I believe it’s important to be informed of all perspectives before I make any judgment. In the case of the many Arab-Israeli conflicts since the early 1900s, I’ve mostly learned the Israeli side, beginning with the Holocaust and the creation of an Israeli state … Continue reading Book Review: “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine” by Rashid Khalidi
You show me a woman who hasn't fantasized getting in the car and leaving home and I'll show you a woman who doesn't drive." ~Susan Sussman, in her novel Time Out From Good Behavior Show of hands, moms: who has never clenched her car keys so tightly they made red indents in her palm, and … Continue reading Car Keys
Whew! It's been quite a year! But now the Christmas tree is down and ready to recycle, the ornaments and stockings safely packed away until next December, and 2023 is nearly over. A year ago I learned that War Sonnets had received a bronze award from the Historical Fiction Company, the same organization that had … Continue reading 2023: The Year That Was
The phone rings early Sunday morning. It must be my dad—we often share answers to the Sunday Crossword.But today his voice shakes, his emotions barely in check. “Mom is worse.”I can almost hear his tears. Mom’s cancer is back. Just last month she’d assured us everything was as it should be and we believed her—until … Continue reading Saying Goodbye: A Memory
One of the most stressed "rules" of writing is that a prologue is a no-no. Agents hate them. Many readers wont even bother to read them because they think a prologue is a bunch of first-page exposition that contributes nothing to the story. Well, if you read War Sonnets don’t skip the prologue. Why? Every … Continue reading Prologue vs. Epilogue: What’s Your Opinion?
Bea Crenshaw shows up in the third installment of Brenda Marie Smith's Braving the Light Series. Thing is, Bea died in book one. But that doesn't stop her from being able to see what's been happening for the past two years. Bea can only observe, but somehow, her granddaughter, Maddie, knows she's there. Two years … Continue reading Book Review: “If the Sun Spares Us” by Brenda Marie Smith
Tomorrow's the day! My Blog Tour from Coffee Pot Book Club sets off for a week of website visits. Each site will feature a post promoting War Sonnets with a blurb, an excerpt from the book, and an author bio. (Links to each site are listed below the image.) If you haven't bought your copy … Continue reading War Sonnets Blog Tour
I remember the first time I heard it: Your first novel will never see the light of day. No matter how good you think it is, it’s probably not ready for prime time and it probably never will be. “Not my novel!” I thought. I was indignant. Downright upset. Crushed. How could this—my best work, … Continue reading Shelved: When your “best” just isn’t good enough
Susannah Willey Writes 