Listening to my own audiobooks
If you ask most writers, they will probably agree that it’s hard (and often painful) to read or listen to their own books. No matter how well a project may be received by readers, it rarely measures up with the …
Year: 2017
A Look Back at Six Months of Weekly Blogging
The writing business requires experimentation. In my books, I try new things so that I’m always learning, always stretching as a writer, and hopefully making each book better than the last. At the same time, I’m also experimenting with marketing—looking …
Redemption—My Favorite Character Arc
A character arc is the inner journey of a character, beginning in the opening chapters of a story and ending at the climax, in which the character changes in some profound way. My favorite character arc is what I call …
The End—Thoughts on Thriller Endings
Today I’m going to talk about endings—specifically, what makes a good one. We’ve all had the experience of reading a great book, only to be let down by a mediocre finale. Similarly, we’ve all read and suffered through mediocre books, …
Tips for Writers—Using Setting to Improve Story
Of all the various moving parts a writer needs to worry about, setting is probably the least exciting, but one of the most helpful. Action, dialogue, characterization – these are the aspects of storytelling that draw us to the keyboard …
Interview with audiobook narrator Xe Sands
This week I am excited to present an interview with Xe Sands, the narrator of the Burnout audiobook and the upcoming Informant and Deadly Evidence audiobooks. Xe is an accomplished narrator with a number of awards to her credit, including …
Giveaway and Deal on Burnout Audiobook!
My first audiobook is here! Burnout, the first book in the Jessie Black Legal Thrillers series, is now available as an audiobook narrated by Xe Sands. It’s available as a digital download or as a physical MP3-CD. Here’s the cover: …
Audiobook Release Schedule and other News
Time for another update. If you are a fan of the Jessie Black Legal Thriller series, there is a lot to be excited about right now! Here are some highlights. The First Three Jessie Books in Audio Jessie Black is …
Jessie Black Audiobooks Coming Soon!
You may recall that one of my New Year’s resolutions was to explore audiobooks. I have sung their praises on this blog before, and I’m sure I’ll do so again—I’m a big fan. I have a lengthy commute to and …
What makes a good plot twist?
I don’t just write thrillers. I am also a voracious reader of them. There is a lot to love about the genre—fast-paced stories, larger-than-life characters, sky-high stakes. But one of my favorite things about a good thriller is a perfectly …