Tag: #Writing

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It’s All In A Name #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

 

March 2, 2026

There is an unwritten rule in fiction about not using characters’ names that begin with the same letter.

Do you have rules for naming yours?

When I started writing, I didn’t realize the power of names. My characters were named haphazardly, with whatever popped into my mind. Boring, white American names, because that’s what I knew. But the more I wrote, the deeper my understanding of what a simple name can do.

Then I transitioned to worrying about using “real” names. I’d spend hours scouring the internet, trying to discover if a name I had in mind belonged to a person I might meet on the street. If I was attached to it, I might change a few letters to avoid the duplication.

It wasn’t enough. I felt like I was missing something.

My research switched. I started playing with names based on various sources. Native American names. The Bible. The US census. That worked for a couple of books. (The Free Wolves series is a prime example.) For a while, I had access to the names of a medium-sized company, and I’d often come across unique names. Those made it into a notebook for later use.

By the time I reached The Ranger’s Dog tags from the Harmony Duprie books, I made another switch in my naming convention. The book had characters from a variety of backgrounds, and I tried to create names that would fit into their histories. As a bonus, the names worked to lead me to discover traits of their personality. (Always just the first name or the last, never both.)

As they will, my characters played games with me. For the Edwards Investigations, I used characters based on an over-decade old manuscript. There was no changing the names. Annie and Mike.

Now, I use a combination of all the above. I’ve also learned when it’s okay to break the rules. In the Edwards Investigations stories,  I have both an Annie and an Andreas. Annie because that was her original name from back in the day. Andreas because it pays homage to a founder of an early computer club, the perfect name for the character.

So what’s in a name?

A name can be an entire story in itself. Do our other authors have rules for naming their characters? Check it out by following the links below.

And, as always, please stay safe until the next time.

Goal update: I reached 40,500. But I wrote more and deleted 500 because I wasn’t happy with them.

March 2, 2026

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There is an unwritten rule in fiction about not using characters’ names that begin with the same letter.

Do you have rules for naming yours?

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What’s For Supper? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Feb. 9, 2026

Did you try any new foods last year?

How did that go?

During the summer, I spend a lot of weekends at various community events. You’d think that would provide the opportunity to try a variety of new foods. But I don’t eat much during festival days because I’m afraid to dig into some messy dish just as a potential customer comes to my booth. Besides, I don’t want to have grease on my hands when I’m handling my books.

But there’s the rest of the year. And limited options in my local area as far as restaurants. In fact, this year we planned to try a new one for our anniversary. Walked in, and they had a sign that said “cash only” and were serving a limited menu. We ended up going elsewhere.

Now, I’ve tried new dishes in favorite restaurants.

But I don’t consider that as new food as they were still “American-style” dishes.

Here’s a confession: I’m bored with cooking and eating. The variety of dietary needs in the household makes meal planning difficult. We’ve fallen into a pattern of repeating the same dishes over and over. At times, I’d rather just munch on a variety of cheese, meats, and crackers than eat a full meal.

I hope your diet has been more adventurous than mine. Feel free to share the new dishes you’ve tried in the comments. And I’m hoping the other authors on this hop have more to share than I do. Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe. (and warm if you’re in a freezing area!)

Goal update – I’m at 34,800 words. Not as far as I wanted to be, but the characters are switching the plot on me.

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Writing Tools I Want #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Jan 26, 2026

What is a tool that you would like to get to help you do your writing?

(Gadget/software, etc. – even a knickknack for focus)

I’m in pretty good shape as far as basic writing goes, with a decent computer, a program to write in, a website, and a great internet connection. I’ve got access to a program to help me with spell checking and editing’ and a talented and dependable cover artist. What am I missing?

Now that I’m retired, I’ve considered formatting my own stories for publication.

I have more time, and my original formatter has given up the business. I’m learned a lot, and am getting pickier about how my written version looks. (Why the heck is it different between KFP and Ingram when formatting a PDF?) Plus, the cost is harder for me to justify. As print prices go up, it takes more to recoup the cost.

I’m aware of several, and the most popular one, Vellum, is only good for Macs, which I don’t have. But that’s my question for all of you who format your own work. What program do you use, or which one do you recommend? Please share in the comments.

So, I don’t have an answer. Help me figure it out.

Perhaps one of the other authors on this hop will guide me in their post. You can find them by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe. If you’re in the path of the current storm, Fern, I hope you are staying warm.

Goal update: I only added 1300 words this week, However, I received several helpful critiques on Chapter 1, and returned critiques. So, even though my word could was low, I got a lot done.

Jan 26, 2026

What is a tool that you would like to get to help you do your writing? (Gadget/software, etc. – even a knickknack for focus)

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Writing From Revisions #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Jan 19, 2026

Have you ever taken something that you worked on very early in your writing journey and made it into a complete work later? Or do you plan to?

I didn’t come up with this prompt, but I feel as if it was written for me. (Thanks, K. Williams!)

If you follow me, you know The Rimer File, the first book in the Edwards Investigations, is a reworking of a book I wrote over a decade ago. (and never published.) That was back when I was trying to write romances. It was a good story, but not good enough, and I knew it. The language was stiff; the plot needed work, and most of the characters were not well-developed. The time frame was vague and dated without being historical.

I made several stabs at fixing it over the years. After each attempt, I put it aside, not satisfied. Finally, after I finished writing the Harmony Duprie series, I considered tackling it again. But I sat on it, letting it brew in my brain.

Then I realized enough real-time had passed that I could place the story in a semi-historical time frame. Time that I’d actually lived through, giving me inside information. Once that was settled, I knew I couldn’t place the original story in that period.

So now, I consider the original story as inspiration, and the new book is a tribute, not a revision, to that story.

The plot is different, and romance is a secondary part of the story, rather than a primary focus. The book is darker than anything I’ve written, but it’s true to the times.

The names of my two main characters remain the same, and a few other details carried over, but most of the story is new. Instead of being totally from my imagination, I researched to include historical places and events.

The 80s. Pittsburgh, PA. A man’s world. All Annie McGregor wanted was to nail a cheating husband and prove herself worthy of being more than a glorified bookkeeper. What she found when she opened the back door of the bar-of-the-night was so much more than she bargained for. A mutilated body that bore an eerie resemblance to her ex, and a stint in handcuffs.

I have one other story from my learning stage, back before I became published, that I still think about. Yes, it is a romance, so it would be a challenge. but I’m not ready to tackle it because I have other stories I want to finish first.

How about our other authors? Do any of their old works have a future? Find out by checking out their posts with the links below.

And, as always, please stay safe until the next time.

Goal update. I broke 30,000 words and have changed the title again. This one fits and I’m happier with it. (but I’m not sure about the last 500 words. I have to think about it.)

Jan 19, 2026

Have you ever taken something that you worked on very early in your writing journey and made it into a complete work later? Or do you plan to?

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Most Interesting Person #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

November 3, 2025

Who is the most interesting person you’ve ever met?

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many amazing people in my life.

Sure, part of that is due to the variety of jobs I’ve worked and places I’ve lived. Do I talk about the landlady who lived next door and treated us more like grandkids that renters? She’d bring supper over, or we’d cook and have her over, and she’d fall asleep on our couch watching TV.

Maybe the ex-military men I’ve known. The uncle who was serving in Hawaii during the Pearl Harbor attack and never spoke of it. The neighbor, who was a Green Beret in Vietnam during the war and may have taken part in exercises in Cambodia. My father, who served at the end of WWII, who was always tinkering with electronics, and took up music after retirement.

Or maybe the nuns who taught at the high school I attended? The ones who signed anti-war petitions (In the Vietnam days) and led the school in celebrating the first Earth Day? The one who wrote a symphony or the other one who has spent years working for social justice? How about my coworker who had a photographic memory but was also paranoid about life. After I moved, I lost track of him—he doesn’t do social media although he was a computer genius.

How about any of the computer geniuses I worked with at my last job?

The ones that could out-think, out-code, out-program most of the vendors they work with. The one that had a wealth of stories to share from his military days, but also got up at two in the morning for several weeks trying to help an overseas company make their program work for us. Or the one that raised livestock on the side?

But I’ll pick on a former supervisor. I’ll call him “Pete” to give him some semblance of privacy. I watched him grow into a fine supervisor and then struggle with the responsibilities. At first, he worried about meeting one-on-one with me. I suspected his reason, even though he never voiced it. Eventually, he changed his mind. When his church, which he was actively involved in, got a new pastor and changed the way they worshipped and served the community, he left to find a different path.

Eventually, he left the company we both worked for. (I had retired by that point.) He found a job that allowed him to work remotely and travel at the same time. It’s not quite the van life he’s living as he has a home. he and his wife also started a you tube page.

What makes him interesting? Not everyone is willing to follow their dreams. I admire him for taking the risks he has, and not taking the easy way out. I suspect he is happier for it. (If you’re reading this, “Pete,” hello!)

I’m looking forward to seeing who the other authors on this hop talk about. You can find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

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November 3, 2025

Who is the most interesting person you’ve ever met?

 

My Favorite Piece Of Writing #IWSG

  By IWSG
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
The awesome co-hosts for the October 1 posting of the IWSG are Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine!

October 1 question – What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?

The one I am currently working on.

I have to fall in love with my characters in order to do the best job telling their story. I struggle to write them well until I have become comfortable with their personalities. The last short story I wrote (to be released as part of an anthology in November) took me four attempts before i found the basis of the plot. I’m currently working on the second book in the Edwards Investigations series, and falling back in love with my cast of characters.

But if we’re talking about something that’s already been published, there’s one clear winner.

The Rise of Jake Hennessey stole my heart.

Jake is a gentleman jewel thief. I don’t claim he’s a great one, but he does okay. Most of the time. I got to know him through his interactions with Harmony Duprie, the protagonist of my Harmony Duprie Mysteries.  He tried and failed to win her heart, but remained her friend. At least, until the representatives of a number of legal agencies chased him off.

But The Rise of Jake Hennessey is his chance at a happy ending. And have fun along the way. Set twenty years in the future, I got to invent some unlikely situations to challenge him. Since he’s a morally gray character, I got to explore all aspects of his personality.

Jake had lived with a bulls-eye on his back ever since the time he got caught shoplifting a pair of expensive jeans as a twelve-year-old. Because he never made it out of the store, and it was a first offense, he had gotten off with a warning, but he had also made it onto the blacklist with the local cops. He learned a lot from that experience—about how to not get caught.

The first rule was never steal from a store where he’d need to shop later. As an adult, he’d extended that rule to include the city where he lived. Which meant Oak Grove was off limits, and local officials had no interest in his activities.

Once in a blue moon, a newly hatched FBI agent stumbled across old files and got the notion Jake was the path to establishing their reputation. None of them were more than an inconvenience until their superior called off the hunt. And Harmony had never been dragged into their wild goose chases before.

The Rise of Jake Hennessey

The Rise of Jake Hennessey

I love rooting for the underdog, and that’s part of what makes this book my favorite. Jake was the throwaway character who was never meant to have his own books. In fact, I never intended for him to appear as a speaking character. But he has a way of ruining the best-laid plans.

I’m looking forward to checking out the favorite stories of other authors on this hop. There are plenty to pick from! See the list below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

The Glories Of Fall #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

September 22, 2025

What do you look forward to as Fall comes up?

I’ve lived where there is no fall.

I grew up in the forest-covered hills of Northwest Pennsylvania, where the trees turned a marvelous multitude of colors each fall. Where we’d go for walks, shuffling our feet, and smelling the essence of the earth as the leaves crumbled beneath our feet. But that isn’t the only type of fall I’ve experienced.

I spent a decade on the Oregon Coast. Because of the off-shore water currents and frequent fog banks, the temperatures remained moderate most of the year. ( I only saw snow reach the shoreline once in the ten years we lived there.)  Most of the trees were evergreens, with no leaves to drop. I spent more time trimming my camellia bushes than raking leaves.

Then there was Florida. No fall there either. And no leaves to rake. But grass to mow all year long.

Wyoming’s fall was short, but at least offered hillsides of glorious gold aspen trees. (Confession: this spot was just south of the Wyoming border in Colorado.)

But here I am, less than twenty miles from where I grew up.

.And here we are, with fall hastily taking over. I wasn’t ready for it this year. The first hints of color graced the oak and maple trees in the first week of September. A reminder to hurry and finish the tasks I’ve put off all summer.

At the same time, I’m falling in love again with the little plot of land I call mine. Or rather, I like to think I’ve been given the privilege of taking care of it, even if for a short time. The maple behind the house has already turned orange, and when the morning sun’s rays hit it, it’s enough to make me stop and soak in the momentary beauty.

It won’t be long now until the hillsides turn into a patchwork of color. The tourists will arrive as well, to glimpse the wonder. But unless they take the right back roads, they’ll miss the best views.

So, my answer is simple. What do I look forward to? It’s the glory of the wooded hillsides, and the display Mother Earth shares with us.

How about our other authors? What do they look forward to? Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

P.S. For those of you in the Lancaster PA area, Saturday the 27th, I will be taking part in the Books Books Books event at the Wyndham Expo Center Barn. I’ll be in spot 145. Stop by and say hi!

September 22, 2025

What do you look forward to as Fall comes up?

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Great Websites for Writers #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Sept 8, 2025

It’s been awhile since we’ve done this. Have you come across any great new websites for writers?

Or maybe share an old favorite.

I have a confession. I’ve been slacking. Despite being “mostly” retired, I have less time than ever. It’s a “me” thing, and I can think of a million reasons to justify my behavior. Distractions are everywhere, and my resistance is limited.

Perhaps I’m burnt out. Too many people expect too many things. I had dreams of sitting under the old maple in my backyard to write, but it hasn’t happened. It took me over 4 months to write a 10,000 word short story. Losing my office space didn’t help, but it isn’t entirely to blame, either. Still, it’s hard to go into a writing trance when people are constantly walking by my desk.

And most “new” writing websites I stumble across seem to do nothing but regurgitate old information. Everyone’s an expert, and no one’s an expert.

So, I have no great revelation to share.

Most of the “new” websites I’ve discovered are research related. What federal agency was in charge of nuclear plants in the mid-1980s? What did the Pittsburgh Civic Center’s skyboxes look like? And in what year did Jethro Tull play there? (oops—rabbit hole!)

How about an old favorite?

I use ProWritingAid for the desktop weekly (or more.) With a lifetime subscription that was gifted to me, It’s my go-to for checking grammar, punctuation, and other writing elements. (Gotta watch their advice on commas. the software often gets confused.)

Bring your story to life image with knight and dragon coming out of a book

But I do have something to offer. Long ago, I signed up for emails from the magazine Writer’s Digest. Last week, they offered a list of top websites for writers. The link is below. Lots of interesting looking sites. I haven’t visited all of them, naturally!

https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-101-best-websites-for-writers?utm_medium=email&utm_source=WDG+-+NL+-+Newsletter&oly_enc_id=0384C3289756G7O

I’m looking forward to seeing the pages our other authors suggest. Check out their posts by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

Sept 8, 2025

It’s been awhile since we’ve done this. Have you come across any great new websites for writers?

Or maybe share an old favorite.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Staying By My Side #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

August 18, 2025

Who stayed by your side during your hardest time in life?

If you’ve followed me, you may have noticed that I don’t talk a lot about my personal life.

And that’s on purpose. My family members are not fodder for my stories. They deserve their privacy. But the answer to this question demands that I break my rule and talk about my husband.

I can’t even say what the hardest time of my life was. Together, we’ve been through it. Together is the operative word. That we even met, let alone stayed together for over 50 years, defies logic. We’ve faced challenges you hope you never see happen—except to other people. Without him by my side, I don’t know if I could have handled everything life threw at us.

Again, I won’t go into details.

Let’s just say that someone once joked I should have been a doctor to deal with all the illnesses and conditions that the family has faced (now including the grandchildren.) But most of the time, I feel blessed with the life we have been given. (Or worked for and earned, depending upon your point of view.)

So, this is a short but well-deserved tribute to my husband. He’s stayed by me and supported me through everything. (Including incredible patience with what goes into my writing.)

No, that’s not us. We have some sweet pictures of us together, but remember the privacy thing?

How about the other authors on this hop? Who supports them? Find out by following the links below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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August 18, 2025

Who stayed by your side during your hardest time in life?

Editing Is Hard #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

August 4, 2025

Tell us about a writing lesson you learned the hard way.

I released my first book in 2014.

Of course, I had sent it through several online editors and a critique group before I published it. But it didn’t take long for a reader to find and point out the first error. Later, I heard about another one. And another. A reviewer said my primary female character winked too much. And they were right.

Luckily, it was fixable. I found enough instances of the word near the end of paragraphs to switch them out without reformatting an entire page or chapter. But it was a lesson I needed. But it also led me to pay more attention to overused words.

But editing is more than grammar and spelling.

There’s pacing and story flow and continuity. (Does the main character start with blue eyes and end with brown ones?) Don’t forget eliminating cliched phrases. {She released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.) Then there’s using the same uncommon word more that once, too close together. Let’s use the word metaphorical as an example. Used once, it’s interesting. Twice, it’s a little less gripping. Used three times close together, it loses its power.

As you can see, editing is hard. There’s always more to learn. And, no matter how many eyes look at the manuscript, an error can slip through.

What lessons have our other editors learned? Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

August 4, 2025

Tell us about a writing lesson you learned the hard way.

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