novel

My Novel Is Like a Weary Mattress (And So Am I) Or, the Literary Powers of Love

Now Playing: The sound of the fan overhead. Because I’m too tired for anything else. Look, I know what you’re thinking. But this isn’t that kind of blog. I’m just saying: my novel is big, hard to maneuver, and no matter how I position it, it never quite fits where I think it’s going toContinue reading “My Novel Is Like a Weary Mattress (And So Am I) Or, the Literary Powers of Love”

Hooray for Writing Retreats

For the past four years, Barry and I have taken an annual winter writing retreat. It helps us reconnect with our writing projects—and with each other. We’ve come to really look forward to these. This year, we chose a cute boutique hotel near the Indiana Dunes, one of our favorite places, though we usually visitContinue reading “Hooray for Writing Retreats”

Day 10: Romance in Literary Fiction?

How is it Day 10 of my book tour already?! Please take a look at the post on More.Books.Yes.Please’s Instagram. I’m grateful for the share! As ever, sign up for the giveaways over there, too. I will have more to say about Maggie Humm’s excellent Radical Woman featuring the artist Gwen John and her relationshipContinue reading “Day 10: Romance in Literary Fiction?”

Day Nine: Briscoe’s Mother, Jules Jenkins, and Blair Mountain

Please visit the gorgeous post over on Instagram created by A Blue Box Full of Books. She pairs Southern-Fried Woolf with a copy of Mrs. Dalloway! It gives me goosebumps to see my work side by side with Woolf’s. One of the quirkiest characters in my book is Briscoe’s mother Jules. Let’s get into it.Continue reading “Day Nine: Briscoe’s Mother, Jules Jenkins, and Blair Mountain”

Day Three of the Tour: Flowers

It’s Day 3 of the Southern-Fried Woolf blog tour! Thanks so very much to Virginia Lee for spotlighting my book! As a blanket statement, if you visit any of these stops you can sign up to win that bookshop.org gift card. Go get it! While I can’t say I’ve ever been one to pay muchContinue reading “Day Three of the Tour: Flowers”

Southern-Fried Woolf and Cheesy Cornbread

The happiest of holidays to all of you who celebrate! I hope you’re having/have had the best of times with those you love. Hubby and I are about to celebrate another anniversary, yay, and I finally made Christmas dinner today (long story). While my cheesy cornbread can’t touch my daughter’s, it was fluffy, sweet, cheesy,Continue reading “Southern-Fried Woolf and Cheesy Cornbread”

Mr. Dalloway

If you haven’t heard of the novella Mr. Dalloway by Robin Lippincott and you’re a Woolf fan at all, do yourself a favor and order it. Now. Full disclosure: he was my writing mentor for two semesters in grad school. I begged the person in charge of assigning mentors to let me work with him.Continue reading “Mr. Dalloway”

La Luministe, a Lush Art Novel by Paula Butterfield

When I heard about this book, I knew I’d buy it. There are books like that. Since I’m an Impressionism geek and feminist, when I heard that Paula Butterfield had written a novel about Berthe Morisot, one of the few women on the forefront of the Impressionist movement, I was thrilled. Before I discuss theContinue reading “La Luministe, a Lush Art Novel by Paula Butterfield”

Whole “Lotta” Interruptions

*The title’s pun is explained below. Sorry, Led Z. First of all, my apologies for my absence. I’ve been writing blog posts in my head but I can’t seem to get those to transfer over from brain to screen for some reason. Hmmm…🤓 I had (have) a helpful post in my mental cue, ready toContinue reading “Whole “Lotta” Interruptions”

The Novel That Wouldn’t Die…Or Live!

So you’re sitting in your hair stylist’s chair, revising your WIP. You look at your words, laugh, and almost warn her not to read over your shoulder if she’s easily offended because it contains adult language. Instead, you’re embarrassed by what you read for an entirely different reason. Let me say that I’ve beenContinue reading “The Novel That Wouldn’t Die…Or Live!”