As a historical fiction author, my characters are not just figments of my imagination—they are the heart and soul of my narratives, and sometimes, they have minds of their own. Often, I begin writing with a clear outline of who my characters are and the roles they will play. However, the creative process is full […]
Category Archives: Writing Advice
Unveiling the Dark Side of Fiction: How I Created the Character of Emily Lloyd in Veil of Doubt
Creating a female serial killer character is a challenging endeavor for any writer. It involves delving into the darkest corners of the human psyche, exploring motivations, and building a multi-dimensional character that captivates and terrifies readers in equal measure. Emily Lloyd’s character in Veil of Doubt, has depth, complexity, and contradiction. I wrote her to […]
Unveiling the Past: Research Methods for Crafting a Historical Legal Thriller with 1800s Medical Forensics as Evidence
When writing a historical fiction novel, the task of weaving an enthralling legal thriller set in the 1800s demands more than just literary prowess; it requires meticulous research to authentically recreate the era’s legal system and medical forensics. Transporting readers to a bygone era, where justice was sought through intricate legal battles and emerging medical […]
Book Review: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
For my book club, I will be choosing current titles (2019 and 2020 as released) to read, review and recommend. Initially I had picked The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates to launch my book club, but after reading it, I was largely unimpressed. So, I scoured the reviews and selected The Dutch House, by Ann […]
Clarity
There comes a point in the creative process where you just need to get away from the work. I didn’t realize how important that was until this weekend. Scott and I spent the weekend in New Orleans at Emeril Lagasse’s Carnivale du Vin, a weekend charity event supporting underserved youth. We met new friends and […]
Holed Up in the Tower
I’ve spent the past three days holed up in the Tower. Not that tower! But the Tower at our property on Bald Head Island! When my husband and I decided to build our dream house at the beach four years ago, we had fancied something on the beach. But that soon changed when we considered […]
Mapping the Final Cuts
Last week was spent working with my editor mapping Masque of Honor’s structure against proven story-telling standards that date back to the times of Plato. As we cut material from the book to improve its pacing, we also kept a close eye on the characters’ arcs, ensuring none were compromised. And most importantly, we made […]
Anthony McCarten on Writing
Two years ago, I met Anthony McCarten and the two of us became fast friends. Anthony is a novelist, author, playwright and screenwriter. His novels include Death of a Superhero, Spinners, The English Harem, and Show of Hands among others. His films include The Theory of Everything, The Darkest Hour, and Bohemian Rhapsody, which at […]
Raspberry Plain Manor
“The Great Hall of Raspberry Plain, with its high, white, plastered walls and walnut trim, was alive tonight with the laughter of guests enjoying whiskey and wine.” Masque of Honor In Masque of Honor, Raspberry Plain served as the family seat of the Mason family. In the opening scenes of the book, the manor house […]
Before Writing the First Word
In October 2017, I first started the MASQUE OF HONOR project (in the world of publishing, I’ve learned that the writing of a book is called ‘a project’). In those first months, I focused my efforts on research spending countless hours at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, at Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg, on […]
