The Beginning: What Is It?
Before we can look at what makes a great novel beginning, we need to know what that means. Let’s start by identifying the main components of a novel. First, novels typically consist of three main parts: Beginning, Middle, and End. Between each section you have two more major components: the [...]
Hello, May!
It’s official - my sister and her family have their plane tickets for Michigan! What does that have to do with writing? Um, everything! Okay, not really - I’m just super excited (and I will be taking another month off to hang out with them, but more on that later). [...]
Coach and Four: Allisandra’s Tale by Linore Rose Burkard
Nineteen year-old Lady Allisandra is a ward of King Charles II. When he orders her from court to stay with her old friend Elizabeth Hastings, the Duchess of Langley, Allisandra finds herself trapped inside a coach-and-four with the notorious rake Lord Dorchester. Has the duchess betrayed her? Perhaps, but things [...]
Bread Upon the Water by Deanna K. Klingel
Duong Tien, growing up in South Vietnam, always knew he had a calling to the priesthood. But, when Communism takes over his country, Tien has to escape. This is a true story of adventure, danger, and hardship; a story of courage, and faith. Tien has nothing: no food, no clothing, [...]
The Red Fury — Empire in Pine, Book Two by Naomi Musch
Spurned twice since the death of her first betrothed in a logging accident, Lainey Kade has become the object of talk. "That Lainey, she's a shrew all right. Not ever going to marry, likely," the gossips say. Fleeing heartache and flaunting convention, Lainey seeks solace instead in seeking adventure and [...]