We’re in a recession and, basically, the economy is in the toilet. For those of us who read and/or write books, we have to wonder how that’s going to affect us.
Random House CEO Markus Dohle says, “Because of the current economic crisis, our industry is facing some of the most difficult times in publishing history” [...]

Before I get started, I’d like to say Happy Thanksgiving to all you Americans, from a Canadian who celebrated our Thanksgiving a month ago. I hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends.
Maybe this is kind of a strange topic for a day of thanksgiving, but I want to talk about fear. [...]

Yes, that kind. Swear words, dirty words, “wash your mouth out with soap” words. That’s what I’m talking about.
Used to be, they were few and far between in commercial fiction. Now, it’s difficult to find a book, particularly one with a contemporary setting (and leaving aside Christian inspirationals) that doesn’t contain a fair number. Some [...]

I finally got around to watching Miss Potter (the movie about Beatrix Potter, author of those wonderful children’s stories that I’m sure we’ve all enjoyed). Being a romantic at heart, I enjoyed the love, pathos, and happy ending. Being a writer in today’s world, I thought, “Oh my gosh, is this what it used to [...]