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Three Word Wednesday – January 25
Posted on January 29th, 2012 by Penn
Recently I was introduced to the blog Three Word Wednesday. It’s a fairly simple concept – the blog author gives you three random words, and your goal is to create a sentence, poem, story, cartoon, or some other kind of creative way to use all three words together. It’s a wonderful writing practice, particularly for writers like me who get so consumed and overwhelmed with the hugeness of their novel that they sometimes need to just stretch their muscles in a different direction. Putting one’s work online is always a nervewracking thing, and I must admit my nerves are currently at Code Red, but the act of simply hitting “Publish” can be as much a learning experience as the writing itself.
Without further ado, I present to you my Three Word Wednesday contribution for January 25, titled “Sarah Lee Baker.”
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Reality TV
Posted on March 2nd, 2011 by Penn
Let’s get real for a minute.. To say that I’m a reality TV buff would be the understatement of the CENTURY! It’s kind of my weakness. And by kind of, I mean HOLY COW do I love reality TV! From over-the-top dramafests like Kitchen Nightmares to tearjerkers like The Biggest Loser to cheesy dating shows like The Bachelor, I’m hooked on pretty much all of them. Although I have to have complete silence when I write, silence is the bane of my existence any other time, and I always have to have some kind of music or TV show playing while I work. Most of the time, as I answer emails or organize my finances or research for a story, I’ve got Hulu up on my second computer monitor, and if there’s one thing Hulu has a lot of, it’s terrible reality shows. On any given day, my playlist might look something like this:
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Book Review: 38 Mistakes
Posted on March 2nd, 2011 by Penn
Recently I’ve been on a nonfiction kick, largely focused on writing-centric books. Although my educational background is in writing, I’m a firm believer that we never stop learning, so reading these books has been at times a fun refresher course and at other times a bold wake up call to the rules of the road in fiction writing. My most recent read was The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes by John Bickham. True to its title, this book lists the most common slip-ups that trap fiction writers and hurt them and their books.
Some of my favorite excerpts from the book:
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DFW Con Cheat Sheet
Posted on February 26th, 2011 by Penn
Just thought I would share this with anyone who is interested – DFW Con cheat sheet (with photos, classes, Twitter names, and bios) of all the agents, authors, and panelists for this weekend’s conference! Enjoy!
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Non-Fiction Recommendations
Posted on February 25th, 2011 by Penn
World War Three has arrived. Society as we know it has been ripped at the seams, splitting the world into two bitterly opposed factions. Strangers eye each other suspiciously, wondering, “Are you one of us, or – *glare* – one of them?” Tension and uneasiness fill the air, battle lines are drawn, and the inevitable epic showdown approaches with frightening quickness. And who are these mortal enemies, doomed to wage eternal war?
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DFW Writers Conference
Posted on February 25th, 2011 by Penn
This weekend, I’ll be attending the annual DFW Writers Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Writing can be a very lonely profession, so it’s always a thrill to be able to gather together with fellow authors and take some time to discuss and learn about our craft and our industry. There’s a wealth of amazing opportunities being offered this year, from a panel dedicated entirely to Cookbooks to a Q&A from a Mortuary worker to a Chicken Soup for the Soul veteran, in additional to a number of business-focused classes (and you know how I love talking business!).
Here are a few of the panels I am looking forward to: -
Why Young Adult?
Posted on February 25th, 2011 by Penn
Once upon a time, Penn Cole was the most obnoxious book snob you could ever hope not to meet. I reveled in “literary masterpieces” that garnered critical acclaim, waxing poetic about themes and symbolism and social commentary, turning my nose up at any novel that didn’t appear on a collegiate level lit class reading list. The biggest target for my scorn was Young Adult staples like Twilight, Harry Potter, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and anything written by Nicholas Sparks. If a friend or colleague would admit to being a fan of Gryffindor, or being Team Jacob, or loving the Notebook, it was all I could do to keep from rolling my eyes.
Then I actually, y’know, read them.
