This is a beautiful time, a half-waking dream. I just scribble on my file, my fingers drifting over the keys, taking notes for half formed ideas, glimpsing the back of a female character as she walks in her long skirts down a path. I scribble a half idea for a scene of the first Read More
Writing historical fiction: sometime journal of a New York City novelist
four months until publication of CLAUDE & CAMILLE!
December 8, 2009
Four months until publication date and already many things are happening: the first appearances scheduled, wonderful blurbs from nine other novelists, an excellent Publishers' Weekly review. All very exciting. My novel which I wrote with so much passion, often huddled in pajamas in my little writing corner of my NYC apartment, is slowly beginning to make its way Read More
why novelists sometimes take a long time to finish a book
October 18, 2009
I think almost all novelists rewrite a huge lot, particularly if the story is a deep one or has many parts that have to come together. It takes a time to figure out what the story is, and that comes as you write, and then you have say 350 printed pages to tell it and Read More