It started, as most epic tales do, with good intentions and a slightly overstuffed tote. I told myself I’d just do a quick organizing pass—nothing major. Just sort a few things, maybe prep a tote or two for moving. What I didn’t anticipate was stumbling into a time capsule. A spindle of discs. Then another. Then another. Nearly two hundred of them, stacked like ancient scrolls from the early digital age. And oh, the things…
Always Ametra
Every story begins as a whisper—an idea tugging at the edge of your thoughts until it’s no longer content to be quiet. That was certainly the case with Hey, Roomie!—though “whisper” might be too soft a word for the way this book barged into my brain. The idea came early. The timing? Complicated. Hey, Roomie! was actually intended to be my second published novel, following Duality. I was already deep into the writing process when…
There’s a moment in every story when a character stops being words on a page and starts breathing. You know it when it happens. Suddenly, they’re making choices you didn’t plan, saying things that aren’t in your notes, dragging the plot in a direction you didn’t intend—but can’t resist following. That’s when you know they’re alive. Creating characters that feel real isn’t about giving them a tragic backstory or a quirky catchphrase. It’s about knowing…
The first draft of a novel is a glorious, chaotic mess. There’s no other way to describe it. You get the idea, you chase it, you lasso it onto the page while it’s still half-feral and snarling, and for a while, it feels like triumph. Like art. Like the great masterpiece has arrived in the form of a blinking cursor and 90,000 words that you just know are at least 87% brilliant. Then you reread…
When I first dipped my toes into the audiobook world, I thought it would be a fairly straightforward process. After all, the book was done. The story was edited, polished, published, and live. What else was there to do? Answer: A lot. I expected to simply sit back and listen to my novel come to life in audio form. What I didn’t expect was that I’d be immediately confronted with every sentence that sounded better…
There’s a certain narrative that floats around the writing community like gospel: Be patient. Wait for the right deal. Don’t rush into publishing. Good things take time. And sure, good things do take time—but how much time is too much? How long are we supposed to sit in limbo, manuscripts in hand, waiting for the elusive green light that signals we’re “worthy” of being read? Because here’s the truth: Some writers wait forever. Some never…
There are few things in life as humbling as watching an AI narrator absolutely fumble your words with full confidence—like a cat knocking a glass off the table while making unwavering eye contact. And yet, after the Saga of Martin and Mary, after every mispronounced coiffed, every aggressively Greek agahpay, and the emotional rollercoaster that was Martin’s spectacular rise and fall, I stepped into my next audiobook project, Vitae, with cautious optimism. This time, I…
There’s something magical about a well-narrated audiobook. The way a skilled voice actor can breathe life into a story, shape the tone, and wrap the listener in the world like a cozy (or chilling) blanket—it’s an art form all its own. So when the time came to bring my books into the world of audiobooks, the question wasn’t should I do it? The question was how. Because, let’s be real—audiobook narration is not cheap. A…
You’d think that by the time I hit my third novel, I’d have formatting down to a science. You’d think I’d be a trim size whisperer, effortlessly crafting a perfectly sized book on the first try. You’d be wrong. So there I was, excitedly tearing into my proof copy of Hey, Roomie!, ready to admire my handiwork. The cover? Chef’s kiss. The interior layout? Flawless. The trim size? An 8.5 x 11-inch monstrosity. My sleek…