Have you ever watched a television show for a while, then caught the pilot episode in a rerun? Usually, the characters look younger, they almost always dress a little differently, talk a little differently, have a different attitude. You might see original characters who have since been replaced with newer ones who fit in better with the show’s expanding awareness of itself. Later season episodes are more likely to have plots that focus less on the external and more on the internal, because both the writers and the actors have a better understanding of who the characters actually are. Sometimes the changes are dramatic, with overhauls that affect the show’s dynamic in a way that either brings in more viewers or turns them away.

Last week, I worked on the copy edits for the first book in my upcoming urban fantasy series. The first three books are presently scheduled to release consecutively and so I had to write them consecutively. I figured it would be great for continuity. Plot-wise, I found that to be true. It was much easier to carry a three-book story arc when the three books were written together. Character-wise, though, reading through the first book’s copy edits was like watching a pilot episode….Read more »

[excerpted from Murder She Writes]

Fear. It’s a natural thing to discuss on a blog based on murder, intrigue, and suspense. We’re all afraid of something. I have fears — fear of public speaking and fear of heights come quickly to mind. Sometimes my fear of missing out on something fun, unique, or once-in-a-lifetime can override the others, but sometimes it doesn’t.

Another big fear of mine is that I might run out of stories to tell. I know some author friends who have more ideas than they could ever possibly use. They have file folders filled with notes and premises; tales they hope to tackle one day when the time is right…
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