As a noun, desert (one S) is used to describe an arid region of land. Ex: I walked through the desert for hours with no water. . Another definition of desert as a noun is a deserving reward or punishment, usually used in plural. Ex: Michael got his just deserts. . Desert can be used… Continue Reading
From Darkness Won by Jill Williamson
Review by Christian Miles. This is it. The final book of the Blood of Kings trilogy. Achan and Vrell have come far. They’ve fought Black Knights in Darkness, freed prisoners from icy cells, escaped the wrath of a bloodthirsty usurper… but now they’ve found themselves in the midst of a war. Everything hangs in the… Continue Reading
Whirlwind by Robert Liparulo
Review by Jill Williamson David and Xander continue their quest to find their mom, searching the passages in their magical home. This time they follow Phoebus to his homeland, a place they never dreamed really existed. This gets David and Xander in all kinds of trouble. This was a fun read but probably my least… Continue Reading
Q&A: What are my chances of getting published before college?
A question from Robert: What are my chances of getting published before college? During college? If you’ve worked very hard and have written an outstanding novel, your chances of getting published as a high school or college student are strong. Learning to write isn’t as easy as doing it. It takes most authors years to… Continue Reading
From Darkness Won- Paperback Now on Amazon.com
The paperback version of From Darkness Won is now up on Amazon! Sweet! Click here or on the cover to see the Amazon.com page. It’s showing up at regular price, and should go one sale in a few weeks. So, if you can’t wait, it’s there, but if you can wait…a sale price is coming.… Continue Reading
Storyworld Detail: Ivory Creepers
When Vrell and her companions travel through the Nahar Tunnels to avoid the Eben giants, Peripaso supplies them with creepers to wear on their feet to help them climb in the icy tunnels. Creepers were used by Inupiat people. Carved from ivory and attached to leather thongs, they were tied to the bottom of the… Continue Reading
Punctuation 101: Dialogue Tags
There are two types of dialogue tags: “said” tags and “action” tags. Said Tags A said tag assigns the dialogue to a speaker by using the word “said” or a variation of that word (asked, yelled, whispered, etc). A said tag is connected to the dialogue with a comma, unless the dialogue is a question… Continue Reading
From Darkness Won Available on the Nook
From Darkness Won is now available on the Nook! Click on the cover to go there.
Tricky Words that are Often Misused: accept/except
Accept is a verb that means “to receive,” “to agree with,” “to admit,” “to regard as true,” or “to say yes to.” Ex: Brad asked me to marry him, and I accepted! Julie could not accept her new baby brother. Zondervan accepted Jill’s book proposal. Mr. Young accepted my assignment yesterday. . Except is a… Continue Reading
Release Day, Release Day, Release Day! And Sale, too.
Happy April Fools Day, everyone! And happy From Darkness Won (Blood of Kings, book 3) release day! You can order the paperback version of From Darkness Won on the Marcher Lord Press site at this link. And the Kindle version of From Darkness Won is available here. And click on the image to purchase the… Continue Reading
Stuck on Brainstorming Your Plot?
I get emails from teen writers who are frustrated with how to move forward with their stories. Most are stuck because their stories are too short. They have ideas they love, but there are big holes in their story that keep it from moving forward. When this happens to me, I need to brainstorm. I’ve… Continue Reading
Q&A: Biggest Problems Teenage Authors Experience
Jake asks: Are there any common problems teenage authors experience that I could be watching out for? I really don’t want to ruin a great story with terrible writing, because I love my story. I just want to be equipped to tell it. Jake, It’s great that you respect the craft of writing enough to… Continue Reading