About ten years I go, I landed a book agent for my second book.

She had read Death by Suburb and said she liked it so much, she'd be happy to help me pitch my second book.

She winnowed my...

“Four hundred vertical feet above, where the summit was still washed in bright sunlight under an immaculate cobalt sky, my compadres dallied to memorialize their arrival at the apex of the...

What is a query letter? And what should you include in a query letter?

A query letter convinces a literary agent to read your work. Think of it as a sales piece. It’s your first (and...

I was on Reddit the other day and saw a question from an aspiring writer:

"My writing just doesn't seem to flow well, and no one I know is offering very good constructive criticism so I thought...

How do you start your memoir?

Some people just start telling stories from their life.

That’s one way. But it’s shortsighted.

A memoir, like all books, requires a strong idea—a...

We all want to write so people love to read us: "I picked up her book, and I couldn't put it down."

That is a high compliment.

Here's another: "I asked our book club to read it!"

Whoa! Now that may be...

Don’t tell my son (who thinks he has superior taste in movies), but one of my favorite horror films is The Blair Witch Project. 
 
The film is about three aspiring filmmakers who...

I’ve never met a person who loves how they look or sound on video. I know I don’t. 

Is my voice that nasally?
 
Is my hair that thin?
 
Do I look that...

“How do I know if my manuscript is ready for submission?”

You might never know fully. But careful review of your manuscript can get it closer to being publishing-ready.

Reviewing your...

I feel sleazy admitting it, but the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation trial has been on in the background at our house for the past few weeks. 
 
I’ll blame it on my husband. He...

Every spring my mom crosses her fingers and prays a thousand little prayers that the poppies will bloom at the base of the Organ Mountains, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. 
 
It’s the...

Flashbacks are essential in memoirs and fiction.

They are also indispensible in writing narrative nonfiction.

Here's a basic definition of a flashback:

"A flashback interrupts the chronological order...