Tag Archives: #weneeddiversebooks

We Came From an Island is Special

By Christopher Ryan It came in a package so small it didn’t seem like a book had arrived. That added to the intrigue. Once opened, the 4.5” x 7” volume startled me. So petite, so slim. With a drawing of … Continue reading

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TUESDAY MUST READS: Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue (a guest blog by the Neighborhood Connect)

Hey, how ya doin’? How’s your Ma? Tell her I said hello, all right? Look, I know why you’re coming around. Books. Everyone who wants to see me is looking for a good read. Legally, I don’t know what any … Continue reading

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Saturday Self- Promotion: Tell The Damn Story podcast is still relevant for aspiring and emerging writers

With 222 episodes under its belt, Tell The Damn Story, a podcast for aspiring and emerging writers, is not only going strong, it is improving, if I do say so myself. Full disclosure, I am one of the co-hosts of … Continue reading

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Alex Simmons’ Blackjack: A Quiet Coup

By Christopher Ryan and Alex Simmons There are only two cars on the street. One is running. A driver sits behind the wheel and another man is standing outside. They are talking. All around them the streets are deserted. All … Continue reading

Posted in # thrillers, #adventure, #reading, #WeThePeople, America, black lives matter, Book lovers, digital publishing, Faith, fiction, independent publishing, love, politics, pop culture, Pulp fiction, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Let It a Suck Series: Joyce Carol Oates and Running Through Your Story Revisited

Continuing a re-share of some earlier blogs that fit the “Let It Suck” Series, here’s some great advise for writing and planning. Years ago, I attended the South Hampton Writers Conference, and one of the best speakers there was Joyce … Continue reading

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Let It Suck Series: Pacing 

Pacing is a tricky thing. And like every other element of writing I say let it suck, at first, but with a catch. Addressing pacing is kind of like playing along with music- you probably can’t get away with slapping … Continue reading

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Let It Suck Series:  Covers Get Rewrites Too

We’ve been talking about leaping into writing your story and not worrying. Just getting the story onto the page or screen is a huge accomplishment, makes the rewrite process a joy. Or at least easier. Same goes for covers. I … Continue reading

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Let It Suck Series: To Write Better Dialogue, Listen to Craig Ferguson (revisited)

Pulling some of my previous blogs into the “let it suck” series. This one borrows simple advice from a great comedian to help you with character dialogue. Here we go: Every fiction author wants to write great dialogue. While there … Continue reading

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Let It Suck Series: What Would Your Character Do?

We’ve agreed to “let it suck” on first draft, yes? Just let it rip with the writing and get a draft completed. And we’ve been discussing ways to find and refine your work during rewrite.  Now let’s let the character … Continue reading

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Let It Suck Series: revisiting “Write Better With Character Profiles”

As part of the “Let It Suck” series of posts, I wanted to discuss how knowledge of your characters informs writing decisions, and this post seems crucial to include, so I am reprinting it as a companion to this week’s … Continue reading

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