Lynne's Blog
As a science center director in a former life, my job was to show our audiences how science works, not simply to tell them. The Aha! moments made the experience real for the thousands of kids, adults, and young adults that visited. When they left, there was a good chance they would remember the scientific concept behind the hands-on exhibit.
Writing is much the same. Writers need that Aha! encounter to grow and nourish their ideas into a final piece of work. That’s what this blog is all about. It’s about MY “minds-on” adventure with words — one I enjoy sharing with readers. Whether it’s about the research aspect, the craft of writing itself, or the emotional roller coaster of putting myself out there in the public eye . . . my blog is me. Pure and simple.
I welcome your thoughts and hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
Writing Genuine Historical Fiction
Time Exposure is a mystery that takes place during the Civil War. I wanted readers to abandon the present and immerse themselves in those brutal, tumultuous years of the mid-nineteenth century. Scene by scene, chapter by chapter. Well, I wasn’t there, so how could...
Where Does Fact End and Fiction Begin?
Writing historical mysteries is a juggling act. Writers must create a fictional plot with fictional characters around a historical time period with real people . . . and somehow suspend the readers’ disbelief. Many writers of historical fiction choose a particular...
Lynne’s Excellent Adventure
Throughout our lives we hit bumps in the road. Some small, merely dips. Others, nasty speed bumps that rattle your teeth. Early on there’s school – passing, failing, moving through high school and onto college, hopefully, and beyond. Next comes jobs or careers,...
Book Reviews: Don’t Let Them Get You Down
Every so often I visit my book pages on Amazon to see if any new reviews have come in. Some of the initial reviews were family and friends, of course, so I knew they’d be pretty positive. But when the new reader reviews started coming in, I was fascinated. Some...
Names Do Make a Difference
One of the most important, but often most difficult part of writing a novel is selecting names for your characters. When you begin you might already have some in mind. But as the characters morph during the writing process, that name might no longer fit. If you’re...
The Final Journey
A friend of mine died after a three-year battle with lung cancer. Last night I attended his memorial service. Family and friends told stories. I learned more about him in an hour than I had in 20 years of friendship. But the most poignant moments for me came at...
Know What You Write
Yes, the title is correct. Rather than “write what you know,” I believe you should know what you write. I’m a native New Yorker, transplanted to the West Coast. In my early writing classes I was told, “write what you know.” What the heck did that mean? I couldn’t...
The Road to “Deadly Provenance”
I had an idea for a new mystery. I was always fascinated by the Holocaust and the horrors of WWII. As a museum professional, I happened upon a book called “The Lost Museum” by Hector Feliciano. It’s the story about the systematic plundering of Jewish-owned artwork...
Blogging as Marketing
Whether you’re a self-published or traditionally-published author, you are no doubt engaging in marketing your books. One effective way to accomplish this is by blogging regularly on social media sites. However, recently, a number of writer “groups” within those...
Finding a Good Book is Not Easy
Have you had trouble finding a good read lately? I know, I know, most folks say they have so many books waiting to be read that it’s no problem. But, it seems that every sample I pick up these days just hasn’t made it. Jeez, what did we do before we could download...
Newest Release!
