by kristinoakley | Jan 13, 2023 | For Writers
Unforgettable characters resonate with readers and lead to more book sales. How can you create an unforgettable protagonist? First, ask yourself why you are writing about this character. What is it about them that makes you want to spend months or even years writing...
by kristinoakley | Jan 13, 2023 | Books and Movies, For Readers, Newsletter, Writer's Book Club
For this month’s Writer’s Book Club, I promised to review Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. But, I haven’t finished it — it’s 622 pages long and I’m a slow reader. However, while on my walks I did finish listening to the audiobook...
by kristinoakley | Dec 30, 2022 | Creativity & Craft, Newsletter, Writing Life
Good news! I’m working on the final edits of The Devil Particle! It was touch and go for awhile as I struggled to figure out what the heck my villain was up to. I had a couple of brainstorming sessions with my editor Tim Storm and we had a breakthrough....
by kristinoakley | Dec 27, 2022 | For Writers
As writers, we spend a lot of our time at our desks writing, thinking, researching, procrastinating, editing, and writing some more. We often seek feedback from a critique group, critique partner, or editor, so we’re not completely isolated in our endeavor, but most...
by kristinoakley | Dec 15, 2022 | For Readers, Newsletter, Writer's Book Club
For my last Writer’s Book Club of 2022, I’m sharing a list of ten of my all-time favorite fiction and nonfiction books. You might find one or two to give as gifts this holiday season — or treat yourself! Fiction Station Eleven by Emily St....
by kristinoakley | Nov 27, 2022 | For Writers
In my article Why You Need a Newsletter, I gave six reasons why newsletters are essential for writers. Building relationships with your readers is the number one reason. If you have a strong connection with your fans, not only will they buy your books, they’ll...
by kristinoakley | Nov 23, 2022 | Newsletter, Writing Life
With the holidays right around the corner, my thoughts turn to celebrating with family and friends and gift-giving and receiving. Last year I asked each of my family members to give me the gift of time (“The Gift of Time” and “The Gift of Time Part...
by kristinoakley | Nov 10, 2022 | Books and Movies, For Readers, Newsletter, Writer's Book Club
This month I review Emily St. John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility. According to the description, this book is “A virtuoso performance that is as human and tender as it is intellectually playful, Sea of Tranquility is a novel of time travel and metaphysics that precisely...
