On Writing the Mean Girl

Telling Brianna’s story is important to me, even though I’ve had to relive some moments from my high school days that I’d rather leave in the past. I stop short of saying I was bullied, but the fact that I still remember how they made me feel 25 years later tells me that this is a story that needs to be told. Diving into why they acted that way wasn’t always fun, but if it helps a reader today, it was worth it.

WvBM: Never-Ending Emails

I’ve weaned myself down to a handful of lists and they all have REALLY GOOD ADVICE—and another because I LOVE HER—and every time I read the posts, I feel one step closer to having a grip on this whole indie publishing thing.

YA Scavenger Hunt featuring Julie Reece

On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize—one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 120 hours!

Honoring My Brother on the Year Anniversary of His Death

I decided that the best way to honor my brother is to publish my next book on his birthday. I knew I wanted it to come out in late October or early November, and he was born October 26. It feels right, and it’s a gesture that I think he would appreciate.

Getting to Know Karole Cozzo

Please join me in welcoming YA author Karole Cozzo! We met through the Sweethearts of YA (which is currently on hiatus) and I’m excited to have her here. Karole lives outside Philadelphia with her husband, two kids, and Vizsla. In addition to writing, Karole works as a School Psychologist at an area high school. Hobbies …

You Can Pre-order The Edge Rules!

I’m so excited to introduce the third book in The Rules Series, The Edge Rules! Early readers have said it’s their favorite in the series, and as much as I love the first two, I might agree.

WvBM: The Struggle of Not Writing

The number one criterion of being a writer is that you write.

Seems simple, right? In theory, it is.

For this edition of Writer vs. Business Manager, I’d like to talk about the struggle of not writing—when that’s all you want to do. Everyone knows what it’s like when life gets in the way of your plans, but as an indie author, it’s more than that.

Getting to Know Kayla Tirrell

I’m so excited to kick off my interview series with my anthology-mate, Kayla Tirrell! We both have stories in The Art of Taking Chances and I’ve enjoyed getting to know (haha) Kayla over the past six months.

Her latest release, The Date Maker, is about a college student looking to make some extra money, so she starts a dating service. She figures what’s the worst that can happen, right? It’s the first series of five novellas, and she’s giving away super cute swag to a lucky reader!

Writer vs Business Manager: New Series

Regardless of whether you’re self- or traditionally-published, a lot (or all) of the marketing is your responsibility. People often ask how much time per day I devote to writing, and I tell them I write for an hour in the morning before work, but that’s not accurate. Because marketing never turns off. I’m always thinking of new ideas, or chatting with people on social media, or gaining inspiration from other authors in my network.