I don't know about you, but the year just goes by SO FAST these days! I'm so busy with the day-to-day that I rarely remember to poke my...

Need a gift for a writer?   I've gotten pretty good at outside-the-box ideas for author gifts. Here are my Top 12 ideas:   A Christmas...

Tell me if this sounds like you. You're dying to finish your novel, but life keeps getting in the way. You're going in circles on this...

Do you want to spend a month writing in a creative flurry, surrounded by a supportive community that cheers you on? A lot of us were...

I'm writing from my post-retreat hangover, because I already miss the Highlights Retreat Center and all my new friends so much! Our first...

Congratulations to Brooke Marley Jones, who just published her Adult Fantasy, The Forest Where the Phoenix Sleeps! When I first edited...

Boise, Idaho people! I'm hosting a really unique local event for writers. The Cabin, our Boise literary society, was kind enough to...

Congratulations to Lisa Amowitz on publishing her YA romantasy, An Island Wild and Strange. We first met when she contacted me for some...

That's right, I'm hosting a retreat! This year, I wanted something where I could meet new writers, but it was also relaxing, but I could...

If you're reading book deal announcements on Publisher's Marketplace, or researching past sales for literary agents, you might have come...

Hey, we’re creative people, yes? We write stuff. We make up stories about the people in line with us at Starbucks. When inspiration...

Ready to get an agent, grab a book deal, and see your book on the shelves at Barnes & Noble? First, you'll need a query letter. That's...

Congratulations to John Klekamp, who signed with agent Sera Rivers of Speilburg Literary! I first met John when I did an edit for his YA...

Congratulations to Beatrice Bradshaw, who just published her Scottish winter romance, Love in the Scottish Winter Highlands! 1. You got...

This is advice I've heard all over the internet, aimed at querying writers--sometimes even from agents themselves!--and it's so...

Congratulations to author and literary agent Sera Rivers, who just signed with Katie Shea Boutillier of Donald Maass Literary for her YA...

I first met Melissa during KissPitch, which is a writing mentoring contest where writers complete for mentorship from agented or...

Big news!!! I'm thrilled to announce my books are now represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary Agency. In fact, I am...DOUBLE...

On February 22 at 3pm EST, I've been invited to present a webinar on ReedsyLive about "How to Write Romance that Stands Out." Tickets are...

This retreat was an absolutely fantastic experience! I presented on Mental Health for Writers, facilitated discussions on Finding Hope...