2016 wasn't a total dumpster fire on a floating garbage barge. As the year comes to a close I'm ignoring the shitshow and focusing on the goodness that 2016 brought me like: Keeping and exceeding my New Year's Writing Resolutions to a) write 1 short story a month and b) submit at least one short … Continue reading End of the year recap
Here we are nearly 1/2 of the way through NaNoWriMo. I've given advice in the past and you can read about it here. Mostly I just want to cheer you on and say, "Look how awesome you are! You're writing a book-shaped thing! Keep it up!" November is an awful month to try and write a … Continue reading NaNoWriMo Advice
Like Avery, Madison has her own "at bat" song in Secret Heart. I doubt that she knows who Kate Nash is (more of Avery's territory and musical taste), but "I've Got a Secret" captures Madison perfectly. Madison, of course, is student council president, soccer team captain, all-around Golden Girl. She's afraid of her relationship with Avery … Continue reading Secret Heart Playlist, Track 2: “I’ve Got a Secret”
I'm deeply immersed in some rewrites and revisions for Secret Heart. As I've said before, in order to get into a character's head, I need to know their at-bat song. For Avery, my out-and-proud lesbian punk-rocker with a weakness for rom-coms and Taylor Swift, her at-bat track is Tegan and Sara's "Closer." It's only fitting, considering that … Continue reading Secret Heart Playlist: Track 1 “Closer”
This wasn't one of my best weeks. There were a lot of no's in different areas of my life. Some were nice no's, some were not. One no led me to enjoy a cocktail in the sun at 10:45 in the morning. I've hit numerous roadblocks with my current WIP and my frustration is at … Continue reading Inspiration Playlist Volume 2, Track 10 “Running Up That Hill”
I've hit a wall. For reals. No one said writing is easy, even when you have the coolest idea. Sometime you have the words but not the mojo. In my case my Muse is music, and for this particular WIP the soundtrack has zero songs which means I have a helluva time jumping into it … Continue reading WIP seeking Playlist
This next song on the playlist is a departure from last week's, but it's still pretty awesome. How can any mix not have Tom Waits in it? That would be a crime. Right? Oh you got to Hold on, Hold on You got to hold on Take my hand, I'm standing right here You … Continue reading Inspiration Playlist Volume 2, Track 8 “Hold On”
If you haven't listened to Lykke Li, you're seriously missing out. This Sweedish singer-songwriter is wicked adorable and her songs are catchy. This Lykke Li classic from 2008 is actually dedicated to my writing bff who had a pretty rough week and who could probably use an extra dose of inspiration. Hell, I think after … Continue reading Inspiration Playlist Volume 2, Track 7 “I’m Good, I’m Gone”
Confession: I have a weakness for Nicolas Sparks books turned into films. It used to be that I had a weakness for Nicholas Sparks books until about 2002 or 2003 when they all started sounding the same. But those early books turned into some fabulous films: "The Notebook," "Message in a Bottle," and of course … Continue reading Inspiration Playlist Volume 2, Track 5 “Dare You To Move”
Fact: This was the song a blasted when I signed with my agent. I still feel like this. Imagine Dragons are onto something. ‘Cause I’m on top of the world, ‘ay I’m on top of the world, ‘ay Waiting on this for a while now Paying my dues to the dirt I’ve been waiting to … Continue reading Inspiration Playlist Volume 2, Track 3 “I’m On Top of the World”
danielle dreger 