Nautical Historical Fiction — Getting it Right
Nautical readers and historical fiction writers, I'm pleased to be in good company with Alaric Bond and Antoine Vanner presenting a breakout session at the Historical Novel Society Conference next [...]
Ariana Fraval is Patricia/Patrick MacPherson
Ariana Fraval is Patricia/Patrick MacPherson Announcing the release of the audiobook Barbados Bound Book 1 in the Patricia MacPherson Nautical Adventures performed and produced by Ariana Fraval Available for download [...]
We Are Pirates
Daniel Handler captures me with barbed sentences followed by a boarder’s slashing and stabbing, and then the takeover is complete. I am in shock, bleeding on the deck. “You got [...]
Novel writing: Finishing the first draft
Welcome to the art of novel writing. How many of us have a good idea for a novel? Hands shoot up all over the room, waving with excitement. How many [...]
Water Ghosts at the BEA
Here we are in New York City at the Book Expo America, Bob and I. Today we're looking forward to having lunch with Rick Spilman, fellow author and founder of [...]
Practicing the art and craft of writing with Pulitzer Prize winners
While digging through old files today I came across a few chapters of an unfinished novel I brought to the the Napa Valley Writers Conference, eighteen years ago. My workshop [...]
Water Ghosts, the cover
Here it is, the cover the professional design team came up with, based on my suggestions, and targeting a young adult audience. I really appreciate my writer friends who critiqued [...]
Looking for Redfeather wins Spotlight Award
Looking for Redfeather (Fiction House, Ltd.) has been named the Spring recipient of Literary Fiction Book Review's Spotlight Award. A full review and author interview will follow. Literary fiction has [...]
Evolution of a book cover
What is the purpose of a book cover? What does each of these say to the potential reader? Which do you like, and why? A special thanks to Seymour Hamilton, [...]
Dead Wake, Dead On
Sinking ships make for sensational stories and Erik Larson’s Dead Wake; The Last Crossing of the Lusitania does not disappoint in that respect. Yet this historical account of the 1915 [...]