Reader Feedback and the Story The first draft of The Peach Widow is finished. Now for edits before publishng. But along the way, when I took the next-to-the-last chapter to my Word Blenders writers group there was a hue and cry at the ending of the chapter.  Readers Get Invested in the Story Spoiler Alert…

Nikolaos and Argolicus The tutor, Nikolaos, plays a main role in the Argolicus Mysteries. He sees the world from a different and more worldly perspective than Argolicus, often noticing things the cerebral Argolicus misses.  His role is traditional and at the same time unusual for the period. Argolicus is a high-standing Roman citizen but he…

Author Crowdfunding ​ I’m one week in on my first Kickstarter project for my next novel The Grain Merchant. I’m excited and filled with doubt. I had two backers the moment the project went live. I was ecstatic. The first day I went way out of my comfort zone and did a livestream Launch Party…

How A Review Can Change Your Novel Details Careful reading of reviews can give a novelist clues about fine-tuning the novel and how to improve future stories. Thoughtful reviews can even trigger action to change. I work hard to make my historical information as accurate as possible, down to making sure the Latin words are…