Carnival of cruelty: a tale of two riots
What happens when the powerful don't just look away from violence but actively cheer it on? I've been thinking about [...]
How to Make an Audiobook, by April Doty
Today I'm sharing How To Make an Audiobook, a very helpful short piece from my amazing audiobook narrator/producer, April Doty, [...]
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
My father, Kelly Blanton, aka Poppy (art above done by McKenna Blanton), died one week before Christmas. We buried and [...]
Environmental crises and stories
Last weekend I visited the Under The Oak Tree Book Club at Effie Yeaw Nature Center for a lovely Sunday [...]
Sacramento Noir, Pre-Order Now!
I'm so pleased to have a dark little Sacramento Story in the pages of this brilliant SACRAMENTO NOIR, by Akashic [...]
A Pre-Launch Convo with Ashley E. Sweeney
I and my stalwart writing group would love it if you join us for a Pre-Launch Conversation to celebrate Ashley [...]
Chop Wood, Carry Water
I have been down this week, so I’m trying to do positive things, in the present, worrying less about the [...]
It helps to write (with others)
A Seat at the Table Books is hosting Finish Your Damn Novel Writing Sprints every Sunday in November. I'll join [...]
Democracy Dies in Darkness: A Tale of Two Publishers
I was first inspired to write my book An Unlikely Prospect (She Writes Press, August 2025) by a photograph of [...]
Upstairs, downstairs
I’ve just returned from ten days spent generously tucked into a fascinating group of people from Anchorage/Washington DC/San Francisco/Paris, all [...]
Friendship Powers Writing–Shocking!
The calendar’s been full with work travel that turned out to be personal. Most of the pictures above are from [...]
Once upon a time, people used to read
I’ve been thinking about pre-adult reading lately because next week at Bouchercon I get to moderate an author panel on [...]