Fiction

Similar works (for book 1)

Some literary agents request "similar works". This is in addition to your two standard "comps" (comparables) that are always part of a query letter. I just polished up a list for my book 1, The Emissary and the Time Bomb from Outer Space: Day One, Discovery. I began with the... Read more →

My painful happy word limit crisis

2025 Update: I am still incredibly grateful for this crisis. I am forever changed. I now keep a running tally of the word count for each chapter in my Scrivener sidebar (LOVE Scrivener, by the way) and get a jackpot thrill every time that number goes down significantly. This is... Read more →

Recently published book suggestions for my comps, please!

Do you read a lot of fiction? I need well-read people like you to suggest recently published books for my "comps". Recently published means 2020-2024. What’s a comp? Comps are comparable works, which an agent uses to pitch a manuscript to publishers. The standard is to provide two comps. Not... Read more →

AI is invading critique groups: what to do?

As of this writing, I have no idea how to create AI-generated content. I’m uncharacteristically not curious about learning how. Uncharacteristic, because normally new tech makes my inner nerd all giddy. This tech, when applied to writing at least, makes my inner ethicist want to vomit. I am trying to be balanced. I am often wrong about things. Read more →

Parallels between composing music and writing fiction

I'm having so much fun with my first few weeks of learning to compose on a DAW (digital audio workstation). Yup, that's me When I was 12, I had two Radio Shack audiocassette tape players. This was 1977. I had no digital. I would go back and forth between the... Read more →

Synopsis for my solarpunk trilogy

I'm writing a synopsis of my novel for an agent query letter. It's going to go something like this: CHARACTER was STATUS until INCIDENT and now he must GOAL or else CONSEQUENCE. How's this: Living on the scenic peninsula of Door County, Wisconsin, engineer Jim Morgen isn’t expecting a visitor... Read more →

Do these titles make my books look big? (Would love feedback!)

2025 Update: Book 1 has significantly changed and I'm not telling how, either. Because of this, it is now Farmer Wafflequisp's Secret Machine. The other titles remain the same. ___________ Got feedback on my working titles? Alternate suggestions most welcome! I've divided my Emissary book into three standalone novels and... Read more →

Meet Catherine Young, author of Geosmin, Nov 11, 2022

You don't have to be in Madison to hear Catherine Young's beautiful words this Nov 11th. Catherine is a treasured voice in my writer's critique group. I've delighted to get to know this wise and sensitive being over the past three years and am still learning who she is. A... Read more →

Meet a bunch of really interesting writers (plus me!) at Write On Door County Nov 5

even members of the Door County Published Author Collective will be available to talk with visitors about their books, writing process, and paths to publication. Today’s authors include Corey Geiger, Holly Phaneuf Erskine, Jane Hensge, Sue Jarosh, Erika Nelson, JK Palmer, and Judy Ann Ritter. The Door County Published Author Collective is a group of writers who live in or have significant ties to Door County and who have published creative works, either through traditional publishing or self-publishing. Read more →

Join me at the Write On Door County Author book fair!

Join me at the Write On Door County Author book fair! Oct 1, 2022, Door County, WI I'll have a sneak peek of my Emissary novel, a little reading, and of course, Herbs Demystified. Read more →

Peninsula Pulse reviews our movie, The Emissary

Big thanks to Mike Orlock for reviewing our movie. As Koyper would say, we think he hit the button on the head. He captured it well. If it looks like we were having fun here, you would be correct. Lots of fun filming with dear, tolerant friends, lots of sleep... Read more →

Door County encounters Geosmin: June 15 and 18th, 2022

If you are in Door County mid June, you have at least three chances to meet my friend and editor Catherine Young. She is giving readings from her new book of eco-poetry, Geosmin. In addition to Algoma's Yardstick Books June 18th, Catherine is speaking at Write On, Door County June 15 at 4 PM and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County at 7 PM, also on June 15th. Read more →

Harry Potter vs the Fixed Mindset

Why are some fictional characters boring? The prime reason why I give up reading a book is because the main character is boring. Boring characters tend to be static, unchanging. More importantly, nothing challenges a boring character. We continue turning pages if we care about characters. We love the good, yet imperfect characters. But it isn’t bad to hate a character, either. A hateful character will not stop me from reading. A boring character will stop me from reading. Read more →

Happy Birthday to the inventor of my fiction writing.

Dec 26, 2021 If it weren't for my brilliant sweetheart Tim Erskine, I would not have been inspired to try writing fiction. Five years after we created a movie together, I have a finished draft for a 700 (or so) page novel based on that movie, that my editor says... Read more →