For most writers the road to publication is not a smooth, four-lane highway. A dirt road with lots and lots of potholes would probably be more accurate. In my case, my writing career has been little better than a goat path up a rocky mountainside. However, the most important lesson I’ve learned in six years of actively pursuing the craft is perseverance.
Two “Fire” books coming soon to an e-reader near you!
by Cadence Denton December 22nd, 2011
34 Comments
The Great Halloween Giveaway – No Tricks…Only Treats!
by Cadence Denton October 17th, 2011 
The Blame It On the Muse coffin has been filled to overflowing with goodies that are certain to delight even the most hardened trick-or-treater. It’s taken some time to get everything in the casket because the Musers were extra generous in their donations – with at least five new releases included. The drawing for this incredible prize will be on November 1st, so there’s still time to enter.
Why Can’t a Woman Write Like a Man?
by Cadence Denton September 19th, 2011 
When I first began kicking around the idea for this blog, I’d just come off a reading binge of best-selling novels by male authors. I began with “The Magicians” and “The Magician King” by Lev Grossman and finished up with a Jim Butcher / Harry Dresden marathon.
What did I learn – besides the fact the above mentioned are kick-ass writers that I would happily give up a finger or toe just to write half as well? I learned that these talented men do a boat load of “telling”. They use dialog to lecture, they shamelessly insert page after page of backstory, and then “tell” the characters’ emotional responses to said lecture and backstory. I recognized what they were doing and, at first, tssked at their blatant “rule” breaking, then I became curious as to why their “telling” did not overly distract or take me out of the story. Their “telling” well…it worked.
Word Games
by Cadence Denton August 8th, 2011 Loafer , layabout, slacker, lazybones – all words that define my actions this morning. I’ll give you another: slugabed.
Words are what writers do. Read the rest of this entry »
Headline Muse
by Cadence Denton July 25th, 2011
My crit partner called me the other day with a premise for a new story. It begins with her homeless heroine entering a rundown inner city business to escape a pair of thugs/gangbangers. Instead of being chased back out by the crusty shop keep,
she’s offered a job on the spot after old crusty gets a gander at her Aunt Fanny’s antique bracelet circling her grimy wrist.
“Okay, what comes
next?” I ask.
