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Beach Road, Dennis Lehane, James Patterson, John Hart, Mystic River, Shutter Island, The Given Day, The Last Child

Playing By the Rules

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I remember when I took my first creative writing course at San Jose State sooooo many years ago, the professor, Robert Burdette Sweet, said to us, “If your character is going to kill himself on the last page, the gun better be hanging over the mantelpiece on the first page.” Good advice for any kind… Continue reading Playing By the Rules

Donald Maass, Larson/Pomada Literary Agency, Octavia Butler, The Last Child

It Doesn’t Get Much Better Than This: a Review of John Hart’s The Last Child

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I’m doing more reading than writing now, but after the marathon of finishing my second novel, I don’t feel too guilty. Besides, it’s part of the training. I was at a workshop put on by Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada of the Larsen/Pomada Literary Agency last week, and they gave us Ernest Gaines Six Golden… Continue reading It Doesn’t Get Much Better Than This: a Review of John Hart’s The Last Child

Holes, Moby Dick, The Cardturner

Building Bridges — a Review of The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

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In my on-going training as a writer, I took the day to read a young-adult book by Louis Sachar. He is the person who wrote a wonderful middle-grade novel called Holes, a Newbery winner, that was quite popular a few years ago. I read and enjoyed it greatly, so much so I bought several copies… Continue reading Building Bridges — a Review of The Cardturner by Louis Sachar