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Category: My Writing

My Book Came Out During a Pandemic

My Book Came Out During a Pandemic

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A quick update on my writing career, Sophia Petrillo style. Picture it: Charleston, West Virginia, December 2019. After years of trying, an aspiring author releases his first book. It’s a book about West Virginia’s independent bookstores, with profiles of all the state’s shops and contributions from wonderful authors and booksellers. He launches it Fayetteville, WV, where he’s wrapping up a monthlong writer’s residency, and the response is strong. So are sales. The momentum carries forward into the early months of…

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Writing is Rewriting

Writing is Rewriting

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This whole novel writing without novel selling thing has been a blast, but… For those of you who may be new to my little corner of the Internet, let me catch you up before telling you how I plan to spend my summer rewriting pretty much everything I've ever written. 2008: I started writing my first novel. 2011: I finally finished what I thought was a decent draft of that novel and began querying literary agencies (far too soon, I…

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Stanzas 4: Together We Move On

Stanzas 4: Together We Move On

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This is the fourth entry into Stanzas, a feature on the blog in which I share some of the poetry and lyrics I've written over the years, along with the stories of what inspired them. Together We Move On Don’t be afraid. The stars are rearranging And the moon at night Will lead the way until the dawn. The tears we cry Form a river to the ocean. Leave the past behind you, Together we move on.   A new horizon…

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Stanzas 3: Wander

Stanzas 3: Wander

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This is the third entry into Stanzas, a feature on the blog in which I share some of the poetry and lyrics I've written over the years, along with the stories of what inspired them. Wander "Oh, Francis, it's so good to see you," they said. "It's been such a long, long time. Come and sit with us here at the table And stay with us for a while."   Francis sat down and told of his travels, Describing these places…

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Stanzas 2: I Carry On

Stanzas 2: I Carry On

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This is the second entry into a new addition to the blog, called Stanzas, in which I'll be sharing some of the poetry and lyrics I've written over the years, along with the stories of what inspired them.   I Carry On I drive these same roads Back and forth every single day. I could close my eyes And still be able to find my way. I know the scent of coming rain And how the currents sway So why…

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Stanzas 1: Armored

Stanzas 1: Armored

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My first forays into creative writing were as an angsty teenager, when I discovered poetry and lyric writing as a valuable release for the pent up emotion, frustration and confusion that my fourteen-year-old self was muddling through. I’ve always been very private with the writing I did during those times, but recently reread some of those old pieces and thought they deserved to be shared. So I’ve decided to periodically post some here on the blog, under the Stanzas label,…

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YA Erotica?

YA Erotica?

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I've got a new FREE e-read avaialble. But it comes with a caveat. As a writer of young adult fiction, any sexual situations that have taken place in my books have been in the PG-13 range. That’s partly to maintain age appropriateness and partly because writing straight-up erotica has never been my thing. I’m not one to kiss and tell about my own sexual practices, let alone write entire scenes around those of my characters. But then I was invited…

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