Tag: Writing
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How long is a chapter?
Who knows? I don’t! But carving up my latest book into chapters got me thinking about it… While drafting and editing, I tend to work in scenes as opposed to chapters. My thinking is that scenes are segments of the story that’s being told, whereas chapters are breaks designed for the readers. Sometimes they line…
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Death in Douglas Glade: August progress update
Last week I hit THE END for the very first time with Death in Douglas Glade! Yaaay! Wooo! Celebration! This draft took much longer than for the previous Milverton Mysteries, but it was a relief to find (upon reading back through it) that the draft was already in much better shape than my books usually are at this…
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#1 New Release in LGBTQ+ Mystery: Poison at Penshaw Hall
Almost three weeks in, and we’re still humming along with that shiny #1 New Release badge for Poison at Penshaw Hall on Amazon.com! The list is being refreshed all the time, so check it out while it’s still on top… And if you want to grab a copy yourself but you get your books from…
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#1 Best Seller in LGBTQ+ Mystery: Poison at Penshaw Hall
Love that orange best seller badge for Poison at Penshaw Hall on Amazon.com! The list is being refreshed all the time, so check it out while it’s still on top… And if you want to grab a copy yourself but you get your books from other stores, check out your options here:
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Poison at Penshaw Hall: a super quick update
The release date for Poison at Penshaw Hall (The Milverton Mysteries #2) is fast approaching… A mere one month to go, and much work to do! Feedback from my wonderful beta readers has been pouring in. Frequently mentioned highlights have included Milverton throwing another body at Addison’s feet, his developing relationship with the studly Sergeant…
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Story edit complete for Poison at Penshaw Hall
The next Milverton Mystery has hit another important milestone now that the story edit is done! Sometimes called the developmental or structural edit, this involved cracking open the messy first draft of Poison at Penshaw Hall and getting to grips with the big picture. Does it have good bones? Does one scene flow to the next?…
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Hacking a first draft to bits
I’ve recently started attacking the structural edit for my second cosy mystery, Poison at Penshaw Hall, the sequel to Murder on Milverton Square. I’ve sliced and diced, splitting and rearranging the scenes from my first draft into a very different order: 7, 14, 15, 16a, 5, 1, 2, 16b, 3, 4, 10, 17–25, 9, 28, 12a,…
G. B. Ralph 