What I Learned about Writing and Life from Dogs

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Disney and Riley are the Jack Russell Terriers who live at our house and keep us on our toes. They have two settings, warp speed or napping.

Here's what I've learned from them...

  • Live in the moment. Today is what's important. The past and future don't matter that much.

  • Play hard. Life can't be all work. Everything is a game to a Jack.

  • Nap when you need to. You need to recharge every once in a while. You need to take care of yourself.

  • Don't waste a beautiful day inside. Go outside and have fun.

  • Know when it's time to cuddle on the couch with a good book.

  • Bark if you need to, but not too much.

  • Wag and make friends. Relationships are important.

  • Don’t obsess too much about the things you can’t control. Those squirrels will never stay out of our yard. And people will continue to walk in our cul de sac. Okay, so the Jacks may need a little work on this one.

What is something your pet has taught you?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Jackiem Joyner

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I’d like to welcome Jackiem Joyner to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: For me, it's managing my writing career alongside my music career. I actually love writing itself—it’s the business of it that’s tricky. I'm always trying to bridge the gap between these two worlds: storytelling through words and storytelling through sound. Sometimes, it’s tough to be judged… or worse, ignored. That part stings a little.

Easiest thing about being a writer: That’s an easy one. I love writing and creating unique stories. I could go all day if I had the time. Building characters, crafting new worlds, creating impossible events—it’s all just fascinating to me. Using my imagination to create the world I want? That’s the magic right there.

Favorite places you’ve been: Japan. Hawaii. Germany. Each one inspired me in different ways—Japan for its tech and tradition, Hawaii for the peace, and Germany for the food and vibes.

Places you never want to go again: Russia. In the winter. Never again, my friend. Too cold for all this melanin.

Favorite books (or genres):

Mystery, suspense, and epic world-building stories. I’m into authors like Martha Wells (shoutout to the Murderbot Diaries) and David Baldacci—very different lanes but both masters of their game. I also loved The Martian by Andy Weir, and I’m all about stuff with a cinematic vibe—think The Fifth Element, Avatar, anything with a big world and bigger ideas.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Children’s books. I’m good on that! LOL

Most embarrassing thing to happen to you: Oh man… where do I start? My sax not working right before a show. Realizing my fly was down after talking to like 30 people. Or sending out a newsletter to thousands of fans with the wrong city on it. Been there, done that, still cringing!

The nicest thing a reader ever said to you: “Your stories really moved me.” That one hits deep. Or, “One day I want to write my own story just like you did.” That’s when you realize this isn’t just entertainment—it’s inspiration.

Craziest thing a reader ever said: “Your book Minor Assassin is too violent.”(…It’s called Minor Assassin. What did you expect? Cookies and hugs?)

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done? Created a full musical album. Mastered the saxophone. Produced songs from scratch. Creativity isn’t just what I do—it’s who I am.

A project that didn’t turn out the way you planned: Honestly? Zarya. But that was a good surprise. Her story took on a life of its own—I felt like I was just along for the ride. She started developing in ways I never expected, and that’s when I knew I had something special.

Same thing happens with music sometimes. You start with one idea, and it turns into something completely different. Sometimes better, sometimes… not so much. But that’s part of the ride.

Things you never want to run out of: Creativity. Hands down.

Also… grapes. Especially those dark black ones. You know the ones.

Things you wish you’d never bought: Whew. My garage is like a graveyard for impulse buys. Probably the IKEA furniture I never put together. Still sitting there like a cardboard monument to procrastination. LOL

Things you need for your writing sessions: A fresh, clear mind. Tools like Scrivener and Grammarly help a lot. I keep it focused and fluid.

Things that hamper your writing: Overthinking. Phone calls. Editing while writing (I always regret that). And not getting enough sleep. That one’s a killer.

Words that describe you: Adventurous. Creative. Passionate. Ambitious. Musical.

Words that describe you… but you wish they didn’t: Overthinker. Big-time. I’m also way too self-critical sometimes. It’s a battle.

Something you’re really good at: Playing the saxophone and writing music. That’s my home turf.

Something you’re really bad at: Being organized! I mean, I try. But it’s a work in progress. Let’s just say… Jillian helps a lot with that part. LOL

#WriterWednesday with Dwayne Brenna

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Things you need for your writing sessions: A good night’s sleep.

Things that hamper your writing: Being anywhere else but in my study in Saskatoon.

A few of your favorite things: baseball caps

Things you need to throw out: baseball caps

Something you’re really good at: I’m a pretty good cook. If you come to my house, I’ll make you an excellent gazpacho.

Something you’re really bad at: I’m a horrible singer, the sort that choir directors ask to mouth the words when it comes to performing in concert.

Favorite music or song: Springsteen’s “Born to Run”

Music that drives you crazy: Improvisational jazz.

Last best thing you ate: My grandmother’s homemade bread.

Last thing you regret eating: I once ate some jalebi at a restaurant in New Delhi, and the result was a prolonged bout of food poisoning.

Favorite places you’ve been: Greece.

Places you never want to go to again: The dentist.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I refused to hand my iPad over to a machine gun toting soldier in a foreign country once.

Something you chickened out from doing: Going on the tea cup ride at the fair with my sons. I invariably throw up when moved in tight repetitive circles.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: That reading my book LONG WAY HOME, which is set during the driest year of the Great Depression, made them thirsty.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: That too many people are writing novels these days.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: I was an actor at the Stratford Festival of Canada.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Any carpentry project I’ve ever done.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: In THEORIES OF EVERYTHING, there’s a story entitled “The Sewing Machine.” It’s uncharacteristic of the rest of the book in that it is set during the Great Depression. In 1936, my grandmother was visited by the repo man. He wanted to repossess her Singer sewing machine. She rolled up her sleeves and told him he’d have to be a bigger man than she if he was going to take that machine. He left the house without the sewing machine.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: In my book STEALING HOME, there’s a poem about a guy making love to his girlfriend on the mound of a baseball diamond at night. Readers have brought this up with my wife, suggesting that she must be the girl in the poem. In fact, the incident was narrated to me by a fellow baseball player who shall not be named and who performed the act with his own girlfriend back in the day.

About Dwayne:

Dwayne Brenna is the award-winning author of several books of humour, poetry, and fiction. Coteau Books published his popular series of humourous vignettes entitled Eddie Gustafson’s Guide to Christmas in 2000. His two books of poetry, Stealing Home and Give My Love to Rose, were published by Hagios Press in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Stealing Home, a poetic celebration of the game of baseball, was subsequently shortlisted for several Saskatchewan Book Awards, including the University of Regina Book of the Year Award. His first novel New Albion, about a laudanum-addicted playwright struggling to survive in London’s East End during the winter of 1850-51, was published by Coteau Books in autumn 2016. It subsequently won the Muslims For Peace and Justice Fiction Award at the Saskatchewan Book Awards and was one of three English-language novels shortlisted for the prestigious MM Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction. In 2022, Pocol Press published his second novel Long Way Home, about a barnstorming baseball team travelling through the American Midwest in the eventful summer of 1934. A book of short fiction, entitled Theories of Everything, was published by Shadowpaw Press in March 2025. His short stories and poems have been published in an array of journals, including Grain, Nine, The Cold Mountain Review, and The Antigonish Review. Brenna has taught theatre and creative writing at the University of Saskatchewan.

He has acted at the Stratford Festival and has appeared on television in various nationally and internationally broadcast programs including For the Record, Judge (CBC Toronto), The Great Electrical Revolution, and The Incredible Story Studio (Mind’s Eye). His movie credits include The Wars, Painted Angels (with Kelly McGillis), Black Light (with Michael Ironside), and The Impossible Elephant (with Mia Sara). A series of character-based vignettes called The Adventures of Eddie Gustafson, written and performed by Brenna, had a five-year run on CBC Radio.

Brenna is also the author of several books on theatre research, including Scenes from Canadian Plays (Fifth House) and Emrys’ Dream: Greystone Theatre in Words and Photographs (Thistledown). His book Our Kind of Work: the Glory Days and Difficult Times of 25th Street Theatre (Thistledown 2011) was subsequently nominated for a Saskatchewan Book Award in Non-Fiction. Brenna’s entertaining academic text Nights That Shook the Stage, about forty pivotal events in theatre history, was published by McFarland Books in 2023. It was subsequently shortlisted for two Saskatchewan Book Awards. He has contributed articles on theatre to Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Notebook (London UK), The Dictionary of National Biography (London UK) and the Czech journal Theatralia.

His stage plays have been produced at Dancing Sky Theatre in Meacham, 25th Street Theatre in Saskatoon, and the Neptune Theatre in Halifax. In 2022, Brenna’s apocalyptic full-length drama The Promised Land received an Honourable Mention in the Scripts on Fire Playwriting Contest. Also in 2022, Brenna was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Why The First Draft is Just the Beginning...

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When I talk to groups of new writers, I’m asked often about editing and revising, and they’re often surprised when I mention the number of rounds of revisions before the manuscript is ready for my agent and editors.

I love typing, “The End” on that last page, but it really is just the beginning. I print off a paper copy and do multiple (sometimes as many as 8 or 9 read-throughs). I’m looking for different things each time. Here’s what I always check…

  • Are there plotholes? Does something not make sense? Did I make sure all the clues/red herrings were addressed? Are there multiple motives? Are you sure the protagonist isn’t too perfect? Is the technology and the actions plausible?

  • Is the dialog pertinent? Get rid of the chitchat. Does the dialog all sound the same? Is the chatter boring? Can readers tell who is speaking? Are there enough dialog tags? Are there too many dialog tags? Did I use slang or regional sayings that most readers won’t recognize?

  • Is there enough description of settings and characters? Is there too much description? Is there too much backstory?

  • Are there continuity mistakes? Did your character eat lunch two times in the same chapter? Are all the details consistent throughout the manuscript? Did you change a character name in ALL the places? Is the timing of events in the right sequence?

  • Check the grammar and punctuation. Do all the quotes have a beginning and end punctuation? Did autocorrect substitute any weird or wrong words.

  • Do you have words and phrases that you overuse? I have a list of my biggest offenders, and I always search for these.

  • Are all the chapter endings neat wrap-ups? Make sure you build suspense and cause your readers to stay up past their bedtimes. Neat wrapped up chapters make good stopping points.

What would you add to my list?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Kathryn Prater Bomey

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I’d like to welcome my friend, the fabulous Kathryn Prater Bomey, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: A caffeinated beverage and a fairly quiet space. Pro tip: If someone loud sits near you at a coffee shop, drown them out by playing a white noise app through your headphones!

Things that hamper your writing: Loud coffee shop patrons (see above) and social media.

Words that describe you: Organized. Dedicated. Determined.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Perfectionist.

Something you’re really good at: Music—I’ve played the flute since I was ten years old and still play in several ensembles.
Something you’re really bad at: Also music—I’m completely tone deaf when it comes to singing.

The last thing you ordered online: A cast iron skillet and a few other kitchen supplies after being inspired by a cooking class I received as a Christmas gift.

The last thing you regret buying: A set of placemats I purchased online that ended up being slightly the wrong color and clashing with my dishes. I miss brick-and-mortar stores where you could see and touch items before purchasing them.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: In “Running Interference,” a story that appeared in the 2024 anthology Three Strikes—You’re Dead!, a marching band member fainted on the field while standing in a pregame formation. That really happened to someone in my high school band, though not for the same reason it happened to the character in my story…

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: In “House Arrest,” a story in the recently released anthology Crime in the Old Dominion, the protagonist is a new mother purchasing her first home. I don’t have any human children, but I am a doting dog mom to a rescue pup named Rio!

Rio

Things to say to an author: “I’d love to read it.” (Even if it’s not true.)
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “I didn’t read it.”

Favorite places you’ve been: Anywhere I’ve been able to do a guided tour—I love learning new things.

Places you never want to go to again: The gym. Haha, just kidding—after I go, I’m always glad I did!

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I traveled to Europe last summer with a performing arts group to play my flute as part of an international concert tour. It was a truly life-changing experience!

Something you chickened out from doing: Introducing myself to someone famous or someone I’m in awe of. Many times.

Things you always put in your books: Strong women protagonists.
Things you never put in your books: Damsels in distress.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: Probably all the music I keep talking about!

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Any kind of home decorating project. They always take me weeks (months?) longer than planned.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Finding time to write while juggling a demanding day job, frequent travel to visit out-of-state family, volunteer work, and other weekend and evening commitments (like my music rehearsals and performances).

Easiest thing about being a writer: Coming up with ideas. I have dozens of pages of story ideas just waiting to be written!

Crime in the Old Dominion Edited by Josh Pachter and KL Murphy

About Kathyrn:

Kathryn Prater Bomey has published short fiction in Black Cat Weekly, Shotgun Honey, Punk Noir Magazine, and the anthologies Three Strikes—You’re Dead! and Crime in the Old Dominion. Her work is forthcoming in Hooked on Urban Legends—and Murder and The Dame was a Dick. She has served as president and secretary of Sisters in Crime’s Chesapeake Chapter and is a member of SinC’s Central Virginia Chapter and the Short Mystery Fiction Society. As a manager of a strategic communications team at a global nonprofit and a former journalist, her nonfiction writing has appeared in magazines, blogs, and daily newspapers, including the Indianapolis Star, Grand Rapids Press, Lansing State Journal, and Saginaw News.

Let’s Be Social:

Follow Kathryn at https://facebook.com/KathrynPraterBomey, and sign up for her (very occasional) newsletter at https://bit.ly/KPBnewsletter.

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Syrl Kazlo

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I’d like to welcome Syrl Kazlo to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Finding the time to sit down and write. Easiest thing about being a writer: Daydreaming about the sticky situations I’m going to put my characters in.

Things you need for your writing sessions: A square of dark chocolate, a handful of walnuts and a dark chocolate and peanut granola bars. Now mind you this is all brain food right?

Things that hamper your writing: When life butts in like doctor appointments, paying the bills.

Words that describe you: Kind, caring, thoughtful, loyal

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Getting older, senior citizen, a tad overweight

Something you’re really good at: Handcrafts such as rug hooking, quilting, sewing.

Something you’re really bad at: Anything computer-related

Last best thing you ate: Chocolate crème pie

Last thing you regret eating: liver

Favorite music or song: oldies, 60’s

Music that drives you crazy: Not much does although I may not understand some of the newer stuff out there

The last thing you ordered online: a whistling coal car for my grandson’s model train set

The last thing you regret buying: Another pair of slacks. Like I need to add one more to the bazillion I already have. I’m kind of a shopaholic.

Things you always put in your books: A happy ending and of course the main characters that I include in each book especially Porkchop.

Things you never put in your books: Overt sex and violence Think Hallmark movie for my books

Things to say to an author: I liked your book. Love your characters. I’ve read all your books.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I could have written this

Favorite books (or genre): cozy mystery

Books you wouldn’t buy: thriller, horror

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: A person killing another by throwing water on them then locking that wet person out in the cold (Hubby is a Pennsylvania State Trooper, so I often pick his brain about past cases he solved.)

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: That I have long curly hair. Nope, mine is short and straight.

Your favorite movie as a child: Old Yeller

A TV show or movie that kept you awake at night as a kid (or as an adult): “The Twilight Zone” The episode where hands crawled across the floor.

About Syrl: Syrl, a retired teacher, lives in upstate New York with her husband a lively dachshund and a wannabe dachshund (That’s a long story.). She writes the Samantha Davies Mystery series, featuring Samantha Davies and her loveable dachshund, Porkchop. When not writing she is busy hooking, rug hooking that is, and enjoying her family. Her newest book, number seven in the series, A Pawsome Summer For Murder, will be released May 1, 2025.

Let’s Be Social:

website- http://www.sakazlo.com

Facebook: S.A.Kazlo

Instagram: @sakazlo

Twitter @sakazlo

Bluesky-@sakazlo.bsky.social

What Have You Been Reading Lately?

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What’s been on your nightstand or Kindle lately? I’ve been wrapping up the first few drafts of the sixth Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery, so I’ve been in writer mode for the first part of this year. I have some really good mysteries that I’d like to share.

My year started off with Jenn McKinlay’s Fondant Fumble, the perfect book for pre-Super Bowl reading. I love her cupcake shop mysteries. She’s got a great quirky cast of characters.

I was also fortunate to read an early copy of Janna Rollins’s Goats Just Wanna Have Fun: A Zen Goat Mystery. This is such a fun series, and this one takes place at the county fair.

I read some true crime in Framed John Grisham and Jim McCloskey. It’s a good collection of essays about the wrongly convicted.

I read a short story collection, Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon, edited by Josh Pachter. I enjoyed the collection with its variety of crime fiction stories.

I read Lisa Q. Matthews’s The Jig is Up in time for St. Patrick’s Day. What a fun series set in a town called Shamrock.

And Darci Hannah is a new to me author. I like her Beacon Bakeshop mysteries. She has a fun setting, including a haunted lighthouse, and a quirky cast of characters. I love her Newfoundland sidekick. I also enjoyed her Food and Spirits Mysteries. I enjoyed it, and I don’t usually read a lot of stories with paranormal elements. A Fatal Feast at Bramsford Manor was well done with lots of twists. It kept me guessing until the end.

I just finished Lee and Andrew Child’s In Too Deep. This was was action packed with lots of twists.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Zaida Alfaro

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I’d like to welcome Zaida Alfaro back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time:

I love relaxing in my living room with a glass of red wine, strumming my guitar, and learning new songs—especially on nights when I don’t have crank out 5,000 words!

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list:

Without a doubt, laundry.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:

A cozy chair, a cup of coffee or tea, my favorite playlist, a notebook to capture ideas, and my laptop to start putting it down on paper. Bonus: a scented candle to set the mood.

Things that distract you from writing:

Social media, random chores I suddenly remember, the temptation to play guitar, and tackling my TBR list.

Hardest thing about being a writer:

Staying disciplined and focused, especially when self-doubt or writer's block creeps in.

Easiest thing about being a writer:

Letting my imagination run wild and bringing my ideas to life—it’s so natural when inspiration strikes!

Something you’re really good at:

Connecting with people through music and storytelling—I love creating things that resonate.

Something you’re really bad at:

Keeping my plants alive. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get it right!

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

A famous singer performing on big stages around the world.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do:

Write an entire book series and share my stories with readers—it still feels surreal!

Something you wish you could do:

Play the piano effortlessly—I’ve always admired pianists and the emotion they bring to their music.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do:

Overthink things! It’s a skill I perfected way too well, and it’s not always helpful.

Things to say to an author:

  • "Your book kept me up all night—I couldn’t put it down!"

  • "I felt so connected to the characters; they felt real to me."

  • "I can’t wait to see what you write next!"

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

  • "Writing seems so easy. Anyone could do it, right?"

  • "Why don’t you get a real job?"

  • "I skimmed through your book—reading every word seemed unnecessary."

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

Zipline

Something you chickened out from doing:

Skydiving

Best piece of advice you received from another writer:

"Write the story only you can tell—don’t worry about trends or trying to please everyone."

Something you would tell a younger you about your writing:

Trust your voice and don’t be afraid to take risks. The stories in your heart are worth telling, even if they scare you at first.

Recommendations for curing writer’s block:

  • Step away and do something creative, like playing music.

  • Take a walk or get outside to clear your mind.

  • Try freewriting—just jot down anything, no matter how random, to get the words flowing.

  • Revisit your favorite book or movie for inspiration.

Things you do to avoid writing:

  • Organize my workspace (or re-organize it for the tenth time).

  • Scroll through social media or watch random videos.

  • Convince myself I need a snack or another cup of coffee.

  • Start doing laundry (even though it’s usually at the bottom of my list!).

About Zaida:

The vibrant city of Miami, Florida, serves as the heartbeat of the Miami Music Mystery series—a city I deeply cherish, having been born and raised there. Like the series’ protagonist, Vy, I am a singer-songwriter and Grammy-considered independent artist, with a profound passion for music and literature. 

Years ago, I discovered cozy mysteries and was immediately captivated by their engaging, intriguing, and often humorous storylines. Inspired by these works, I decided to merge my love of music with my newfound passion for storytelling. This led to the creation of my debut novel, The Last Note: A Miami Music Mystery. 

Following its success, I continued Vy’s story In the Key of Dead: A Miami Music Mystery. Drawing from my own life experiences, I wove elements like phobias, dream sequences, and quirky personalities into the narrative—all grounded in truth. Through these novels, I aimed to share my love for Miami, its rich Cuban culture, my family, and the world of music. 

Now, with the release of The Hidden Track, the final book in the Miami Music Mystery series, I’ve brought Vy’s journey to a thrilling conclusion. This latest installment delves deeper into the city’s vibrant backdrop and Vy’s evolving story, tying together the mysteries, challenges, and triumphs that have defined her journey. 

I hope readers feel the same passion for Miami, music, and storytelling that I’ve poured into these novels. It’s been a joy to bring this series to life and share a piece of my world with you. 

Let’s Be Social:

Website: http://Zaidamusic.com

Instagram/Twitter: zaidamusic

Facebook: zaidaauthor and zaidamusic