publication – A Mad Pursuit

It’s a bit late in the day over here, but the day is not quite over. Today, Rock Revival makes its way into the world. It’s hard to encapsulate just what it feels like to put a book out like this. Technically, it’s my second published novel, but it’s my first non-genre novel, so it’s a... / READ MORE /

April 25, 2018

editing, fantasy, fiction, glassmere, people who rock, publication, writing

fran Wilde, glassmere, writing

Where Hath April Fled?

April has a certain literary weight to it, doesn’t it? Regardless of what Chaucer or Eliot thought, one thing is clear: April has come and gone too fast for my liking. This in-between month has lived up to its reputation here in North Carolina, however, and we’ve had lots of rain and a very cool... / READ MORE /

January 3, 2018

publication, writing

fantasy, fantasy writing, fiction, novel writing, publication, writing

2017 Publications!

2017 was a pretty big year around these parts. I saw the publication of two novellas and two short stories — all of which I hold quite dear. First, there came Wothwood, a heroic fantasy novella (yes, you read that right… it’s short and it’s fantasy) about the “wood where the world is broken.” While there’s... / READ MORE /

January 10, 2017

fantasy, fiction, publication, weird, writing

book trailer, video, wothwood

The Wothwood Book Trailer is Here

I’m very excited to share the book trailer for Wothwood. It’s definitely a challenge to boil down the book in a short story, but I’m hoping to at least pique a little bit of interest. What to expect? Heroes, battles, revenge, strange lands and strange people. What might be unexpected? The monsters are beyond your garden... / READ MORE /

January 8, 2017

fiction, publication, weird, writing

novella, wothwood, writing, writing process

Falling in love with the novella, and thoughts on story structure

Ever since I first put pen to paper, I’ve thought in novels. I never set out to write short stories. No, from the get-go, I wanted to produce mighty, expansive, world-sweeping novels. And for the majority of the last ten years, what you might consider my professional publishing career, novels have made up the bulk of my... / READ MORE /

January 5, 2017

fantasy, fiction, publication

broken circles, broken cities, novella, weird fantasy, wothwood, writing group

Introducing Wothwood, a Broken Cities Novella

I’m sick as a dog here, but a little good news goes a long way. Last summer, I was busy at work writing Wothwood, a weird fantasy novella for Falstaff Books. The idea came about in conversation with two members of my writing group (and dear friends) Jaym Gates and Michelle Muenzler. What about a shared... / READ MORE /

December 27, 2014

editing, publication, writing

novel distance, novel editing, novel writing, queen of none, stephen king, writing advice

On Achieving Writing Distance

Ever since I read Stephen King’s On Writing twelve years ago, I’ve been acutely aware of my biggest fault as a writer: my inability to achieve distance from my own writing. King talks about finishing a manuscript and then putting it away for a few weeks, letting it mellow a bit, in order to return to... / READ MORE /

February 16, 2014

fantasy, fiction, pilgrim of the sky, podcast, publication, writing

book trailer, natania barron, pilgrim of the sky live, trailer

Behold! The Book Trailer for Pilgrim of the Sky (and Audio Coming Soon!)

I’d wanted to do a book trailer for Pilgrim for quite some time, but when the book came out I was pregnant and a total mess. Personal life aside, it may be a few years after the fact but hey! It’s still my book. I’m still totally proud of it. And I have this live reading I’m... / READ MORE /

February 13, 2014

editing, fantasy, fiction, geek, gothic, publication, watcher of the skies, WIP, writing

pilgrim of the sky, process, progress, publication, publishing, watcher of the skies, writing, writing advice, writing issues, writing problems, writing process, writing rants, writing tips

How Pinterest and Process Saved My Novel (And Can Save Yours, Too)

Writing a book, as the old adage goes, isn’t the hard part. I mean, yeah, it’s hard. It’s a butt-ton of work. For me, writing books isn’t the hard part. It’s something I do, more or less, whether or not I want to. But while the writing part isn’t exactly a mystery to me, there... / READ MORE /

April 4, 2013

publication, watcher of the skies, WIP, writing

character development, characters, growth, safety, skills, writing, writing challenges

Exploring the Edges: Writing Outside the Boundaries

Write what you know may be the most hackneyed advice out there. And, well, it really isn’t that well informed. Yes, writing the things you know about–especially when you’re starting out–are safe bets. Keeping to the zone of your knowledge means that you’ll likely not be called out as a fraud and that you’ll keep... / READ MORE /