-
When Romance and Suspense Collide
About eight months back, I published my first novel: a romantic thriller with spy and paranormal elements. Lately, a lot of people have been asking me what exactly a romantic thriller is. I have done some research, and here is what I have found. A romantic thriller is where heart-pounding suspense meets heart-stopping emotion. It’s…
-
Finding Your Author Voice
Almost every author starts their writing career by trying to sound like their favorite author. One day you’re channeling Jane Austen, the next you’re sure you’re Dean Koontz in disguise. And before you know it, your manuscript sounds like a Regency thriller-romance narrated by a caffeinated philosopher. Welcome to the awkward teenage years of your…
C.M. Rachels
-
Writing Chaos
They say writing a novel is like running a marathon. I disagree. In a marathon, no one questions whether your protagonist has “sufficient emotional depth” or tells you your pacing is off halfway through the course. Writing a novel is more like running a marathon with endless hills. First, you get the brilliant idea hill.…
-
It’s Okay to Take a Break
When a writer’s muse sings, there’s no stopping the inspirational train and the mania that follows. Minutes turn into hours, and hours into days. Before you know it, you’ve been living off coffee and crackers, your characters are making decisions without your permission, and your plot resembles a spaghetti diagram. Nothing, though, tops this creative…
C.M. Rachels
-
Marketing Woes: The Struggle of Promoting Your Own Book
You wrote the book. You poured your heart, time, and sleep into it. Hitting “publish” should feel like the hard part is over… right? Wrong. Welcome to the next step: Marketing. And it’s no easy task. Unless you’re one of the rare few with a whole PR team, you’re doing this solo. That means building…
-
Tips for Worldbuilding
Creating immersive story worlds without overwhelming readers is a crucial aspect of writing a compelling story. I’m currently busy building my fictional world in my sequel, and I thought I’d share a few tips I was given that helped me sharpen my worldbuilding skills. Start by laying the foundation for your world: Culture, history, environment,…
-
Just Be You
I want to give a big shout-out to all the people who are living their lives to the best of their abilities with an illness. I know the struggle very well, and I know it’s not always easy to keep going. It takes a lot of will and a lot of courage to rise above…
-
It’s Never Too Late
People keep asking me why I waited until my forties before I published my first book. The simplest answer is that I listened to the wrong people. I’ve been writing since I can remember: cartoons, stories, poems, songs. My biggest dream growing up was to become a writer or a journalist. In senior high, I…
C.M. Rachels
-
A Dash of Humor
“Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.” — Mark Twain I’m a firm believer in humor and finding joy in little things. Life is just so much easier when you can laugh at yourself or life’s absurdities. That’s also true for work and writing stories. I always try to bring humor to my stories, even when I…
-
Writing with Pets
Most of us authors have pets at home, and writing with these furry babies hanging around can be quite challenging. There are the headbutts, the biting of laptop edges, the stretching over the keyboard, the climbing over the desk or shelves, the constant falling of objects, the chair scratching, and of course, the never-ending meowing…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
C.M. Rachels 