Meg Wolfe's Blog, page 5

An Unexamined Wife is Now Available in Print

This is a great feeling!

Once again, I got a big kick out of seeing my novel in print, this time the second Charlotte Anthony mystery,An Unexamined Wife. The Kindle edition was published right before Christmas, and many other things required our attention around here before we could set aside the time to do another edit, a layout, and then a proofread of the layout. I love the cover, the font, the off-white paper, just everything.

It takes Amazon a while to synchronize the print and Kindle edit...

Using Astrology as a Character Generator

Around We Go

While developing my sleuth Charlotte’s romantic life, I noticed that she had a history of getting together with men who were not truly suitable for her. There was, somewhere in her makeup, a conflict between her outer lifeand her inner self, or perhaps a fear of being true to herself, since she chose relationships that she thought she ought to have instead of what she really wanted. Facing this fact and going for what she really wanted was the main subplot ofAn Unexamined Wife.

So...

An Unexamined Wife–The 2nd Charlotte Anthony Mystery

Happy Holidays!

An Unexamined Wife isfinished and available on Amazon.com! It’s also FREE ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND BOXING DAY, so I hope you’ll take advantage of this holiday present. It’s also a good way to get a review copy that is also an Authorized Purchase, and I’d be tickled pink if you left a review.

What a ride it’s been to write this book.An Uncollected Death took me sixteenmonths to write, as I learned the craft. This new book took just over eightmonths. I’m hoping the next one will take...

Shifting Gears at the Midpoint of the Novel

All lined up–for a different game?

Strictly speaking, I’m supposed to be working on Act III, but I’ve been spending a lot of time on the two-chapter spread that makes up the midpoint of the novel, the middle of Act II. For me, this is a danger area, because it’s the point where the protagonist is supposed to become fully committed to solving the problem in the novel, after something happens which clarifies the course of action that she must take. It’s often something that has to do with the su...

Learning to Write More Than One Thing at a Time

All Lined Up

Last month’s project of creating thirty-one writing prompts was a terrific learning exercise for me. I’m not the fastest writer in the world, but in these days of writers having to do our own marketing and outreach, it’s so useful to be able to quickly turn out a few hundred words on various topics several times per month, if not per week. I’m in awe of anyone who does this well.

In order to write frequently and quickly, a sort of nimbleness is needed to not get in the way of one’s...

Visual Writing Prompt: What Love Has to Do With It

A State of Being

The final #augustbreak2014 prompt was “Love,” with the intent of depicting what loves means to you. I have to admit I go wordless when it comes to actual love–and that’s a real dilemma for a writer!

The picture is of a glass paperweight backlit against a window in order to catch its depth and mystery despite its common, iconic shape and color. Then a lot of tweaking with Instagram filters and controls brought out every element while reducing the tree and lawn in the background...

Visual Writing Prompt: Hard and Soft Traits

Silly Soft Socks

“Soft” is the thirtieth #augustbreak2014 prompt, and there were many things to choose from. The most obvious was to be had just by looking down at my cozy house socks. Even in the summer they are nice, keeping the air conditioning off my legs in the evenings.

I’ve always loved soft things, and I think I love them more the older I get. I also recall wanting more soft things during stressful periods of my life. Soft is soothing to skin, muscle, and bone, soft relaxes and calms,...

Visual Writing Prompt: Nature Good and Bad

Natural Stages

The twenty-ninth #augustbreak2014 prompt was “Nature,” and for me that present the choice between what’s in my garden and what’s out in the larger world. But since my garden is what I interact with the most these days, I stuck with that.

It had just rained and the sky still had that sunlight glowing immediately behind still-dark clouds which brings out deep blue-greens, making this hosta stand out more than usual, and making its curled yellow leaf part of a composition rather th...

Visual Writing Prompt: Unexpected Acquisitions

Fake Magic

“Something New” was the twenty-eighth #augustbreak2014 prompt, and in particular something that wasn’t necessarily new, but new to me. So I meandered down to one such shop and happened upon this inexpensive handmade ring that insisted on coming home with me. Like it was magic or something.

It’s a big big for most of my fingers, but sits comfortably on my main index finger, sort of enhancing anything I point at, as if I had the power to make whatever I was pointing at to happen, move...

Visual Writing Prompt: Themes from Details

Woven Lines

“Lines” was the twenty-sixth #augustbreak2014 prompt, and that was a fun one for me, since I’m aware of lines everywhere, from the lines made by the intersection of the walls, windows, and doors in the house to lines of music and writing. Lines of wires between the poles along the street.

The picture is a closeup of the ratty old throw that I keep on the ottoman in front of my armchair in the living room. The color and texture makes me think of landscapes, aerial views in particular...