Robin Lee Hatcher's Blog, page 56

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Writers

I had plans to make great progress on my current manuscript this week. On my calendar, it seemed I would have plenty of uninterrupted quality writing time.

The best laid plans of mice and men … or rather, writers.

One kind of interruption after another pushed into my writing time all week long. The kind of interruptions that require immediate attention and can’t be ignored until the word quota is made. Sigh… I’ll have to hope for bonus words next week and pray for interruptions to be at a minim...

The Books Authors Read: Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over eighty novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana, and Alaskan Quest series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

Visit Tracie’s Web site at www.traciepeterson.com.

What was your favorite book as a child?

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

What book did you read that first made you want to be an author?

Mother Goose

What was the last book you read,...

Christian Fiction Wednesday 05-14-14

I know many, many authors of Christian fiction, and while I don’t have time to keep up with reading all of their books, I love to tell readers about them. Look for my posts about new and recent releases on most Wednesdays. You just might find a new-to-you author or see a new release by an already favorite author. Happy reading!

~robin

DEADLY HUNT

by Margaret Daley

All bodyguard Tess Miller wants is a vacation. But when a wounded stranger stumbles into her isolated cabin in the Arizona mountains,...

The Heart’s Pursuit Releases Today

It’s here at last. The release ofThe Heart’s Pursuit. This book has been a long time coming. I won’t even tell you how long it took to go from signing thecontract with Zondervan (now part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing) and The Heart’s Pursuitarriving on shelves and on e-readers. It felt like an eternity.

But now it’s here with its absolutely to-die-for cover (thank you, thank you, thank you, KV!!!) and the book hasbeen garnering some terrific professional and reader reviews, which make...

Why I Gave Up on my Facebook Page Doing It All

Three years ago last month, I made the decision to migrate my personal Facebook Profile to a new author Page. There were several reasons for thatdecision, among them the ability to access insights about the Likes on my Page. But the most important reason was the 5,000 friend limit on a personal Profile while there is no limitation on the number of Likes/fans who can follow a Page. It seemed like a good move, and indeed, since I now have over 11,000 Likes/fans on my author Page, it still seems...

Bending and Breaking the Rules

One of the things I have told aspiring novelistsover the years is that they need to learn the rules of good writing, especially the rules of writing fiction. Not just learn the rulesbut understand the whys behind them. Once the rules are understood, then a novelistcan know when to bend them and even when to break them (on occasion).

If a writer breaks the rules because shedoesn’t know them or why they exist, it will= sloppy writing.

If a writer bends/breaks a rule intentionally for a creative p...

Christian Fiction Wednesday 05-07-14

I know many, many authors of Christian fiction, and while I don’t have time to keep up with reading all of their books, I love to tell readers about them. Look for my posts about new and recent releases on most Wednesdays. You just might find a new-to-you author or see a new release by an already favorite author. Happy reading!

~robin

WISH

by Jake Smith

James McConnell’s one wish is that his nine-year-old son will finally be healthy enough to play a game of catch. Then he and his wife, Emily, re...

April Wrap Up

It’s going to be 84 degrees here in SW Idaho today. Air conditioning weather already. And my office does get quite hot, partly due to the southwest facing wall that gets no shade and partly because of all the electronics that are generating heat (computer, printers, router, modem, and desk lamps). In the winter, I’m glad for it. Not so much in the summer.

One thing I really love about my office is the tree outside my window. We hung a thistle seed sock on it a few years ago, and all summer lon...

Like Having Homework for the Rest of Your Life

I saw this Lawrence Kasdan quote on Facebook awhile back, and it made me laugh: Being a writer is like having homework every night for the rest of your life.

Yes, being a writer does seem to feel like that much of the time. One story or another is always rolling around in my head.

I’m currently working on line edits for my November release (first book in a three book series). I’ve shared before about the different editing steps that most publishing houses follow (and which I recommend those who...

Throwback Thursday: The Love of Dance

I love to dance. I’ve loved it all of my life. I took ballet for seven years. Tap for at least four. The photo at left is from the spring recital when I was in the sixth grade.

My dress and hat were a brilliant red. Mom saved that costume and a few others, and many years later, my daughters would dress up in them until they eventually fell apart. The dresses. Not my daughters.

As a young adult, my favorite dance was country swing. I was pretty good at it. Sadly, my dear hubby flunked the countr...