Robin Lee Hatcher's Blog, page 81

What Do I Do For “Writer’s Block?”

I spoke at a fiction writing conference recently, and during a panel discussion, the novelists were asked about handling writer’s block.

Here is my opinion, based on 32 years of experience:

Often what a writer perceives as a block is nothing more than procrastination. I know a lot of writers, and the majority of us seem to be experts at procrastinating. Writer’s block is a good excuse not to write. Right? So if a writer thinks he can’t write because he is blocked, he should check to make sure h...

This Is A Temporary Home Page

I had someone ask why I’ve chosen for my blog to be the landing page for my web site. I haven’t. This is temporary while my web site is undergoing a total makeover (as explained in the sidebar). But since that notice seems to be easily missed, I’m adding this quick note. The new look should debut in a couple of weeks or so, so please come back soon. Or sign up for my newsletter so you’ll get updates on the latest news.

Treasured Old Photos

My WIP (work-in-progress) tells the stories of two women, one who was born over a hundred years ago and one who lives in a contemporary setting. My contemporary protagonist inherits the home of the historical protagonist, and in the attic she finds lots of old photographs. And a man in some of those old photos raises questions.

When my mom died in 2010, we dragged out a box of old photos and sorted through them. And I discovered how careless we (my brother and I) had been. We should have gone...

Polly Bemis, a Gold Camp Love Story

Readers of my novels know that I love to set my books in Idaho. Occasionally I venture over the border into Montana or Wyoming or Colorado, but the vast majority of my books take place in the state I love.

Great riches came out of the gold and silver rushes in Idaho during the 1800s, and I have used this part of our history in a number of novels ( Heart of Gold is the most recent). Sadly, racial prejudice was alive and well in the camps, most of it focused on the Chinese. And so for this post i...

Movie Review: Oz, the Great and Powerful

I have been eagerly waiting for Oz, the Great and Powerful(from Disney) for months and months. There are few movies I am so eager to see that I attend on the day it releases (Christmas Day releases being the notable exception). But I knew from the first moment I heard about Oz that I would be there on March 8th.

I am such a huge fans of the 1939Wizard of Oz movie. I have it on Blu-Ray and on my iPad, and I watch it at least three or four times a year. I own a couple of differentWizard of Oz ni...

Fascination with Folks

In my opinion, the most important tool in a novelist’s arsenal is empathy. A writer must be able to put herself into the shoes (i.e. minds and emotions) of people of all types and persuasions. A writer must be able to empathize not only with her heroes but also with her villains.

Easier said than done.

Sometimes the way people behave mystifies me. Over the past year, I have watched as one woman has tried (and is still trying) to force her will on others. Sometimes she’s acted irrationally, some...

Angel Falls by Connie Mann

ANGEL FALLS

March 2013

A fiercely protective Brazilian orphanage director and a burned-out Army Ranger are forced together in a deadly race to save one helpless baby.

Her best friend’s been murdered and Brazilian orphanage director Regina da Silva will do whatever it takes to protect her friend’s baby. Even if it means dealing with an intimidating man she’s not sure she can trust.

Former Army Ranger Brooks Anderson refuses to protect anyone ever again. The last time he did, the woman and child bo...

What’s in Your Purse Right Now?

Heroines in historical novels do not carry huge purses filled with stuff, stuff, and more stuff. I try to carry less to save myself from shoulder pain, but I’m never very good at cutting back. I’m sure that says something profound about me. I just don’t know what.

What’s in my purse today? Let’s see:

Eyeglasses in case
Wallet holding checkbook, cash, credit cards
Keys
A case for all of those store cards & frequent flyer cards, etc., that a person collects over time
Pens
Hair pick
Lotion
Case holding t...

False Alarm by Veronica Heley

FALSE ALARM

March 2013

Bea Abbot is asked to find the man or woman who laid a booby trap for Sir Lucas Ossett, the powerful head of an international company, in his own black of flats. She finds Sir Lucas’s wife in a state of fear, while gossiping elderly ladies cast doubt on the probity of their neighbours; these include a ‘therapist’, an ex-employee of Sir Lucas’s, and a cross-section of yuppies and oddballs with life-threatening problems. Call-girl cards have been left in tenants’ letterboxe...

Dreaming of My Characters

Writing a novel is just plain hard work most of the time. But there are certain things I love about my job that make any of the hard parts worth it. Here are three off the top of my head:

My favorite above all else is brainstorming a book with other writers. It is the best! I love to sit around table and be in the midst of all that creative energy. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
I love meeting/interacting with readers, especially when they share that something I wrote affected their...