Heather Sunseri's Blog, page 4

If It’s Popular, It’s Not Real Art?

Elle Griffin of The Novelleist, sent out a newsletter last Sunday arguing that “high snobbery reigns among circles of critics who expect a certain pretention from their virtuoso violinists, their fine art painters, and their literary writers.” The post was titled, “The one where self-published books are not ‘real art’.” (Yes, Elle likes to title her newsletters like they’re episodes of Friends. And I love it!)

Anyone who’s been involved in the indie book industry—whether you’re someone who self...

Why are some men so obsessed with controlling women’s bodies?

Did you see where the Norwegian women’s beach handball team was fined 1,500 euros ($1,700) for wearing thigh-length elastic shorts during their Euro 2021 bronze medal match against Spain in Bulgaria?

 

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According to the sport’s Norwegian federation president, Kåre Geir Lio (a man, in case there’s any question), “it’s not [appropriate clothing for] the activity they ...

Friday Morning Thoughts: The 2020 (2021) Tokyo Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony

Good morning!

I’m sitting here with my morning coffee, watching the Opening Ceremony of the 2020 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics. You never quite know what to expect with opening ceremonies, do you? Especially this year.

But I love to see how host countries choose to display their art and culture. Some years, you get a 30 minute history lesson on the host country. Other years, it’s just pure entertainment. This year… an anatomy lesson???

This year’s was also an “If you build it, they will come” type ...

How Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights gave me a career (and life) pep talk

On a recent road trip to Atlanta, my husband, Mike, and I listened to the audio version of Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights, narrated by Matthew himself. I might not have listened to the audio book had Matthew not been the one telling the story.

I could listen to Matthew’s voice all damn day! He’s got the perfect amount of southern drawl, and his way of weaving a story into a point well-made was the perfect pep talk for taking a hard look at my career—while still seeking adventure—during a tim...

Let go of that thing that didn’t work? Or shift and try again?

Remember several months ago when I attempted to start The Weekly Thrill? No? You don’t even know what I’m talking about? I’m not surprised. I wasn’t very good at it.

I do this. All. The. Time. I decide I want to try something new, because that new thing is all shiny and exciting, and seems hopeful and full of promise. Then I try it, and lose steam really quickly.

That’s what happened with The Weekly Thrill. The idea was strong, I think. But the format was all wrong. And the timing was definitely...

Villains Among Us

There is no shortage of people who do bad things these days, making it rather easy to draw inspiration for the villains that belong inside thriller novels (or any other genre of novel, really).

But villains come in all shapes, sizes, and physical characteristics, and their personalities vary widely. Villains can be easily recognized as human traffickers, as in the case of Truth is in the Darkness, or as a spree killer like in Secret is in the Bones. But villains can also show up in stories (and...

How Much Do You Miss Your Coffee Shop?

Dear Coffee Shops,

I miss you!

Love,

Heather

Honestly, that sums up the the past year for me, creatively speaking. There’s just something about a coffee shop that makes life more creative. And without them? Let’s just say, I’ve been missing the whooshing of cream being frothed, the scents of fresh-roasted coffee beans being ground to perfection, the constant level of conversation mixed with soft music, and the taste of a latte that I simply haven’t taken the time to perfect at home.

According t...

Drinking with Chickens by Kate E. Richards

Who’s looking for new inspiration for their Friday happy hours? Of maybe a gift idea for a friend?

I have followed Drinking with Chickens on Instagram for a while now for a little eye candy. But their book? A great birthday gift for a friend, or just a little inspiration for your new Covid happy hours while bars are still a big NO. Purchase Drinking with Chickens on Amazon.

I don’t know Kate, but I would love to have drinks with her. Show her some love and check out her book. Or check out her w...

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun first released in 2009, but I spotted a copy of the much loved book on a trip to Half-Price Books yesterday. While I never read the book when it was first popular, all of Gretchen Rubin’s books catch my eye because I’m addicted to what I call self-analysis and formin...

Thoughts on Writing: Just Start

From time to time, I receive emails from people curious as to how I write and publish. Those are two very big questions, and they are questions that must be tackled separately as they are very separate parts of the job. And while most people don’t ask, there is a third part to the job, too: selling (some like to call that part marketing, but it’s more than that).

I will say this first: You don’t have to do all three parts of the job. You can write without ever publishing or selling, and many pe...