by mike | Jun 16, 2014 | Books, Editing, Ghosts, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writing |
In my decades as a writing coach and editor I have worked with first-time writers whose talents and abilities ranged from “I think you should take up needlepoint or jet skiing instead” to “How in heck are you not published yet!” The latter, to be sure, is the rare...
by mike | May 20, 2014 | Books, Editing, Ghosts, Horror, Paranormal, Writing |
During my 200+ years as a writing coach, I’ve seen it all when it comes to manuscripts by wanna-be authors. Issues with plotting, characterization, dialogue, pacing, and all other elements of a novel come to mind—oftentimes in glaringly high definition and even IMAX....
by mike | May 14, 2014 | Books, Editing, Ghosts, Holocaust, Horror, Paranormal, Psychological Thrillers, Publishing, Thrillers, Uncategorized, Writing |
PRAISE FOR FIRE DANCE: “Sirota returns…with this atmospheric tale of horror in the American Southwest. Horror fans will enjoy this updated take on the western ghost town.” – Publishers Weekly, 12/6/10 As many of you know, I’m big on second chances. (Check out my first...
by mike | Mar 5, 2014 | Editing, Humor, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writing |
I just can’t get enough of those great bad opening lines that have been submitted to the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest over the decades. Here are some more gems from recent years. Hermann lay with Esmerelda, entwined with one another among love-tangled sheets and he...
by mike | Jan 13, 2014 | Adventure fantasy, Books, Life, Publishing, Sword & Planet, Uncategorized, Writing |
This story is about the best day ever for a first-time published author: me. Naturally it took place a long, long time ago: 1978, to be exact. My sword & planet novel, The Prisoner of Reglathium (first in the five-book Dannus series), had just come out. I had an...
by mike | Dec 16, 2013 | Books, Editing, Humor, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writing |
I suppose I’m fascinated, if not obsessed, with the bad opening lines that have been submitted to the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest over the past thirty years. What the heck, they are so entertaining. Here are some more award-winning gems from the past. Enjoy! His...
