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Book Review: Mouse Trap

If you like a bit of a fun cozy little scary read, I highly recommend Mouse Trap by Caryn Larrinaga. On the surface, it’s about the haunting of an ordinary house (or an ordinary family really), but it’s really about loss, grief, guilt, and anxiety.

The author does a brilliant job creating a mood of uneasiness, which builds the tension more and more. Larrinaga does a great job implanting dark imagery, setting up a little mystery, and providing just enough foreshadowing to keep you guessing.

Authors, UpdatesEditing MeeJanuary 16, 2024book review, indie author, indie author blog, book communityComment

Hiding Your Villain in Plain Sight

There are many ways to write a good villain. Sometimes, their evil doings are out in the open, ready for the reader to…

Guest Blogs, CraftEditing MeeSeptember 5, 2023indie author, indie author blog, horror author, how to write villians, how to write villainsComment

Stress Responses in Writing

People react to stressors differently, and so should your characters. Knowing the psychology behind stress response can help make your character’s responses more believable and diverse. Understanding the Fight, Flight, Freeze, Flop, or Fawn theory is…

Guest Blogs, AuthorsEditing MeeJuly 28, 2023indie author, indie author blog, writing tipsComment

Guest Blog: Choosing a Book Genre

Writing a book is an exciting and nerve-wracking journey. As an editor, I talk to authors all the time about how hard it is to decide on the best way to get your story from thought to paper. You may know what to write, but how do you make sure it aligns with the expectations of that genre while still allowing you full creative freedom?

Conquer Your Fears – Join a Writing Group

It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned writer or someone who has just finished their first story, writing groups can seem intimidating and possibly like an unnecessary activity. But here’s the thing, the right writing group can provide you with benefits you wouldn’t achieve any other way.

Quick Reads: "The Family Unit"

“The Family Unit” was first published by The Salt Flats literary journal in November 2020, which is hosted by the Salt City Genre Writers. The theme for the month was “the family you choose.” I tend to take these things literally, so, I wrote a slightly disturbing sci-fi tale about an angry young man who chooses a new family.

I don’t know if I would call this horror exactly but with a surprise twist ending reminiscent of “Tales from the Crypt” I think horror and sci-fi fans will enjoy this weird take on the theme of family.

ExcerptsEditing MeeMay 19, 2021excerpt, read for free, medium, short story, indie author, indie publisherComment