Wait, What? They thought they were walking separate paths—nothing more than strangers. They did not know that an invisible red thread was already pulling them to their shared destiny. WHAT THE HECK ARE EPIGRAPHS AND EPIGRAMS? An epigraph is a short phrase, relevant quote written by someone other than the author, or brief poem placed at the beginning of a book or chapter. While also concise, an epigram is written by the book’s author. It can be soulful, pithy, or hint at a dee

(This article is meant for an adult audience 18+) When I was assigned a developmental editor by my publisher, I didn’t know what to expect. I had reservations about whether this editor would understand the concept of the red string of fate and some of the other themes I had weaved into Threads of Red. I was more than pleasantly surprised. Not only did she understand this ancient myth, she believed in this story from our first conversation and saw its heart and soul. She under

In fiction, magic should never just be a one-time parlor trick. To truly immerse your audience, the magic must become an active character in the scene, pushing the plot forward and surfacing frequently throughout the narrative. Threads of Red is loosely based on the Red Sting of Fate, which is an ancient Asian myth. The belief is that the gods tie red strings around the wrists or fingers of those people who are destined to meet. Nothing will keep them apart—not time, distan

Why happy characters may be killing your plot. Opposites don't just attract; they create plot tension. In Threads of Red, a piece of the suspense puzzle comes from the clash between my two main characters' worlds. EZEKIEL LARSON Ezekiel Larson is a young Hollywood superstar constantly haunted by his past and stalked by public scrutiny. The public’s thirst, to grab a piece of him, is palpable within the prose of my novel. He’s hunted by paparazzi, clicking cameras, and fans

An ancient myth. A love that defies time. A deadly obsession. These are the core themes at the forefront of my upcoming contemporary romantasy novel. They capture the essence of my narrative. The story is one of fated mates and magical realism wrapped in sacred lore. Threads of Red is deeply rooted in the Red String of Fate myth—the supernatural belief that the gods bind certain souls together by an unbreakable, invisible thread. The red thread pulls the characters togeth

To catch a reader's eye in a crowded marketplace, your title, subtitle, and tagline all need to work together like a mini-storyboard. Think of the them as a hello wave to potential readers. Your title stack must match your book’s tone. If done with care and precision, the trio will do the heavy lifting for your marketing before a reader even opens the novel and eyes the first page. Keep this question in mind as you decide what your title stack will be—will readers be drawn in

***This article is geared towards fiction novels . The dedication and acknowledgment pages for non-fiction books contain different parameters and tone. When your book is complete, and that means all developmental edits , proofreading , and interior design are finished, you may want to consider dedicating your novel to a special person; someone who supported or mentored you throughout your writing journey. Some authors dedicate their book to a group, organization, or to their

There are so many writing rules it’s hard to keep track. Some are sophisticated, others are subtle. Have you ever given a thought to how numbers should be written in a novel or how writers handle scenes with timestamps? Is there a difference between a specified time used in dialogue or in prose? What about dreams and tabloid headlines? Should you put a movie title in all caps, italics, or quotation marks? How about song titles? Are you aware of the RAVEN rule? These writi

An author’s goal for any novel is to capture the reader’s attention with a memorable opening line that lures the reader in then keeps them turning pages. The hook is like the delicious appetizer before the main meal, but that is not enough. The author must keep readers begging for more. Chapter endings play a crucial role. As a writer you must be mindful of this concept with every chapter of your story. You must fulfill the promise of your book’s essence and carry that

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