Reaching out to bestselling authors terrified me. Here’s how I found my comp titles, what I learned from emailing authors I admire, and why most of them were kinder than I ever expected.

My cousin Ricky is heading back to Arizona. A tribute to family, to Grandma Cole, to a proud Marine, and to the cousins who never really say goodbye.

Mark, my writing mentor, handed me a spreadsheet of 900 literary agents, and it looked like Greek to me. Here’s how I learned to find the right agents, what I got wrong, and the tools I use today.

Every author needs a query letter and a synopsis. The synopsis almost broke me. This is the story of the mentor who helped me find my way, and who promised to be with me to the end.

The people you could call at any time and pick up right where you left off — a reflection on old friendships, small towns, and what's stayed simple even as everything else moves faster.

This amazing summer was filled with bright, warm days, slow walks on the beach, cozy talks on the deck, and, of course, making sure the bluebirds that fly into my yard feel welcomed.

Agents receive 25 to 30 queries a day — and within seconds, you're either in or you're out. Here's what actually happens after you hit send on a query letter.

I finished my manuscript and thought the hard part was over. Then I discovered query letters—and about ten thousand pieces of contradictory advice on how to write one.

Everyone has a story—the ones we hear on stage, and the one shared quietly, around a fire, with people who matter. In this post, I’m sharing a few of mine.

I’ve lost my manuscript not once but twice. Here’s what those two disasters taught me about protecting your work before it’s too late.

He had his notepads, pens, and event program spread across my seat like a desk. I asked if he was a fan. He said he'd been coming for over forty years—and that's when I learned about the dream he never got the chance to chase.

My grandmother once turned her walker around and marched straight at a nurse who told her she was moving too slowly. 'Is this fast enough?' she said. I think about her every time I doubt myself as a writer.

Ever notice how many 'keys' show up in everyday life? A friend questioning my novel's title sent me down a rabbit hole of what this small word really means.

Ever have one of those days? A broken tooth, a concert on the line, and a lesson in gratitude I didn't see coming