Author Archives: Connie Stevens

UNWELCOMED INTRUDERS

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Connie Stevens

Writers tend to be creatures of habit and sticklers for staying on track. Schedules are important. Meeting deadlines is critical. As any writer will tell you, the actual writing of the story happens after days (weeks/months) of research, building the … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer journey, deadlines, Finding time to write, intrusions on time, Not enough time, scheduling, unwelcomed intrusions | Leave a comment

CHARACTERS WHO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Connie Stevens

Brainstorming a new story is always fun, especially when the characters jump off the page, shake my hand and introduce themselves, and then proceed to tell me their entire life history. After a couple of cups of coffee, I feel … Continue reading →

Posted in Brainstorming characters, creating characters, fictional characters, historical fiction, minor characters, Research for fiction, secondary characters, seeking, unexpected plot twists | Leave a comment

O COME LET US ADORE HIM?

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Connie Stevens

Our pastor made an observation that, I must admit, took me by surprise when he first said it. We’ve enjoyed singing Christmas carols, and a favorite of many people is O Come All Ye Faithful. The chorus repeats three times: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore, holiday planning, holidays, new year's resolutions, seeking | Tagged | 1 Comment

NEW AND OLD

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Connie Stevens

As excited as I am when a new book releases, I am every bit as excited when my publisher releases some of my previous books as a three-in-one repack. Okay, I’m just a little over-the-moon giddy! New: In October, the … Continue reading →

Posted in backdrop for characters, Brides of Georgia, conflicting emotions, creating characters, creating setting, fictional characters, Harbinger of Healing, historic details, historical fiction, New releases, north Georgia fiction, novella collection, Trail of Tears, War Between The States | Leave a comment

HAPPY SNOOPY DANCING

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Connie Stevens

Ever get unexpected news that makes you want to dance like happy Snoopy? I did. I recently learned that a trilogy I wrote a few years ago is being re-packaged into a three-in-one volume that will be entitled, BRIDES OF … Continue reading →

Posted in Brides of Georgia, historical fiction, New Echota, new release, north Georgia fiction, old houses, Research for fiction, settings, Trail of Tears, War Between The States | Leave a comment

GIVING READERS THE UNEXPECTED

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Connie Stevens

Have you ever come upon a road with which you were unfamiliar and did not know where it led? Did you wonder what was around the bend in the road? How many times have you bypassed such a road, opting … Continue reading →

Posted in backdrop for characters, conflicting emotions, readers, unexpected plot twists, writing tools | Tagged | 1 Comment

RESEARCH BOOKS–oh my!

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Connie Stevens

In my last post I offered some suggestions for research sources, so in keeping with the research theme, I’d like to focus the spotlight a little tighter. While some of the best information can be gleaned from speaking directly with … Continue reading →

Posted in character's occupations, creating setting, historic details, historical fiction, Research books, Research for fiction, writing tools | Leave a comment

NAVIGATING THE RESEARCH JOURNEY

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Connie Stevens

When you’re a writer, research is part of the job. But here is the thing: some writers would rather have root canal surgery than endure what they consider the drudgery of research. I, on the other hand, am one of … Continue reading →

Posted in backdrop for characters, character's occupations, creating setting, historic details, historical fiction, Research for fiction, World War I, writing tools | Leave a comment

SECONDARY CHARACTERS–Who are they?

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Connie Stevens

When writers brainstorm a story, their focus is usually on the main characters—who are they, what are their goals and motivations, what makes them tick, where are they going, and how are they going to get there? But more often … Continue reading →

Posted in backdrop for characters, character photos, creating characters, creating setting, fictional characters, historical fiction, minor characters, names of fictional characters, point of view, secondary characters | Leave a comment

SETTING–a character in itself

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Connie Stevens

One of the questions writers get asked the most—after “How do you come up with your story ideas?”—is, how does an author decide where to place a story. Recently, an email from my agent prompted me to consider that question … Continue reading →

Posted in backdrop for characters, creating setting, historic details, historical fiction, Research for fiction, settings | Leave a comment