If you've followed my blog for a while or poked around on my website, you probably know I write under two names -- Kellie M. Parker (this website) for my YA spec fiction and thrillers, and Kellie VanHorn for my Christian romantic suspense books. Deciding to go with two pen names was a tough call, … Continue reading Release Day & Giveaway for BURIED EVIDENCE
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Choosing Your Path to Publication, Part 3: Decisions, Decisions
Welcome back for the last post in our short series on paths to publication. If you missed Part 1 Traditional Publishing or Part 2 Self-Publishing, be sure to catch up on the pros and cons first! Today, we're going to talk about how to make this important decision, why I chose traditional publishing, and some … Continue reading Choosing Your Path to Publication, Part 3: Decisions, Decisions
Tips to Rock Your Next Twitter Pitch Party
Editor's note: Whoops, the first version of this post incorrectly stated 240 characters per tweet, but that should be 280. Apologies! Hello, friends! How did we get to the last day of February already? Since #PitMad is coming up next week on Twitter (March 4, find the deets here), I thought it was time to … Continue reading Tips to Rock Your Next Twitter Pitch Party
Planting Seeds of Victory
Hello, 2021! Today is January 1, the time of new beginnings, where we shout "good riddance" to 2020 and look forward to the new year with bright stars in our eyes. Even though today is all about fresh starts, I'm going to get all wild and crazy and talk about endings instead. Because isn't that … Continue reading Planting Seeds of Victory
The Traveling Writer – Tips for Crafting Believable Settings
For me, traveling is part of the job of being a writer. (Hello, tax deductions... 😉 ) Not only because vacations are refreshing to the mind and spirit, but also because they help me create a storehouse of places and experiences to draw upon when I'm brainstorming and writing. While I appreciate facts and accuracy … Continue reading The Traveling Writer – Tips for Crafting Believable Settings
Pre-planning Your Novel with Pinterest and Excel
Hey friends! I'm sorry I've been MIA for a so long (*hangs head in shame*). After the eternal length of spring, summer has been a whirlwind. My family took a socially-distanced three week camping trip out west in July and visited seven national parks. The hiking was glorious--we could almost pretend life was normal! I'll … Continue reading Pre-planning Your Novel with Pinterest and Excel
Writing Updates Plus Giveaways
Happy Halloween! As I write this post, two of my kids sit in the living room hunched over piles of candy like dragons hoarding treasure. I suppose it was hard-earned--it's 34 degrees outside and pouring rain and sleet. The third kid should be home from his party soon, and then the candy exchange will begin … Continue reading Writing Updates Plus Giveaways
What I Learned From My First NaNoWriMo
Hear that whooshing sound? Kind of like an Amtrak train speeding through the countryside? That was the month of November hurtling past in a blaze of turkey and pumpkin pie-filled glory. November was also a month full of words--a little over 50,000, to be more precise--because wonder of wonders, I not only survived my first … Continue reading What I Learned From My First NaNoWriMo
To NaNo or Not to NaNo? That Is the Question.
If you've been in the writing world longer than a millisecond, you've probably heard of NaNoWriMo. For those of you who are readers and not writers, it's short for National Novel Writing Month. Essentially the goal is to write a short novel (50,000 words) in the month of November. That breaks down to writing about … Continue reading To NaNo or Not to NaNo? That Is the Question.
9 Ways to Find Brilliant Story Ideas
Okay, true story. Tonight while I was sitting down to edit a short story, two weeks snuck up behind me and hit me in the back of the head. Ack, how could it be time for a new blog post again already? So, I'm kind of cheating. Here's an expanded version of a post I … Continue reading 9 Ways to Find Brilliant Story Ideas
