by hollandrae | Mar 23, 2020 | Editing, Industry, Inspiration, Musings, My Books, Research
With the world in a state of flux and many schools and organizations requiring workers to stay home, it can be difficult to get much done. I’ve been a self-employed writer and journalist for going on two years and there is definitely a learning curve when it comes to...
by hollandrae | Mar 16, 2020 | Editing, Industry, Inspiration, Musings, My Books
Writing is hard. On the best of days, when the phone doesn’t ring and the dog doesn’t bark and your other jobs or schoolwork or family obligations remain mercifully quiet, writing is still a challenge. And the truth is, most days aren’t going to be like that. As I...
by hollandrae | Mar 9, 2020 | Editing, Industry, Musings, My Books, Research
I have played many roles in the writer world. I’d put myself as a novelist first, a journalist second, and an editor third, but these positions are far from black and white and they overlap and intersect in many unique and sometimes frustrating ways. To be a writer,...
by hollandrae | Mar 5, 2020 | Inspiration, Musings
Consider donating to Nashville Tornado Relief. It has been an extremely weird week. On Monday, we left our apartment after midnight and bunkered down in the mailroom while a tornado ravaged the city. After returning home, we were awoken ninety minutes later by the...
by hollandrae | Feb 27, 2020 | Editing, Industry, Inspiration, Musings, My Books, Writing
Being a writer is hard. That’s what they tell you when you’re ten years old and write an essay on what you want to be when you grow up. You should have a backup plan. That’s what they tell you when you pursue writing as a career and you realize you’re going to be...
by hollandrae | Feb 25, 2020 | My Books, Romance Novels, Series
Shakespeare had one thing right—the Scots were wicked, indeed. Well, one Scot. Broadswords and stone castles might take Isla’s mind off the mess she left back in New York, but not even reenacting battles from military history or exploring ancient Scottish ruins can...
by hollandrae | Feb 17, 2020 | Characters, Heroes, Heroines, Inspiration, Musings, My Books, Romance Novels, Writing
I figured out what was wrong with my work in progress. After three revisions, rewrites and new drafts, the answer was so simple I’m surprised I didn’t accidentally walk into it face first. There was no internal conflict. Simple. Stupidly simple. See, it’s surprisingly...
by hollandrae | Feb 13, 2020 | Inspiration, Musings, My Books, Regency, Writing
It’s not always easy to judge success as a writer. Sure, if your name pops up on the best sellers list or if you get a major motion picture deal or six-figure check, that’s definitely going to count as success. But what about the freelance writer with a string of...
by hollandrae | Feb 11, 2020 | Releases
Shakespeare had one thing right—the Scots were wicked, indeed. Well, one Scot. Broadswords and stone castles might take Isla’s mind off the mess she left back in New York, but not even reenacting battles from military history or exploring ancient Scottish ruins can...
by hollandrae | Feb 5, 2020 | Musings, My Books, Research
Cities do not speak. Beaches do not dance. Mountain ranges do not dream. Places are not, intrinsically, human. The humanity we derive from them is based in our own perception, the sights, sounds and smells that form a location or environment in our mind. There is no...
