Writing

Writers write.  They also read.  I consider myself a writer who reads when I has time....and come to think of it, my writing falls in that category too.  Like many writers, I work a full time job and have a family.  You know the routine...work, home, dinner, homework, games, and the list goes on.  Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to add extra hours in my day.  :)

Recently, I read that a writer isn't a writer if they don't write everyday.  Maybe that works for those people fortunate enough to make their living writing....or for those who require less sleep than I do.  I thought long and hard about this statement.  Does the fact that my life prohibits me from writing every day mean that writing is nothing more than a hobby at best?  I don't think so.  My story is always with me.  I think about my characters as I cook dinner.  I mull over my plot as I vacuum the floor.  And when time allows, I sit down and something wonderful happens.  My characters speak.  My story unfolds and I get the chance to do the thing I love...I write.

D.S. McKnight

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I close my eyes and I travel back in time - 2nd grade - Miss Charlotte Bridge's class.  I'm sitting on a large rug with my classmates listening to her read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.  It's the highlight of my school day.  It's the first time a story carried me away to another land and I have been hooked on a book ever since.  Without a doubt, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is still one of my favorites.  I love that it was made into a movie...and I love the character Edmund.  As a child, I didn't think too much of Edmund.  As an adult, it is Edmund that I identify with...He's imperfect.  He  makes mistakes, he sorrows over those mistakes and ultimately, he is forgiven.

D.S. McKnight

2013 Book 'Em North Carolina Writer's Conference and Book Fair

Yesterday, I attended the 2013 Book 'Em Noth Carolina Writer's Conference and Book Fair at Robeson Community College in Lumberton, NC.   The conference was free but the knowledge I gained - priceless.  One particular session was Book Promotion:  The Name of the Game.  Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Linda Morelli, and Susan Sloate were fountains of knowledge and inspiration. 

Of Dreams and Shadow is my first novel.  At times, the process of editing, finding a publisher, and working on a marketing plan seems so overwhelming.  It's a wonderful blessing to find people and organizations who are there to share their experiences and knowledge. 

D.S. McKnight