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A New Proof
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… I had a proof of my very first ever draft of Awakening privately printed. At that point in time, it didn’t have a title but was simplify known as First Draft. (Riveting, I know.) The story was terrible. No, really. The world was less
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Thankful
For the past three weeks I’ve worked non-stop on the biggest renovation project I’ve ever tackled. I upgraded our entry, hallway, dinning room, and kitchen. If you’re wondering why I took on all of it at once, know that in our house, all four of those areas run together. You can’t work on one without
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A Subjective Business
Being rather new to the querying scene, I have become painfully aware that I have a lot to learn about the process. I always wondered why writers referred to querying as being “in the trenches.” Now, I get it. The term trench conjures up mental images of high muddy walls cluttered with debris. The debris
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The Importance of Free Writing the First Draft
I don’t know if there’s an actual term out there for when writers sit down and write their first draft, but I’ve started referring to it as “free writing”. To explain how I came up with that term, I need to go back many years ago to when I wrote my very first novel. After
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Finding Hope in the Midst of Tragedy
I’ve been grieving ever since news began to trickle down from the western North Carolina (WNC) mountains. I couldn’t even begin writing this post without coming to tears. Hurricane Helene has forever changed my home state. They are saying the catastrophic flooding and mudslides that brought tragedy to so many of my fellow statesfolk was
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The Inside Scoop on Outlines
One of my younglings came to me this morning to show me the outline they had written for a book report I had assigned to them. While very neatly written, the content was basically an outline of an outline. It carefully detailed the steps one would take to write an outline with the glaring omission
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2024 Hobbit Day Celebrations
September 22nd is a special day for Tolkien fans. First, it marks the birthdays of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, and second, it is the day Frodo sets off on his journey away from the comforts of Bag End on a path that eventually leads him to Mount Doom. Back when I ran Middle-earth News,
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Halfling Chores are the Best Chores
Fall is beginning to show its colors around Holly House gardens, and I couldn’t be happier. At long last, the heat of the summer is dissipating, and the temperatures are respectable enough to get back out into the soil. Seed collecting happens to be one of my favorite autumn tasks. Many of the native plants
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A Story Within a Story
I’ll admit it, querying a novel is a difficult path to tread. It’s not because of the possible rejections or so much the waiting for a response, but due to the fact that I’m left with a feeling of incompletion. In my mind, Awakening won’t feel complete until it’s printed and physically in readers’ hands.
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New Site Launch
I have finally managed to get my own website up and running again! It’s been a long time coming, and I appreciate everyone’s patience during the process. This new site will be where I post about my writing, gardening, and geekiness. All news and updates regarding my epic fantasy book series will be posted on
Arwen McCain 