Author Archives

I am a writer of adventure stories (although this is not an official category my writing spans YA, NA, Speculative Fiction, and Romance) who taught high school English in a past life.

I am a freelance writers and editor who loves giving creative writing workshops and advising about the self-publishing landscape. I'll have 3 books published in my Chronicles of Xannia series as of April 2017, 3 non-fic industry publications, three short stories in two anthologies, and one essay on the believability factor in fiction writing in a guide to writing.

I am a mother and a wife with an OCD bent toward organization - but I hate cleaning and anything related to it, so I'm definitely not a housekeeper! ;)

I learned how to shoot an olympic bow when I was in high school and I look forward to taking it up again in the future.

I enjoy playing adventure games on my PSIII, X-Box 360, and Wii.

I have a quick mind and a good sense of humour but I am not a humourous person, though I try.

• Book Spotlight – The Rocking Chair & Bashful Betsy

  By M.J. Moores on April 9, 2016 • ( 7 )

  

  Marissa had faced the loss of her grandmother, mother, and grandfather. She thought she was coping well by throwing herself into her work, but when Marissa started hearing voices and seeing things move, she had to stop and wonder. Was… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #127 – Foreshadowing as a Tool for Suspense & Tension

  By M.J. Moores on April 6, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  Most writers will integrate some level of foreshadowing into their first draft on instinct. Where it really makes its impact though, is in the 2nd draft when you have time to take a good look at where you want to… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #126 – Formally Breaking Up (with) Your Dialogue

  By M.J. Moores on March 29, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  Time and again I see authors who are still navigating their understanding of sentence structure make the two following errors when it comes to breaking up their dialogue: 1. They shove a he/she said in the middle of sentence to… Read More ›

• 5 Easy Book Marketing Tips For Authors

  By M.J. Moores on March 10, 2016 • ( 2 )

  

  I came across this great little nugget recently and wanted to share it with you all. JUST PUBLISHING ADVICE goes over these 5 important techniques: Meticulous Listing Blog More Share Better Comment Everywhere Stop Selling Whether you think you know… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #125 – When a Beta Reader Says … Pt2

  By M.J. Moores on March 8, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  “I don’t understand what’s going on here…” “This is awkward…” “Did you mean this _______?” “Why did he/she jump to that conclusion?” When your beta reader gets confused, it’s never a good sign. The  four sentences above are common when… Read More ›

• Interview with Memoir Author Melissa Grunow

  By M.J. Moores on February 29, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  I’d like to welcome Melissa Grunow to Infinite Pathways today to chat about her new book Realizing River City and other authorly interests. Melissa’s writing has appeared in Creative Nonfiction, River Teeth, New Plains Review, Blue Lyra Review, Temenos, and… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #124 -When a Beta Reader Says … Pt1

  By M.J. Moores on February 23, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  If you’re just starting out using Beta Readers or if you’re starting a new genre and have collected a new set of Beta Readers, deciphering their comments might pose a bit of a challenge. Today we’re going to look at… Read More ›

• Editing Tip#123 -Grammar: “You and I”

  By M.J. Moores on February 9, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  Here’s a great grammar mem I found a while back, to share with you on a week when my clients demand that less of me gets to everyone than usual 😉 This is a great trick to remember and something… Read More ›

• What Makes a Great Blurb?

  By M.J. Moores on February 4, 2016 • ( 2 )

  

  What we write on the back of our books and in our press releases is sales and marketing text. Rarely are authors also great sales-people and that means having to study up on saying the right thing. Knowing your genre… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #122 – Strategic Place Setting/World Building

  By M.J. Moores on February 1, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  Whether your book takes place in today’s world, the future, or some entirely unique realm, it’s imperative that your reader get a sense of location and the expectations for that ‘world’ ASAP. If you write literary fiction, a block of… Read More ›