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.

• Editing Tip #121 – Sucking up Those Saggy Middles

  By M.J. Moores on January 26, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  How do you know for sure if the middle of your manuscript is sagging? I mean, it’s absolutely brilliant when you write it, several of your colleagues have beta read it and gave mostly praise, so you’re good to go… Read More ›

• Book Review: Soul Breaker / Urban Fantasy

  By M.J. Moores on January 23, 2016 • ( 2 )

  

  Soul Breaker (A City of Crows Novel) Author: Clara Coulson. 3.5 out of 5 stars. Genre: Urban Fantasy, New Adult, Supernatural, Crime ~ A terrifying ambush and near-death experience changes the course of Cal Kinsey’s life or at the very… Read More ›

• 3 Keys to a Solid Author Press Kit

  By M.J. Moores on January 22, 2016 • ( 4 )

  

  Chris Wells at DIY Author is a great well-spring of pertinent information about publicizing yourself. If you’re not following his website, you should be. Here’s a great article that shows you just how easy it is to put together your… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #120 – Pounding Out the Place-Holder Words

  By M.J. Moores on January 18, 2016 • ( 2 )

  

  When it comes to a first draft many writers prefer to just ‘get it out’ – like verbal diarrhea (euww). But it’s often easier to fine-tune and fix things in a second draft than trying to get every sentence and… Read More ›

• REMINDER – If you are already in my #Blog #Authors Hall of Fame…

  By M.J. Moores on January 15, 2016 • ( 3 )

  

  Chris is a wise Ape. One of the best ways to keep the public (and thus your audience) in the know and finding out about you and your books is by staying active in the online media circuit. Take it… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #119 – Don’t “Fake It” with the Facts

  By M.J. Moores on January 12, 2016 • ( 4 )

  

  First drafts are notoriously full of factual errors, even if we’ve done a ton of research before starting the writing. Often, though, we think to ourselves that we need to “get the right info” on something, but by the time… Read More ›

• Editing Tip #118 – Rereading for Minor Hiccups

  By M.J. Moores on January 4, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  Before asking for any outside advice from friends, family, or even beta readers one of the most fundamental things you can do as an author is re-read your own manuscript looking for the little things… sure, it’s easy enough to… Read More ›

• Book Review: Challenging Barriers / Memoir

  By M.J. Moores on January 3, 2016 • ( 0 )

  

  Challenging Barriers & Walking the Path                                    Author: Mark Koning Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars. Highly Recommended Reading. Genre: Memoir. Have you ever had the feeling that something wasn’t right? You know, when someone tells a joke… Read More ›

• The new Smorgasbord Sunday Show for 2016 – Sally Cronin Meets………

  By M.J. Moores on December 31, 2015 • ( 0 )

  

  Sally is ready to bend over backwards to help fellow authors – if you find a gem like her and the many ways she offers to pay-it-forward, be sure to capitalize on these fantastic opportunities!

• Editing Tip #117 – Organizing After the Rush

  By M.J. Moores on December 28, 2015 • ( 0 )

  

  Whether you’re a planner or a pantser, there are going to be numerous things that happen throughout the course of your book that you didn’t anticipate … and we need to keep track of these nuances – especially if you’re… Read More ›