How to write a query letter
In a recent Ask Me Anything, I was asked by a first-time author how to write a query letter. Here’s my response. Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive guide to query letters, but it’s a place to start. To fine-tune […]
Not a Nice Girl: Alison Ingleby on Anit-heroines
BELINDA: Tell us about Aleesha, what makes her an antiheroine? ALISON: Aleesha is a survivor. She’s had to fend for herself on the streets since she was six years old in one of the roughest parts of a dystopian city. […]
A Tough Balance: Kristin Ward on the Science in Sci-Fi
BELINDA: Tell us about the science in your books. KRISTIN: My first two books, After the Green Withered and Burden of Truth, were born from research I had done while writing a graduate course in environmental education. The course I […]
You Can’t Please Everyone: Clare Littlemore on Combining Romance & Action
BELINDA: Tell us about Flow. CLARE: Flow centres around Quin, a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in The Beck, a walled-in community constantly threatened by floodwaters. Regular appraisals are a way of life, but when the shocking results of their most […]
Spreadsheets & Spaceships: On Worldbuilding, Templates and Starship Design
Way back when, I used to play a story-based roleplay game set in the Star Trek universe. I never got into the nuts and bolts of Star Trek (I was just there for the writing), but I had time to […]
A Balance of Science & Fiction: Sara Breaker on the Science in Sci-Fi
BELINDA: Tell us about the science in the Selfless Series. My Teen Sci-fi Romance book series “Selfless” is about a 17-year-old girl who gets transported to a parallel world and gets mistaken for her genius scientist alternate self whose life […]
An Idea Magpie: Belinda on the Inspiration Behind Cold Between Stars
I’m an idea magpie, picking up bits of inspiration from everywhere (books, movies, songs, games, random conversations, etc), most of which find their way into my stories. Cold Between Stars is no exception. Below are two of the books and […]
Exploring the Realm of Magic: Misty Hayes on Writing Non-Humans
BELINDA: Tell us about Alastair Iszler. MISTY: Where to begin without giving any spoilers away from my first book: The Outcasts: The Blood Dagger: Volume 1 . . . I feel like I need one of those intricate, impossible-to-read maps—you […]
That’s Reality: Sami Valentine on Diverse Characters
Sami Valentine is the author of the urban fantasy series, The Red Witch Chronicles. When she agreed to an interview, I was expecting the usual written response to my questions, and then she sent me a link, and surprise! I […]
A Remarkable Privilege: Glenda Larke on Writing Other Cultures
BELINDA: Tell us about living amongst other cultures. GLENDA: I’m a white Australian, but I married a man from an Islamic culture that is also Asian and matriarchal. (Hey, every woman should marry into a matriarchy, right?) At 25, I […]