Using CASTS to Write and Edit a Chapter

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Hi, all. I’m guest-posting today on Writer Unboxed, and I’m talking about CASTS, a writing and editing method developed by author extraordinaire Nancy Pickard. I can’t say enough good things about CASTS and Nancy, so I hope you’ll take a look. It’s completely changed how I write a chapter. For the better, I hope. You … Read more

NEW RULE: No More Binge Publishing!

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BooksYou know how Bill Maher has his New Rule shtick? Well, I’m taking a page from his playbook. Many of you aren’t going to like this, but I think it has to be said: STOP publishing all these ebooks. I don’t want to sound negative, but it’s getting nuts out there. Ever since the self-publishing floodgates opened, “the more the merrier” has been the rule of thumb for indie authors. If you’re not making the sales you want, just write a new book and publish it. Add to your series. Start a new one. That’s the way to boost sales. I know people who are publishing five or six books a year! Which is why I call it Binge Publishing. (Btw, I’m talking about new books here, not backlist novels. Will deal with them later.)

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The Cuba Files: Santería

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If you have read Havana Lost you’ll have noticed the way I’ve woven the Santería religion through the plot. A potent mix of European Catholicism and African Voodoo, it is a constant backdrop to the Cuban psyche. My character Carla Garcia believes in it more than any of the other characters in the book, not … Read more

The Cuba Files: Tourism in Cuba

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Today, more than three million tourists visit Cuba every year (except for Americans, of course). In fact, tourism is the country’s #1 source of revenue. People are drawn by Cuba’s climate, beaches, attractive prices, and remarkable history. It wasn’t always this way. Poor post-revolution relations After the revolution, relations between the US and Cuba deteriorated. … Read more

The Fussy Librarian

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There’s a new “discovery” website called The Fussy Librarian launching this week. It’s a place where readers sign up, indicate what kinds of books, ebooks, or audios they prefer (genre, degree of violence, sex, etc) and get customized emails either daily or weekly with recommendations. You don’t buy anything on the site, you simply take a look, … Read more

English Bookstore in Havana: How You Can Help

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As you know, I’ve been talking about Calle Libro, the first English language bookstore that’s opened in Havana since the revolution. While they’re wildly popular, like many businesses in Cuba, they do not have the funds to buy books. So, for those of you who want to help, whether you’re planning a trip yourself or … Read more

The Cuba Files: Book publishing in Cuba

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Cuba’s book selling world is almost wholly state-controlled. And politics sells the best, no surprise when the government controls the books available. Take 100 Hours with Fidel, an incredibly lengthy interview with Fidel Castro. Or Che Guevara’s Bolivian diary, another big seller. If you live in Cuba and want to broaden your reading, you face … Read more