Changing my Tagline

"The coming month shall bring winds of change in your life." Have you noticed a change on my website? For mobile users, it probably looks the same, but those checking it out on a computer may see something slightly different. What is it? My tagline. A tagline is a slogan that helps you remember something--in this case, a person. My old line read, Asian-American fiction with a geriatric twist. My new slogan is Multicultural fiction, Intergenerational drama. The old version really … [Read more...]

Getting the Word Out

"Someone is speaking well of you." It really does take a community to launch a book. Here are my partners in crime for my cozy mystery, Seniors Sleuth (which recently won Runner-Up at the 2015 Beach Book Festival): Team Jen. These devoted folks were beta readers and cover voters. A huge thanks to them for polishing my work, posting up reviews, and spreading the word! Also, special shout-outs go to Joy Weese Moll, Julia Tomiak, and Carol Early Cooney for blogging about my … [Read more...]

My Writing Community is like a Japanese Puzzle Box

"You will discover an unexpected treasure." Japanese puzzle boxes are elegant wooden creations. They can be solved by a simple squeeze or through a dizzying array of pulls and pushes. The puzzle box originated in 19th century Japan and held a good luck charm on the inside (once you finally opened it). My online writing community, Wordsmith Studio, is like a puzzle box. Each pull and twist of a member's writing journey adds and enhances my own. For example: Twist one Khara House's … [Read more...]

By The Numbers: Blurbs, Formatting, and More!

"Your lucky number for this week is the number three." Actually, this post is brought to you by the number 9. Countdown has begun for my cozy mystery, SENIORS SLEUTH, to be released on May 9th. My head’s been swimming with numbers while sorting through all the kinks of making this book happen: Cover Design 10 sample covers my designer made me It's been intense trying to find an image that sets the right mood. I need something that projects light-hearted and funny. It's also got to … [Read more...]

Pen Names and Pseudonyms

"Versatility is one of your outstanding traits." One of my UCLA writing professors told me that it's wise to be established in one genre before branching out. Like the rebel I am, I've decided to publish a cozy book (confession: my previous book was categorized as multicultural women's fiction). My solution? Use a pen name. Pseudonyms help readers to easily figure out what genre they're buying. For example, J.K. Rowling first published her mysteries under the name of Robert Galbraith. … [Read more...]