Tag: behind the scenes
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3 weird (but true!) facts about It Happened One Doomsday
While this book is fiction, it was inspired by some very strange facts. It all started with crystals. Here in the Rocky Mountains, you’re never far from abandoned gold mines, ghost towns, or rock shops. In It Happened One Doomsday, the main character gets her magical powers from real-life crystals such as galena, amethyst, pyrite, ulexite,…
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They’re here! Win a Doomsday paperback
If you’re like me, you love getting books in the mail. Tear open the envelope or cardboard box and boom, there it is. The book you’ve been waiting for. This time, it’s a little more exciting. No matter what you think, absolutely nothing can prepare you for the experience of opening up the box and…
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What Do Men Really Think About Your Hair?
My next book is so new that even the title isn’t settled yet. But my agent sent me a nice note about how well I pulled off the simmering romantic tension between the lead characters. Considering that the point-of-view character is a smart young woman, and I’m a guy (in my case, smart and young…
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Spider Thief Steals Hibernating Tarantulas
Did you know that there’s a black market for stolen tarantulas? Or that these spiders hibernate during the winter? Can you imagine someone crazy enough to break into the dark, cobweb-choked crawlspace under a house and steal a bunch of giant spiders? Yeah. My thoughts exactly. Read the full article > So, real life can be stranger than fiction. But…
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It Doesn’t Get Easier. You Just Get Better.
This is the week that New Year’s resolutions die. I didn’t just make that up, by the way. I read it in The Wall Street Journal. Also, there was something in there about bonds or treasuries or whatever. So much for my financial resolutions. Look, your New Year’s resolutions are doomed. But there’s a better…
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The Short, Sad Saga of Mississippi Jones
Some names stick with us. Bridget Jones, Holden Caulfield, Nero Wolfe — these names are all indelibly stamped into our literary consciousness. Those names are evocative. Memorable. Unique. Some writers are incredibly good at coming up with names. I am not one of them.
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My Dinner with Satan
I recently discovered, much to my dismay, that I had eaten Satan for dinner. This is a true story. Allow me to explain. In the midst of a snowstorm, my wife and I decided to try a new restaurant. We ended up at a brightly lit, very mod, hipster-friendly place that put an emphasis on…
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The Art of Getting Things Done
Sun Tzu ruined my life. Don’t get me wrong, “The Art of War” contains some gems of insight for anyone engaged in a difficult struggle, like running a business. (Or fighting a war with chariots and spears.) But the problem is that Sun Tzu puts a great deal of emphasis on lightning-fast strikes intended to…
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Why You Should NEVER Carry a Notebook
For many years, I carried a writing notebook with me everywhere I went. That’s what all serious writers do, I’ve always heard. But in truth, it’s a terrible idea. Here’s why. First, when you write in a notebook, your notes are locked in rigid sequential order. If you tend to think of things randomly (and…
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5 Jazzy St. Clare mysteries solved
Okay, first, here’s a brand new trailer from the ever-spectacular folks over at Booktrack.com: Can’t watch the video? Click here to see it on YouTube. Now, back to the mysteries of Jazzy St. Clare: Did you know that there actually was a real-life Saint Clare? Me either, until recently. Some other things you didn’t know…
LAURENCE MACNAUGHTON 