If you didn’t know, TOO FAR GONE is out and has been since last week. I’ve just been really bad about blogging for the last year (or three!) so forgot to a
We’re not supposed to have favorites. Like, kids. I’m a mom and I’m not supposed to have a favorite kid. And I don’t. I might have a favorite k
Who Are You? Personality Tests
Remember when you were a teenager … or maybe more recent! … when you loved filling out personality tests to find out what kind of person you are? Ha …
Erica Spindler, Storyteller Extraordinaire!
I’m thrilled to have my friend and amazing suspense author Erica Spindler back to Murder She Writes. Enjoy! And while you’re enjoying her blog, check out h
I’m thrilled to host Lisa Black again at Murder She Writes. Not only because she’s a terrific person, but because she writes terrific books — with fa
Woo hoo! It’s another release day in the Brennan house. BREAKING POINT — the 13th (!) book in the Lucy Kincaid series — is out today! Bella Caruso su
BREAKING POINT is out in two weeks! I’m really excited about this book for several reasons. 1) The cover. I LOVE this cover. It hits all the right spots for me.
Hi gang — first, if your comment doesn’t show up it’s because it’s in moderation. I’ve had a huge problem with spam and am trying to find
This summer I binge watched HAWAII FIVE-O (all 7 seasons) and loved it — great ensemble cast, over-the-top action, great dialogue. It was an all-around fun cop s
First, before we get to our irregularly scheduled program, great news! SHATTERED is #67 on the USA Today bestseller list. via GIPHY If you haven’t bought SHATTER
I was out the other night with some new friends and when they learned I’m a novelist, they were immediately enamored—not with me, but with my profession. And as they went down the list of how glamorous my life must be, I was nodding and smiling and having my own internal conversation:
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Why in the midst of a deadline do writers have the overwhelming urge to clean?
It’s not uncommon to receive a phone call from a writer friend who’s deep in the despair of a deadline—we all reach out at one time or another to commiserate. It’s also not uncommon to be talking to said panicked writer friend and ask, in response to a strange noise in the background, “Whatcha doin’?” only to be told, “Oh, I’ve been meaning to clean the bathroom floor tile grout with a toothbrush for months, and today I decided it just couldn’t wait any longer.” To which I make supportive cooing noises…because I’ve been there. And because I know that, strangely, cleaning does help to get writers back on track.
It’s tempting to say that tedious cleaning is just procrastination, but if we wanted to procrastinate we could do something less productive—watch TV…go shopping…make a colossal batch of bacon jam for homemade Christmas gifts. (It seemed necessary at the time.)
Cleaning, however, is not procrastinating. Because when we’re compelled to clean, it signals our brains are trying to de-clutter. If we’re honest, the reason we’re worried about and/or are behind on a deadline is probably because we’ve hit an untidy (muddy) place in our story that’s keeping us from moving forward. Scrubbing tile grout with the tiniest implement possible not only satisfies your mind’s desire to “set things right” but (if the writer allows it) the tedium of cleaning also keeps your body busy while your mind sorts through the muddy place in your story.
Repeating, if a writer occupies her hands while proactively clearing a path through the mud of her manuscript, chances are good she will emerge from the bathroom with spotless grout…and a tidier plot.
(A side note here to point out this also explains why writers tend to have breakthroughs in the shower. Cleaning tile grout…shaving your legs below AND above the knee—same thing.)
By the way, you don’t have to be a writer to put this method to the test—no matter what dilemma is pressing on you, you can snap on rubber gloves and start scrubbing your way to clarity.
Have YOU ever reached some sort of revelation in the midst of a rote household chore?
Allison Brennan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly three dozen romantic thrillers and mysteries, including the Lucy Kincaid series and the Max Revere series. She lives in Northern California with her husband, five children, and assorted pets.
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FBI Agent Lucy Kincaid tackles her most dangerous case yet ... while her fiance Sean Rogan receives life-changing news.
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