By Joanne Guidoccio Today is National Haiku Poetry Day, a day aside to encourage everyone to try his/her hand at poetry. Haiku poetry is a classical form of Japanese poetry that is non-rhyming and consists of three lines with the following syllable pattern: First Line – 5 syllables Second Line – 7 syllables Third Lines…
Author: Joanne Guidoccio
In 2008, Joanne retired from a 31-year teaching career and launched a second act that tapped into her creative side. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
A Tale of Two Trailers
While querying A Season for Killing Blondes, I started another writing project, one that I hoped would distract me from the seemingly endless process of trying to find a home for my first novel. The words flowed quickly and, in less than one year’s time, I had written, edited, and polished Between Land and Sea,…
In Praise of Quotes
In my late teens, I started a quote collection. I would underline sentences (and sometimes entire paragraphs) in books and jot down inspiring thoughts from other print media. I would then copy these words of wisdom into a journal. When I joined Pinterest, I set aside a page—Words I Love— where I recopied these quotes….
On Writing Romantic Suspense
Writing romantic suspense involves the skillful juggling of romantic elements and nail-biting suspense. A daunting task but so rewarding when all the essential ingredients come together in a well-crafted, character-driven novel. Here are eight tips: Ask yourself: what is intriguing about the premise? What will attract readers to the book? In Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Series,…
In Praise of Series Bibles
I never intended to write a series. Fifteen years ago, I couldn’t imagine anything beyond a novella, possibly a novel, about the following What-If scenario that had invaded my daily thoughts: What if a teacher-turned-lottery winner returns to her hometown, only to find herself the primary suspect in the murders of four blondes? Can she…
On Navigating the Murky Middle
By Joanne Guidoccio I love beginnings—in life and on the page. Anything and everything is possible whenever a blank slate appears before me. That momentum can last for days, weeks, months, and sometimes even longer. At least, that’s what I like to think whenever I begin a new writing project. A linear pantser, I write…
The Right Character Names
By Joanne Guidoccio “How attached are you to the name Anna May?” Sandy Isaac’s question took me and six other members of the critique group by surprise. While I appreciated most of the suggestions I had received, I wondered about Sandy’s question. Anna May Godfrey is one of the villains in A Season for Killing…
From Rejection to Spectacular Success
By Joanne Guidoccio While querying the Gilda Greco Mystery Series, I kept myself motivated by reading the success stories that started with stacks of rejection slips. Here is one of my favorite success stories: In 1992, teacher and motivational speaker Jack Canfield decided to compile all the stories he had shared on the self-help circuit….
To Prologue or Not to Prologue
Whenever I’ve asked a writing instructor or workshop facilitator about prologues, I’ve encountered a variety of negative facial expressions—everything from a wince to a frown to a quick shake of the head. And the following responses: Agents hate prologues. Readers will skip to the first chapter. Prologues = Information Dumps. One instructor offered a ray…
On Planting Red Herrings
When I shared an early draft of A Season for Killing Blondes, a beta reader complimented me on my use of red herrings and suggested the title could also be considered a red herring. Puzzled, I asked for clarification. She explained, “A red herring is a literary device that leads readers toward a false conclusion….
Word by Word 