Ever wonder why so many characters have sidekicks? It’s not so much that the character couldn’t do whatever actions the sidekick takes in the story. It’s that the audience needs to understand the underlying motivations behind the character’s actions, and a sidekick is an easy way to get the protag to vocalize her reasoning. One […]
Does every story need a villain? There is a big difference between a villain and an antagonist. A villain wants to impart physical or emotional pain to your story’s protagonist. An antagonist is simply at odds with your protag. Which means a villain is by definition an antagonist – but only some antagonists are villains. […]
We are doing an IndiGoGo campaign for the third book in the Chocoverse series. I could really use your support, you guys! I’ve already written the manuscript, pero cover art and editing are expensive. There’s a support option that allows you to just get a book as a reward, and it is set for what […]
No matter what your genre, maintaining tension is key to keeping readers engaged. Too often, I read work where there is something lacking in a scene, and the writer is trying to fix it by resorting to exaggerated emotions (shouts and slaps when the dialogue itself would be impact enough) rough language (that doesn’t match […]
I’m going out to the opening weekend of Choctoberfest, the month-long Chocolate extravaganza held annually in Hico, Texas (about an hour and a half outside of Austin). I caught up with Kevin Wenzel of Wiseman House Chocolate, the chocolatier who started the event, to get some insight on the fest, and on his shop. What […]
As a language learner, things can get a little overwhelming at times. Having a conversation one-on-one in a second language can be hard enough, but being dropped into an on-going conversation takes everything to the next level. I still remember the first time I got into a car with a group of people who wanted […]
I’ve been binge-watching past episodes of Master Chef. In one challenge from a few seasons ago, the contestants were supposed to make a dozen doughnuts. Some of them went a bit nuts with it – one contestant did twelve different flavors. Some of them came up with elaborate fillings – but when the judges went […]
As you guys know, my books feature a lot of chocolate, and I have gotten to do a couple of events in conjunction with DallasChocolate.org. So when I found out Dallas Chocolate’s doing a 10th Anniversary Chocolate Dinner, it felt like time to talk to Sander Wolf, Dallas Chocolate’s founder. I can’t wait for the […]
When you watch a gymnast doing a parallel bars routine, it is easy to get caught up in the grace and the power – coupled with an I-could-never-do-that kind of awe. Nothing ruins that experience – or the gymnast’s score – faster than failing to stick the landing. A double hop – or worse, falling […]
While we were in Monterrey, we got to spend a morning with the Llanderal Family of chocolate makers. It was an educational and enjoyable experience We sat down with Jorge Llandreal first and spoke with him about his business and his journey into becoming a chocolatier/chocolate maker. He told us he earned his medical engineering […]
