Robin Brande, Author, Dog Lover, Coffee and Chocolate Addict. Living an Interesting Life.

Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

For writers, readers, and independent thinkers–book talk for readers and writers, life chats when we need them, writers’ motivational articles, secret behind-the-scenes stories from the publishing trenches, and more.

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Writers: Overcoming emotional setbacks

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Actually, these posts by Kristine Kathryn Rusch are for writers and other freelancers, but I assume other freelancers are reading other blogs, so we’ll just stick to the writer part of these.
Check out Kris’s latest post, on overcoming emotional setbacks. Do you see yourself in some of those examples? I sure do.
Makes you [...]

Into the wild again

Monday, August 10th, 2009

One of the sweetest notes I’ve ever gotten from a boy was in fifth grade, when Tony T. wrote: “You would make a great author. You’re a great student too. You get your work done too.”
And though of course I love the part about how I would make a great author, it’s [...]

Why sometimes writers have to be tough, even if it goes against our natures

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Another excellent post from multiple award-winning novelist and short story author Kristine Kathryn Rusch about the business side of writing. This week’s installment, how to get paid.
And if you haven’t read the previous installments yet, take the time to catch up on the whole collection. For those of you who want to making [...]

Writers, the importance of diversifying

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

If you haven’t been following all of Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s posts on freelancing (including last week’s, in which she discusses what we can learn from Michael Jackson’s financial situation), do yourself a favor and catch up.
This one is part five, and discusses the value of diversifying if you’re a writer or any other kind [...]

How to build a writer from scratch–scientifically

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Someone sent me this great post by New York Times columnist David Brooks. Lots to think about here.

Technorati Tags: Genius, Publishing, Writers, Writing

The rapper librarian, Linda (not) Mitten, chocolate zucchini bread, and more

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

I should be sleeping right now because I barely have in the past 48 hours, but I’m too wired because I had such a great time at the Michigan Library Association Spring Institute last night! Hurray! I was up there because they had chosen Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature as [...]

One Rochester report down, one to go

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

Thank heavens for Adrienne and Eisha. Because they were at the Rochester Teen Book Festival last weekend, and actually had the strength to write a post about it. Which I’m totally stealing now.
Or look at this one, which includes a clip of Wordgirl, with my new pal Jack Ferraiolo doing the [...]

I had such a fantastic time in New York, but–

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Here’s today’s math question: How much extra sleep does it take to make up for five nights of extreme sleep deprivation? Show your work.

Technorati Tags: Authors, Rochester Teen Book Festival, Writers

“I’m that girl.”

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

See if you can relate to this.
There are times when you feel like you’re being filmed, or photographed, or if you’re somehow living out your own make believe of playing with paper dolls or army men. Suddenly there’s a moment where you realize you’ve stepped past the fantasy, and right that second you are [...]

Want to see Stephenie Meyer, Shannon Hale and other authors, and/or have a character named after you?

Friday, March 20th, 2009

[NOTE: THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT AWESOME RESPONSES ALREADY!]
Okay, then, here’s the deal:
A friend of mine–a friend of many of ours–is too young to have breast cancer but has it. Believe me, we’ve all done a lot of cussing about this. And although we all know money can’t cure everything, we [...]

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