When I first started writing, I was told many times, “Write what you know.” Wise advice, and I’ve taken it to heart. But how do you write a story about scuba diving if you’ve never been scuba diving? The answer – you research! I’m something of a fanatic about research. Here are some of my most memorable research activities: The …
A New Book and a Great eBook Sale
June 2021 Dear Friends, I’m happy to announce that my website, VirginiaSmith.org, has been revamped, revised, and basically received a major facelift! If you have a minute or two, I’d like to show you around. I’ve recorded a short walk-through video to show you some of the features I like about the site. You can watch the video here. …
Not A Typical Amish Book – and On Sale
The Amish Widower was my 21st or 22nd novel, and my 4th Amish book with Harvest House Publishers. The first three were a humorous romantic series, co-authored with Lori Copeland, about Amish in the Old West, which was different from the typical bonnet fiction that had become so popular. Even though my brother-in-law was raised Amish, I’d always told my …
Free Kindle and Audiobooks
My Latest Newsletter announcing two free kindle books and free audiobooks! March 2021 Dear Friends, Two newsletters in one month? This has got to be some kind of record for me! I had a couple of last-minute things pop up that I wanted to make sure you’re aware of because who doesn’t love free stuff? Two of my books are …
New Children’s Illustrated Book
It’s always a good day when I can celebrate the release of a new book, and this one is especially fun. I love speaking to kids at school, but since I write books for adults, grade school students aren’t too interested. During the month of December I’m often invited to speak to students about being an author and I can …
Typing The End
There are fewer things more satisfying to a writer than typing The End on a manuscript. Well, okay, getting a box of her latest books is even better, but finishing the first draft of a book is pretty awesome. So far 2021 has been stellar for me in terms of that kind of awesomeness. In January I finished a book …
How Salt Lake City Won the Bid to Host the World Fantasy Convention – And How We Lost It
(cross posted from World Fantasy Convention 2020’s blog) The year was 2015. World Fantasy Convention was held in Saratoga Springs, NY that year. As always, the attendees list was a Who’s Who of fantasy authors, editors, artists, and agents. I attended the convention with my long-time friend, Dee Ann Larsen. Dee Ann and I had traveled to London, England to …
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Cross-posted from the World Fantasy Convention blog Review by Ginny Smith Four young men from the Blackfeet reservation head out to hunt elk. Their search is unsuccessful until they enter a restricted area where they find a small herd in a ravine with no avenue for escape. They open fire. The resulting massacre does provide meat for their families and …
My First WFC by Steve Rasnic Tem
Cross-posted from “A City of Salt and Fantasy” – www.WFC2020.org My first World Fantasy Convention was in 1981. That was number seven, held at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley California. It was my third year selling professionally and 1981 had been particularly good with the publication of 13 short stories. I’d worked with a number of editors at that point, …
Halfway There by Mary Soon Lee
Cross-posted from “A City of Salt and Fantasy” www.WFC2020.org In recent years, there’s been an increasing awareness of the importance of diversity in fiction, including diversity in gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, wealth, and age. Along with this has come a discussion of own voices, and the extent to which it matters whether a story about, for instance, a lesbian …