NADINE BRANDES once spent four days as a sea cook in the name of book research. She is the author of the award-winning ROMANOV, FAWKES, and the Out of Time Series. Her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of soul-talk, Quidditch, bookstagram, and Oreos. When she's not busy writing novels about bold living, she's adventuring through Middle Earth or taste-testing a new chai. She and her Auror husband are building a Tiny House on wheels with their Halfling children. Current mission: paint the world in shalom.

What Do You Do if Your Novel is Hopeless?

As many of you know, I recently entered a major editing stage (aka. torture by red pen) for my book, A Time to Die, in preparation for publication this fall. Last week, a commenter said, “…it’s really powerful for contracted authors…to share truth like this.” (Hi Clint! *waves*) So I’ve put… Continue reading

Just Because I’m an Editor, Doesn’t Mean I Have Thick Skin

“So this is what it’s like for my editing clients,” I thought as I stared at the 18 pages of notes from my editor. A little less than two of those pages summarized the “positives” of my book. But we authors don’t send our manuscripts to editors to receive a… Continue reading

2014 Reading Challenges

I’ve just discovered the world of reading challenges on the blogosphere. Have you known about these? Apparently, there’s an entire virtual world of challenges that encourage reading — reading in different genres, different age groups, different time periods, etc. The varieties are endless! I summary, a reading challenge is a… Continue reading

$30 Editing Special to Tighten Your Hook

The new year in the writing world often brings a wave of new contests. One of the big ones for unpublished authors of Christian fiction is the Genesis Contest through American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In short, the Genesis Contest evaluates the first 15 pages of an author’s work. There are judging… Continue reading

My Response to the Sale of Marcher Lord Press

  What does it feel like to have your publishing house sold from under your feet? Well, it’s not exactly a one-word answer, but you may find the answer more positive than you’d suspect. I’m exhilarated. I wasn’t initially, of course. It’s a little like those drop tower rides at… Continue reading