The first two weeks of April, I took Laurie Schnebly
Campbell's online course on writing query letters. This was my third
online course this year — part of my personal commitment to expand my
knowledge about the business and craft of writing, improve my own skills, and
not grow complacent, just because I'm published and have an award. During this
course, we tackled exercises designed to develop the different parts of a
query. The most insightful piece for me was the exercise of packaging what my
novel is about in twenty-five words or less. To successfully accomplish that
goal, a writer must be clear on the dramatic conflicts that power her book. The
more conflict you can squeeze into twenty-five words, the better.

Friday 10 April, I was the guest speaker for the Stamp
Defiance chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in
Wilmington, NC. I talked about my adventures as a reenactor and why I write
about the Southern theater of the war. The ladies of this chapter have been
doing their local research, and a number of them were keenly interested in the
Wilmington setting for A Deadly Occupation. They were also interested,
even enthusiastic, that I planned to explore the British occupation of
Wilmington in 1781 from the eyes of a redcoat. Looking at matters from the
other point of view makes for great discussion. Thanks to Martha Poole and the
chapter for such a fun day.

I gave my presentation "Plotting with the Hero's
Journey" for my editor's screenwriting class on 22 April. The students had
lots of intelligent questions. I don't think I've ever had so many questions
after a presentation. My hat's off to the discipline of screenwriters. If they
want a script to be accepted, they must adhere to a strict upper limit on the
page count. On the other hand, novelists can write 1000-page tomes, and if
they're bestsellers, their editors and publishers might not balk at the page
count. Thanks to Mike Everette and the students who attended.

The rest of April was jam-packed with editing the fourth
draft — and what I hope is the final major rewrite — of A Deadly
Occupation. The manuscript is out now to reviewers, and I'm regrouping for
a few days before I dust off my half-finished first draft of Regulated for
Murder. End of this month, I return to Summerville, SC, and the Lowcountry
Romance Writers of America, this time to present on the Hero's Journey.