Writing Unleashed with Laura M. Harkins

I dreamt last night. And in this dream, I found myself in a leather jacket leading the investigation of a heinous murder case that took place in a high-rise apartment building. It was my first case as a detective and I had to prove myself. In true Laura fashion, it took me 10 minutes to find a walkie-talkie that worked and I got stuck in the elevator trying to reach the 11th floor with no success. I woke up when I not only couldn't get to the 11th floor, but also couldn't get off the damn elevator. Thoughts bounced around my head as I laid in bed...could I do this in real life? No. I'm the farthest thing from an authoriatrian. Then I thought how that might segue into my stories. I tend to gravitate towards writing stories with amateur sleuths, characters that aren't tethered to strict rules that police must obey. So, it might be time to push through the comfort zone and try giving one of the characters in my WIP a more authoritarian role to contrast the main charact...

Welcome back to the String Bridge Blog Tour! Today, I have my interview with Jessica Bell. I focused on more personal questions, rather than her novel, due to the sheer volume of interviewers. I wanted you to see a side of her that you can't get from her novel or book reviews. If you missed my review yesterday, check it out.  String Bridge Debut-Interview with Jessica Bell Milk, Dark or White Chocolate? Milk! Especially with cream peppermint filling. How did your Dalmatian Holly find her way into your family? Ah, well, we found a breeder on the island of Crete and chose her from a picture! The breeder then sent her over with a ferry and bus at only 35 days old. Was totally hit and miss. We knew we wanted a Dalmatian, so it was just a matter of finding one. We were so lucky. Her temperament is wonderful. She is now four years old. Here is the picture we chose her from: Did you experience any sibling rivalry growing up? Nope. Was an only child un...

Today, I present you with my review of Jessica Bell's debut novel  String Bridge . This is my first book review*, so please bear with me. I'm sure I forgot something in my attempt to make this a comprehensive quick read. I've provided a bio and list of links to purchase her novel and the soundtrack at the end of the review.  Check back tomorrow to learn more about Jessica from my interview with her.     *May contain spoilers. String Bridge By Jessica Bell Lucky Press, LLC. 288 pp. $14.95 What price must be paid to hold onto our dreams? Jessica Bell dives into the dilemma of staying true to oneself in marriage and motherhood in her debut novel,  String   Bridge . She gives readers insight into the effects of compromising your identity for your family. This visually evocative story set in Athens, Greece paints a picture of relationships between parents, husbands and wives and children many will recognize. Bell’s character developm...

Today is the second day of my Pennwriters Conference in Pittsburgh. While I learn everything I can cram into my brain, I want to leave you with a thought on dreams and writing from Neil Gaiman. I've written about the use of dreams to weave symbolism into your fiction and poetry, and I think they provide rich inspiration for writing. Dreams open a door to who you are. In Gaiman's introduction to Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders , he discusses how to use dreams in your writing. " I love dreams. I know enough about them to know that dream logic is not story logic, and that you can rarely bring a dream back as a tale: it will have transformed from gold into leaves, from silk to cobwebs, on waking. Still, there are things you can bring back with you from dreams: atmosphere, moments, people, a theme." Have dreams ever made it into your writing?

No, no I am not planning on bedding agents and editors in exchange for publication.   No sexual impropriety here.   Sorry to disappoint.   I’m employing my dreams as a muse and mentor.   Growing up discussing my dreams with my family was commonplace, and as an adult, the tradition continues.    It’s a conversation with my unconscious, and one of the few times I’ll take my own advice.       Last night, I dreamt I was on a boat in the ocean.   The waves tossed me and the boat all over the place.   I remember struggling not to fall over.   As the dream progressed, the boat found calmer water.   When I woke up, I reached for my dream dictionary to find out what it meant and scribbled everything down in my journal.      Let's take a deeper look at my dream.   Deconstructing a dream helps you understand the different parts at work, and, eventually, determine what your unconscious is telling you.  Wa...