Let’s get something straight.
I am a published author. A very broke published author, mind you, but published nonetheless. Over the past year, I’ve spent five figures—yes, that’s five figures with a dollar sign in front—to become published.
Classes. Courses. ISBNs. Editors. Licensing. Copyrights. Copywriters. Audiobook producers. Audio engineers. Graphic designers. Cover artists. Launch events. Ads that don’t work. Ads that might work. Ads that promise to work but actually just drain your...
Plot twist: I’m not actually a fiction writer.
I thought I was. I wrote multiple novels. I created tragic characters, gave them complicated pasts, and sprinkled trauma on them like I was seasoning a roast. But then I finished my first nonfiction book and had an uncomfortable realization:
I don’t actually like making stuff up.
Every time I sat down to write fiction, I’d accidentally turn it into a therapy session. I’d be two chapters into a suspense plot, and suddenly someone’s inner child was...
Once upon a time, because of course it starts like that, I wrote a lot. As a kid, I filled notebooks like I was trying to beat some mythical word count boss battle. Every story was packed with drama, secrets, and characters who whispered to the wind for no reason other than it sounded deep. If a character cried, it was a single tear slipping down one cheek. If they laughed, it was a laugh that “didn’t reach their eyes”.
Yes. I was that girl.
Then life did what life does. Curveballs. Loss....
Earlier this year, I took a masterclass with Harlan Coben – yes, that Harlan Coben. Along with a couple of writer friends, I spent time absorbing wisdom from a master of suspense himself. This experience has profoundly shaped my approach to my biggest and most daring novel yet, scheduled for release next year.
As a pantser – a writer who discovers the story while writing rather than plotting extensively beforehand – writing without an extensive outline comes naturally. The story unfolds...
I found it again a few weeks ago – words scrawled in black magic marker on the back of this old comp card from 1992. The kind of marker we used to sniff, chasing cheap highs to escape cheaper realities. The words hit harder than any chemical ever could:
"Fat girls don't model. That's what they say.
Seventeen. Size 16. Or 20 if the agency didn't care. Depends on the wardrobe.
The makeup artist's hands shake when he contours my face. Like fat might be contagious. So "boooooteeefull" says the...
You know those Mondays that don't just Monday – they MONDAY? The ones that swagger in like they've been planning your demise all weekend? Yeah, today's one of those.
Picture this: It's bright and early, that first sip of coffee hasn't even hit your bloodstream, and there it is – that email. The one about your manuscript's formatting being wonky, because of course it is. And not just any manuscript – we're talking about your December release, the one currently making rounds through review...
If you're in the creative industry—or follow it closely—you’ve probably heard about the ongoing mess known as "Audiblegate." If not, here’s the short version: Audible, the audiobook giant owned by Amazon, has been engaging in shady practices that leave authors with abysmal royalty rates, even worse than what we were already dealing with in the book world. Colleen Cross’s insightful piece breaks down how Audible profits at the expense of authors, and honestly, it’s frustrating to the core. I...
In case you haven’t heard, Fault Lines is out today.
For those who know me, you're probably aware that I've been through some stuff in life. Weirdly enough, getting this book out there ranks right up there with some of the toughest things I've done. Go figure.
Anyway, this is just a quick appreciation post for all of you who've posted on your walls about the book yesterday and today, and even before. I see you, and it means a lot. Seriously.
And to everyone who's had my back through this whole...
Toasting to "Fault Lines" tonight.
Not a bad way to celebrate Beth’s first full length novel.
Grab a Paper back or Kindle copy at Amazon tomorrow (Audible soon!).
https://www.amazon.ca/Fault-Lines-Beth-Curry-ebook/dp/B0D9DQ353L
Check out those perfect hi-hats!
Cake: Simply Sweet Cupcakes by Amanda
Drinks: Megalomaniac Wines, Top Shelf Distillers
#FaultLinesBook #BookNight #WakeUpMicah #BookReleaseParty #SimplySweetCupcakes #MegalomaniacWinery #TopShelfDistillers
Today, I had a coffee visit with a friend I hadn’t seen in a long while. You know the kind of meet-up where you think you’re going to dive into life updates and all the things you’ve missed since you last saw each other? Well, we barely got to any of that because he was way more interested in talking about my writing. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the interest, but man, he had so many questions. Some of my answers seemed to stump him a bit, and honestly, even made me stop and think.
He...
When I saw this tree today, I had to take a picture…
Look at that old thing, standing there like it's seen it all. Its trunk is twisted and gnarled, telling stories of every storm it's weathered. Kind of reminds me of how we humans get a bit battered by life, but keep on growing anyway.
You can almost picture those roots, digging deep and holding on when the winds try to knock it over. That's a lot like how we lean on our friends and family when times get tough, right? They keep us grounded...
There's a pretty wild story behind my books, "Autopsy of the Mind and Dissection of the Soul." Most of those out-there short stories? They all started with little seeds from my mom.
Back in 2023, our visits took on this surreal quality. Mom's dementia had started blurring the lines between reality and imagination, and she'd drop these incredible little tidbits or outlandish ideas. Sometimes she'd swear these snippets actually happened, other times she'd say they were dreams. Honestly, I don't...
Today marks one year since my sweet daddy passed away. While official records show tomorrow as the date, I know in my heart that he left us on the morning of September 13th. I went on my own forensically driven mission when what the OPP was telling me wasn’t adding up. They didn’t really have any reason to investigate officially, so I did.
As I sit here, reflecting on the tumultuous year that has passed, I'm struck by how much has changed and how the process of writing has become my unexpected...
I hadn't written in decades. Life and other work got in the way, and somewhere along the line, I convinced myself I had nothing worth saying anyway. The pen stayed down, and that was that.
Then my dad died.
Grief does weird things to a person. For me, it made words start bubbling up again. Not great words, mind you. Just a torrent of thoughts and feelings I needed to get out of my head and onto paper. So I started writing again, after all those years.
Dad wasn't some literary genius but he was...
After a tense week of parting ways with my previous producer due to missed deadlines, communication issues, and policy violations, I'm very happy to announce that a new offer has been accepted! While this means a slight delay in the audiobook release, I assure you it will be worth the wait.
I'm excited to officially introduce Chad Fox of Ghost Eye Studios, LLC as the new voice of Fault Lines! Looking forward to putting the past behind us and delivering an exceptional audiobook experience.
Thank...
Today marks a significant milestone in my writing journey - the quiet launch of my first two published books, now available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats, including Kindle Unlimited. This launch, intentionally low-key, reflects the deeply personal nature of these works and sets the stage for more prominent releases in the future.
These initial books emerged from a profound period of grief in my life. As I recently shared on my blog:
"A year ago, overwhelmed by grief, I returned to...
What sparked the idea for "Fault Lines"?
Initially it was intended to be a short story, but fortunately it didn't make the edit. I say fortunately because I really wanted to challenge myself by expanding on it. There were little bits of inspiration that had me wanting to explore it more, like when I almost lost my husband to an aortic aneurysm in 2005. He had been in a drug-induced coma and when he woke up from it he was having some crazy delirium. The stories that were playing out in front of...
As writers, we're often told to push boundaries, to challenge ourselves and our readers. At least that’s what I’ve learned in the workshops and classes I have taken to improve. But what happens when you take that advice to heart and create something that might be too challenging? That's the question I've been grappling with since completing my latest novel, "Fault Lines."
From the outset, I knew "Fault Lines" was going to be different. I set out to create a multi-layered narrative with...
A year ago, overwhelmed by grief, I returned to writing as a lifeline. What began as a way to process my pain unexpectedly evolved into a passionate pursuit of storytelling. This journey back to writing after decades away has been filled with surprises, none more so than the surprising difficulty of creating authentic, diverse characters.
My initial writing projects were deeply personal, characters emerging from the raw emotions of loss. As I reread these early pieces, I felt an overwhelming...
Lately, I’ve noticed an influx of ads in my feed, all from authors showcasing their work and the services they use to create and market their books. While I appreciate the creativity and hard work that goes into being an author, two trends have been nagging at me: the use of AI to write books and the growing popularity of ghostwriters.
Let me start by saying I have nothing against those who choose to use ghostwriters. It’s not something I would ever consider, but I understand the appeal. Maybe...