Reader Views Book Review!
Wow! The BEST holiday gift EVER! A fabulous review of “Heaven Falls” on the Reader Views website! http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewEliotHeavenFallsANovel.html “Wonderfully imaginative…truly engaging.”
Category: News
WriteSpa #52 – The Art of Face Reading
WriteSpa – An Oasis for WritersWhen my brother and I were young, my parents took us to museums. Often. As art critics and lovers, they would stand in front of just one painting, sometimes for several hours at a time. We would listen to stories they would tell us about an artist or a story surrounding a particular scene, or we’d roam the rooms of paintings on our own. But, eventually, we always ended up on a museum bench, watching the people.
One of our favorite games was to lower our hats over our eyes so that we could only see a person’s feet. Looking at the shoes they wore, we would try to imagine what the person’s face looked like. It was surprising to us how often we were wrong. People, we learned, don’t select shoes to match their faces, and often they don’t even seem to match their personality. […]
WriteSpa #48 – Great Dialog Part 3/3
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
Just as in life itself, there are three key components to every story, no matter how short or long, or simple or complex: People. Space. Time. In other words, characters, situations, events. For a story to work well, all three of these have to connect with each other in a relevant way. If you include an event that has nothing to do with the story, it is obviously disposable. The same with dialog: Wherever you include dialog, it has to be relevant to the unfolding of the story. If it’s not relevant, cut it out.
Bright Face of Danger
AVAILABLE NOW!
One man wants to love her.
One man wants to silence her.
How long can she hide the shattering secret that puts her life in danger?
In the peaceful New England countryside, a shot rings out… and a pretty farm girl disappears with a scandalous secret that could destroy a political empire. A year later, she resurfaces as Lark Chandler, with a stunning new face and a glamorous identity. With one goal in mind – revenge – she moves from the decadent playgrounds of the European jet set to the thrilling, high-pressure world of Hollywood, where she dazzles the film industry and ignites the passions of handsome movie executive Dom Whitfield.
WriteSpa #47 – Great Dialog (part 2/3)
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
Last week you listened, you eavesdropped – you were surprised by nuance, misunderstanding, flow, pitch, tone… Now it’s time to write purposeful dialog. By ‘purposeful’ I mean dialog that
- illuminates characters
- moves the story along
- and is fun (or harrowing) to read.
How?
[…]
WriteSpa #46 – Great Dialog (part 1/3)
WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
We talk most of the time – except for when we’re not. The gift of language is part of our existence. We communicate with words far more often and easily than we do through writing or even through an expression like a glare or a smile. And yet much of the time, in conversation as in life, things are not what they seem. Words don’t necessarily mean what you think they do, or what they mean when you’re writing narrative prose. That’s because in dialog the words themselves are colored by the people who are using them. […]
“Up Until Midnight”
The lastest 5-star review for HEAVEN FALLS on Amazon: Up Until Midnight By Sharon F. Svitak “This book is more that a romance. Heaven Falls is filled with complicated characters, plot twists, and unexpected revelations. After I began reading the book and I stayed up past midnight because I couldn’t sleep until I had finished Read more about “Up Until Midnight”[…]
Heaven Falls Book Trailer
The Heaven Falls book video is now available
WriteSpa #45 – Napping Makes You Smarter
This week’s fun writing practice from WriteSpa: Take a nap. It may improve your writing wellbeing by 50%.
Intelligence of the Heart
A new article I wrote is published in the September issue of Status Hat Artszine. It addresses the question of where does love come from and reside?
Poetry Reading
I’ll be sharing some poems at a poetry reading to benefit The Rudolf Steiner Library on Friday, September 10 at 7:30 p.m. Please come!
What Makes You Click “BUY THIS BOOK”?
I have just received a letter from my publisher saying that sales of Heaven Falls have topped 1,000. They’re at 1300, to be precise.
Along with dozens of other independently and traditionally published authors, much of my focus once a novel is published is wondering who will buy my book and why?
[…]
WriteSpa #44 – The Soul of Color
Becoming aware of the soul of color can help you weave a pattern of balance and simplicity into your busy life.
WriteSpa #43 – Assonance
As a writer, you may be hardly aware of the rhythm and sounds that emerge in your writing – but for any good writer it’s instinctual. In this writing practice, make it conscious.
Kindling Heaven Falls!
The Kindle edition of Heaven Falls is flying off the shelves this month! We’re crossed the 400 mark this morning. Is it because of the terrific reader reviews? Word of mouth? Social media buzz? Or because it’s simply a great summer beach read? I’d love to know!
WriteSpa #42 – Put Your Creative Work in the “Urgent” Folder
“When you’re constantly trying to fend off the alligators, you have no time to drain the swamp”: How do you find time to write?
5-Star Review: The Perfect Summer Read!
“Let me start this review with a disclaimer: romance novels have never been high on my list when browsing Amazon.com for a new read. Yet, the story of “Heaven Falls” piqued my curiosity; with its international settings and large cast of not-so-lovable characters (I’m a sucker for a well-written drama of dysfunctional family life).
And the winner is…
There’s very little more satisfying than winning a contest – but winning a contest you didn’t even know you’d entered beats even that!
Rose of Distinction
Not only was HEAVEN FALLS reviewed this week by Kathy DeCosmo, but I was given my second “Rose of Distinction”as well! Kathy is the owner of Katiesheadesign – a business that creates beautiful handcrafted roses commemorating all sorts of events and milestones. Her “Author of Distinction” blog is worth checking out – and her roses Read more about Rose of Distinction[…]
Letter to the Chronicle
In this week’s Chronicle of Higher Education ‘Brainstorm’ section, a writer puzzles over the reason for the amazing growth of Waldorf schools around the world. Because of its founder’s, Rudolf Steiner’s, unorthodox beliefs, he can’t understand why anyone would attend a Waldorf school.
I’m always delighted when Waldorf Education is discussed in mainstream journals, since it so rarely is, but I was deeply disappointed in this particular article, which did not address any of the educative methods that Waldorf schools use and that are rapidly being absorbed into mainstream education, nor the philosophy behind the education. So I was moved to write this letter in response: […]
8th Grade Graduation Speech
I was asked to give a brief talk at the eighth grade graduation. Although I’m a Waldorf high school English teacher, it’s a great pleasure for me to substitute at the lower school on occasion. Here’s what I said: