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Taking a Chance on Ari & Milo

I’ve written a novel that I love. I believe it works best in serial format, and I want to get it directly to readers, (readers who are young but not too young), for free, on their phones. So I’m putting it up on Wattpad, starting today.

I believe in trying experiments where I don’t know the outcome, and this story is so special to me that I’m willing to take risks. For instance, my novel could easily be lost in the noise of other stories. Posting it could take… Continue reading

Mind Tide

Spring Sky

In the past two months, I’ve written 24K words in a document of brainstorming where, in theory, I test run ideas. Most days, it feels like I’m simply typing, keeping my fingers going. Hello, there, fingertips. Weird and boring and random things show up there, but I don’t go back to erase. I don’t care if I repeat. I let myself daydream. I look up bits of research and drop them in so they’re somewhere, not really refindable, but still there. I invoke Tennessee Williams with his “Loss,… Continue reading

Deserving to Write

Half-knitted mittens with needlesWhat writer hasn’t worried that she is wasting precious hours working on a project that might never come together? We are conditioned to believe in our culture that work should be compensated by money, which in turn confers value and worth. When a writer devotes months and years to a novel, with no guarantee it will earn a penny, it’s logical, at some point, to question whether that effort is justified.

It is. We deserve to write. I’m not saying it’s right to neglect other responsibilities, but when writing expands… Continue reading

Managing a Writer’s Platform

Snowy ChairsWriters are often advised to develop their platforms so that when publishers consider buying a novel, they’ll see that the author already has a built-in audience, a direct connection to potential readers. I see the merit of this concept, and many authors are genuinely excited by the idea of reaching out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and elsewhere to connect with friends, readers and influencers who can spread the word about their books. I have been in that mode, and it’s fun. If you’re there now, I salute you.

I think… Continue reading

Head Space

Low clouds over a freeway.Perseverance. It sounds like slogging through mud. On an empty stomach. But perseverance also provides purpose and the satisfaction of returning to the same difficult project that gradually yields to the effort. When you build a life around perseverance, if you dare to risk admitting to something so old-fashioned, your truth is so small, day to day. It’s so inconspicuous and personal. It’s a novel coming alive word by word, and then taken apart scene by scene and rebuilt and transformed. It’s finishing that novel and starting, good Lord, another… Continue reading

 

Ari & Milo, my serial novel, is now up on Wattpad! I drew illustrations to go with each chapter, and best of all, it’s free! Because of problematic themes, this novel is for mature readers age 17+.

Caragh's Latest Favorite Reads

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Every Day
The Dog Stars
The Reinvention of Edison Thomas
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Fault in Our Stars
Two of a Kind
Until It Hurts to Stop


Caragh's books »

Audio Books

The audio books of BIRTHMARKED, PRIZED, PROMISED, and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS have been released by Tantor Audio. They're available through Tantor, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Audible.com.
Book Trailer for Promised