by Steven Belletto Buy NOW! I think this book should be titled “A Master of Character,” because that’s how superb the characters are who fill Steven Belletto’s latest book PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS. His dry, witty style, yet keen observation of the human condition feels so much like Raymond Carver. But unlike that great storyteller, who often chose New York or suburban New York settings in which the educated and middle- and well-to-do experienced their personal implosions throug

Scammers are getting so good, and AI is only helping! I used to get the occasional lovely note from a reader via my website. Now 100% of the 20 emails I get each week are from writing marketers and scammers. I got the above inquiry last week. Unlike the unbelievable situations where the head of a major publishing house emailed to beg for my next manuscript, or writing service people who promise I’ll gain 5 million followers by tomorrow, this one shows all sorts of finesse. It

Hannah Larrew, Spellbound PR I'd never worked with a book public relations person before Hannah Larrew of Spellbound PR. But I'm glad I did for SCATTERED LIGHT! She got me signed up for the Sept. 9 Read & Run Chicago event where I got to chat with other runners while jogging around the beautiful Chicago lakefront, followed by a book discussion at the beautiful American Writers Museum in Chicago. She also lined me up for an interview on The Midwest Writers Room podcast, and th

Buy NOW! Tonight I’m running with the Chicago Read & Run group! We’ll be in the Loop and pass these locations: Printer’s Row: where Mary lives, a refurbished neighborhood that used to house printing and publishing businesses (the Printer's Row Lit Fest will be taking place this weekend) The Chicago Board of Trade: where Mary works, an art deco skyscraper built in 1930 The Chicago Art Institute: first stop on Mary and D’s marathon first date The last is my favorite! Have you b

Listen NOW! Thank you so much Kenneth B. Humphrey and Luella Schmidt for hosting me on The Midwest Writing Room podcast and YouTube channel sponsored by the Wisconsin Writers Association! The episode is available via podcast and/or this YouTube link. I hope the above clip encourages you to check out the interview in which I talk about my latest novel, SCATTERED LIGHT (Mary Donahue Chronicles), my Chicago roots, my number 1 advice for writers, and why, for some of us, writing

I’m so happy Malissa Rodenburg will be interviewing me during the Read&Run Chicago event for SCATTERED LIGHT Sept. 9 in Chicago! You can register here. She’s an independent science journalist, editor and poet who’s interviewed dozens of writers for her Writers Who Run column. I’m going to be in good company! All of which has me wondering: how many writers also run? If that’s you, let me know! ___ For updates about Martha’s forthcoming books, news and giveaways, subscribe to h

Are you a word geek? If so, you’ll love Grammar Girl, a.k.a. author Mignon Fogarty, a former faculty member at the University of Nevada - Reno, who has a YouTube podcast about grammar. She includes a lot of fun history about the English language, including how indented paragraphs came to be and why detective novels routinely use the descriptive phrase “broad daylight.” Out of curiosity, how much do you notice proper grammar when reading a text, email or book, and do you get j

To me, writing is like playing. Even when it’s rigorous and tough, the practice allows my mind to run wild, experiment, learn, and get lost in joy. Turns out, the same thing happens every week when I go to a drop-in Saturday improv class at led by Clifford Mae Henderson and Dixie Cox of The Fun Institute in Santa Cruz. Typically about thirty people show up at the tiny theater, and for the next few hours, Clifford and Dixie — who’ve been teaching improv since 1993 — have us p

May is typically Mental Health Awareness Month, but that’s not nearly enough promotion. I’m reminded daily of the need to assess my mental health and advocate for those who have mental illness. I experienced a lot of ups and down when writing BLISS ROAD, a memoir about my neurodiverse family. While the book helped me figure out that part of my life, I don’t discount the need to check my mental health often, and to take seriously people who are struggling. Mental Health Americ

I wrote GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS in 2007, but ever since then, I often revisit the idea about defining details: an itty, bitty, teensy, tiny detail that explains how a character rolls. One of my favorite characters is Alexandra Fuller, who wrote this memoir about her youth in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Her defining detail? That photo! Like a little pirate girl. “Take no prisoners, arrr!” Check out this excerpt. It's hilarious and exactly matches her photo. Who’s your favorite c

Yes, I just finished typing those important words, because I’ve finally finished writing OCEAN LIGHT, the third book in the Mary Donahue Chronicles, which began with WINTER LIGHT and was followed last Thanksgiving by SCATTERED LIGHT. There’s still lots of rewriting and shaping until this unusual literary mystery — yes, mystery — turns into a book that’s worth your precious time (the tentative publication date is January 2028). But finishing that final chapter has left me usel

Part of me is always surprised when I learn about a service I take for granted that turns out to be a relatively new concept. That was the case when I learned the first tax-supported library in the US was established in 1833 in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Less than a hundred years ago! I would have been toast without a library, especially in my youth. Reading helped me deal with everything: my emotions, insights into human nature, curiosity about places I’d never been. More

May was National Trauma Awareness Month, but I missed mentioning it. As the comedian Jackie Mason said, “So sue me!” And since “Happy Trauma Awareness Month” doesn’t convey the right vibe, I’m opting for a bit of humor, perspective and encouragement. If you’ve been fortunate enough to heal from something bad that happened in your life, pat yourself on the back, have a piece of cake, do a cartwheel. Looking at the source of pain, and what caused it, takes a ton of guts. Here's

By Roz Morris Buy NOW! Rarely do I find nonfiction memoirs nowadays that combine what Roz Morris accomplishes in her newest book TURN RIGHT AT THE RAINBOW: warm humor; lyrical writing; travel through physical, emotional and time landscapes; and a whimsical, yet deep rumination about what makes a house a home. As soon as long-married writers Roz and her husband, Dave, decide they want to move out of London after thirty-odd years to a more rural location that’s quieter and allo

Buy NOW! Happy book birthday to BLISS ROAD! Though very painful at the time, I’m so glad I worked through the difficulties — and beautiful moments — of living in a neurodiverse family with an undiagnosed autistic dad. And I am so much happier. And my family relationships are so much stronger. So if you suspect you lived in a neurodiverse family, read the book and then contact me. I love hearing from readers! ___ For updates about Martha’s forthcoming books, news and giveaways

We arrived in the Okavango Delta today. It’s a veritable Disneyland x 1000 for people who love wildlife. During the summer (Jan.-June), rain from the Angola highlands flows into the delta, spreading out over 14,500 square miles, attracting all kinds of wildlife. About this area, my sister warned me, “Bring earplugs.” Apparently the hippos are really loud at night. A fun fact that may appear in one of my books someday. Have you been lucky enough to hear a hippo conversing wit

Check out the beautiful surfing conditions here in Cape Town, South Africa! Rated by Surfer magazine as one of the 10 best surf cities in the world , I would not surf anything as big as the photo shows, but I appreciate that others do. If I get the time to rent some gear and go out, I'll let you know. I’ve never written a steamy romance, but if I did, I’d set it here and create an awesome, sexy instructor (female!) and a wily, but gorgeous client. Anybody ever surfed there? #

I grew up in a middle class Midwestern family doing family road trips in our Chevrolet station wagon. From Chicago, we went to all the way to Florida one year to visit my aunt and her family. Another year we traveled to California to visit neighbors who'd moved there. My dad, who I write about in BLISS ROAD , loved to travel and saw every outing as a learning opportunity. If he knew how much my sisters and I now travel, he'd be pleased. Our current trip begins here in Cape To

Buy NOW! April is Autism Awareness Month, so on my author page I’ll be posting about BLISS ROAD and my experience of growing up the daughter of an undiagnosed autistic dad. I wanted to post generally, though, to continue promoting the idea that all members of a neurodiverse family are affected by the neurodiversity. While some of the challenges are rough and cause trouble, there are also amazing outcomes. While my dad’s undiagnosed condition definitely caused challenges, he a

You’ve got time to purchase a book for your favorite teen! The above are my favorites. I'm including WINTER LIGHT because it's got a lot in common with the others — edgy YA — and I'd love for it to one day be among these classics. This special day takes place during a special week: National Library Week , which began in 1958 and is sponsored by the American Library Association. Who’s your favorite teen? And if you have one, and they’re not currently your favorite, they will