Author: Dan Alatorre AUTHOR

I use a lot of memes on the blog (weekly, in my What Do You Think segment, as conversation starters) cos I like them. But first a quick commercial. It’s time to get the recognition you deserve. BIG PRIZES FAME And a critique of your work by me. My Word Weaver Writing Contest can get […]

Now I gotta come up with 10 reasons why you should participate in my JULY 2017 Word Weaver Writing Contest? Well, let’s see… There are cool prizes. Low entry fee. Possible recognition and fame. The winners’ stories will be featured on the blog. The winners will also get an author profile on the blog. Did […]

Don’t forget: the July Word Weaver WRITING CONTEST is about to start! PRIZES! FAME! and best of all the first 20 entries will be critiqued BY ME   Occasionally we turn the reins over to a friend of the blog so they can share their experience in writing – some good, some bad – for […]

I’m interested in getting your thoughts about stuff I see and hear, quotes I read, stuff that passes as knowledge – and starting an authorey conversation. THIS is what makes a story interesting. Try it. Your life will change because your stories CHANGE. Suddenly, what you write is a lot more interesting. It’s an imperative. […]

I’m not sure that exclamation mark in the title was necessary, but I’m VERY excited about this new segment. Ask Dan Anything! Yeah, the exclamation mark kinda works. For now, while it’s new. I may drop it after a few weeks. Anyway, here’s the deal: Each week we’ll take five, maybe ten, of YOUR writerly […]

  Well, I wasn’t sure how Lucy would wrap everything up in 10 pages, but she did! And I am very happy about how it wrapped up, too. I have to wonder… in the books final scenes, PorterGirl wears a halter top dress to the going away party of the college’s junior Bursar. I’m curious […]

When reading a book, I always skip to the last page of the story to see how long it is.   That doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying it; I’m just analytical. 242 pages. Hmm. That should take me between four and six hours if I rush, longer if I am interrupted. As I enjoy the […]

It’s just a few days away, but you’ll be busy at the start of July, what with Independence Day and all, so this is a friendly reminder to GET READY! PRIZES! FAME! and best of all the first 20 entries will be critiqued BY ME Prior contestants have said my input was worth more than […]

8 OK, so I’m 60% of the way through the PorterGirl novel First Lady of the Keys, and I am loving every bit of it. There is humor, there is mystery – little mysteries that seem to be rolling up into one big mystery – but at 60% of the way through I can’t really […]

Part 7 “Spooky” So is it a ghost story? Are all the books in the series ghost stories? Who knew? Well, Lucy, I suppose. I should probably ask. But I’m not sure she would tell me; that might ruin the fun. And we all know Lucy likes her fun… Another Brit phrase: Sod’s law. Huh? […]