Category Archives: Writers & Writing

SUGAR POP MOON author John Florio talks moonshine, movies and Prohibition history

Posted on October 1, 2013 by David Healey

Author John Florio will visit the Chesapeake City Branch Library in Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 2-3 p.m. to talk about his new novel, SUGAR POP MOON. Set in the speakeasies of Prohibition-era Philadelphia and Brooklyn, this is the … Continue reading →

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The case of the missing money, or how my mystery novel began with a mystery

Posted on June 28, 2013 by David Healey

THE HOUSE THAT WENT DOWN WITH THE SHIP began a few years ago with a knock on the front door. Standing there was the gentleman I’d bought my house from a few years before—actually, it was his mother’s house and … Continue reading →

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Patching pot holes in digital books

Posted on March 24, 2013 by David Healey

Revision. Revision. Revision. Any writer knows the importance of the “R” word in making one’s work better. The same idea applies to revising and improving not only that first (or second or third) draft, but also to improving the quality … Continue reading →

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Lessons learned from an Amazon ebook giveaway

Posted on March 14, 2013 by David Healey

FIRST VOYAGE: THE SEA LORD CHRONICLES sailed into the top listings for its categories (No. 1 in “military and war” for children and No. 6 for “sea stories” in general).  Huzzah! The Amazon promo wrapped up at midnight Tuesday with … Continue reading →

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Judging a book by its cover

Posted on February 21, 2013 by David Healey

Book covers can be a real challenge for authors. When you are being published by a “legacy publisher” they design the cover for you … but sometimes there are some surprises. This happened to me a few years ago with … Continue reading →

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Writing goals for 2013

Posted on January 21, 2013 by David Healey

The year is already passing in a blur, and so is the book biz. Publishing has changed so much from the days when I shopped manuscripts around to agents and worried about things like return postage, manuscript boxes, and using … Continue reading →

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Answering a few questions about The Sea Lord Chronicles

Posted on December 27, 2012 by David Healey

Here are a few questions that have come up about The Sea Lord Chronicles, and so I thought I would compile them here … along with a few answers! Q. What inspired you to write The Sea Lord Chronicles? A. … Continue reading →

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Juggling point of view

Posted on November 8, 2012 by David Healey

Point of view can be a slippery slope for writers. I think it’s because we want to tell everyone’s story … it’s hard to stay with just one character. For the most part, we’re probably better off sticking with one … Continue reading →

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So what’ll it be today—fact or fiction? On being a “split personality” writer

Posted on September 3, 2012 by David Healey

It’s very exciting to have a new book coming out. “Great Storms of the Chesapeake” has been a year in the making. (It goes on sale Sept. 18.) It is a nonfiction book based upon endless hours of research into … Continue reading →

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Five rules for getting boys to read

Posted on August 4, 2012 by David Healey

One of my part-time jobs is working at the local library. It’s a great job for a writer in that I spend all day surrounded by books and by people who love to read. I also observe a lot of … Continue reading →

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