JOANNA ELM, Author, Journalist, Attorney
The Pleasures and Perils Of A Writing Life
Choosing a book to buy or loan from the thousands available in bookstores, libraries and online is not easy, these days. It’s especially not easy if you’re writing one yourself. Nevertheless, I’m happy to say, I’ve read 48 novels this year, and 12 non-fiction books. Only a handful kept me turning the pages. Continue reading “14 Books I Couldn’t Put Down in 2019”
Bestselling author, Hank Phillippi Ryan is the perfect example of why authors should go on book tours. Last week, Hank came to steamy Delray Beach, Florida to talk about her latest bestseller, The Murder List. Continue reading “Hank Phillippi Ryan & The Murder List In Delray Beach: A Review”
If you’re a journalist or reporter — or even if you used to be — it won’t have escaped your notice that you were the subject of another foot-stamping tantrum by the current occupant of the White House. This time he did it in front of all the countries of the world as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York
Yes. Trump told the world this week : “These animals in the press. They’re animals actually. Some of the worst human beings you’ll ever meet […] “They’re scum. Many of them are scum.”
So, it’s a shame that he has the attention span of a gnat because he’ll never get to read She Said, an eye-opening account by two New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporters of how they broke the story which brought the most powerful producer in Hollywood to his (metaphorical) knees. Continue reading “She Said: Book Tells How Hollywood Mogul Was Brought To His Knees”
Yes, that was my week, last week. Bad stories, Bad blood. Bad, bad, bad. In fact, it was so bad, it was great!!!! Bear with me.
First, I got an email invitation from the Cream Literary Alliance, a writers’ group in Palm Beach. It was for a three-hour workshop. It contained that magic word, “obsession.” I love that word. I especially love it when it’s the driving force in a novel. (Obsessive love –is there any other kind?– was the antagonist’s motive in my first novel, Scandal.) Last week’s invitation promised that Steve Almond would teach a craft class on How To Turn Your Obsessions into Irresistible Prose. Continue reading “Bad Stories, Bad Blood: It’s Been A “Bad” Week”
Come on ‘fess up! How are your books arranged on your bookshelves? By author? By genre? By fiction titles on one shelf? Non-fiction titles on the next? Or, no order at all?(photo above) Continue reading “So You Think A Book Is Just A Book?”