Author Archives: alisaacarter

About alisaacarter

I am a writer of young adult novels, wife, mom of three, lover of animals, former magazine editor, reader of anything paranormal, and coffee fanatic.

Writer Wednesdays: The First Draft

Posted on January 30, 2014 by alisaacarter

Know why it’s called a first draft? Because there should be a second, a third, however many you need to make your book perfect. So many authors seem to think once they’ve written the first draft, they’re done. I understand … Continue reading →

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Book Review: The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves

Posted on January 25, 2014 by alisaacarter

The Raven Boys By Maggie Stiefvater Amazon book description: Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them–until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks … Continue reading →

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Writer Wednesdays: Dialog tags vs. dialog beats

Posted on December 22, 2013 by alisaacarter

Don’t use dialog tags and beats together! I casually mentioned this in a previous post, and I think a lot of readers were confused. Certainly some of my writers have been! Here’s the dialog tag: “I hate you,” Joe said. … Continue reading →

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Shrouded in Night by Curtis Hoffmeister

Posted on October 17, 2013 by alisaacarter

Shrouded in Night by Curtis Hoffmeister What if the police were confronted with a grisly string of supernatural murders that make Jack the Ripper look like an amateur? The St. Louis County Police Department has never seen anything like it, … Continue reading →

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Mayor Filner is an idiot

Posted on July 22, 2013 by alisaacarter

San Diego mayor Bob Filner is being sued for putting a woman in a headlock and dragging her around the room while whispering sexual advances, among other things. Do any men anywhere really think putting a woman in a headlock … Continue reading →

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Writer Wednesday: Conjunctions

Posted on July 10, 2013 by alisaacarter

This is a tale of coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. What’s the difference? Coordinating conjunctions join two independent clauses; subordinating conjunctions join an independent clause to a dependent clause. Who cares? Well, the comma does. Because the comma has to … Continue reading →

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Books I’ve Edited: Marigny Street by Annie Rose Welch

Posted on July 3, 2013 by alisaacarter

Marigny Street By Annie Rose Welch Amazon back-cover copy: Do you believe in the power of dreams? Way down south on Marigny Street in the heart of New Orleans, the land of Catholic intersessions, purgatory, and supernatural superstitions, young Evangeline … Continue reading →

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Writer Wednesdays: Italic or quotes?

Posted on June 5, 2013 by alisaacarter

As some of you might know, I started out in journalism, so I was well steeped in AP style. Then I switched to fiction, which sadly uses Chicago style. I had to learn a whole nother list, and there are … Continue reading →

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Jungle kitty

Posted on May 18, 2013 by alisaacarter
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The Friday Rant: To the scaredy-cars on I470

Posted on May 17, 2013 by alisaacarter

Dear scaredy-car drivers on I470: Look, it’s just a stalled truck. I realize it’s a big semi, which is mildly interesting, but it’s all the way over on the shoulder like it should be. So why are we all slowing … Continue reading →

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