I prefer a quilled pen and ink dipper.

~ I received FINAL edits back from my editor this past week and I'm more excited than ever at just how close we are to launching the book! Speaking of writing books, I was making an observation earlier in the week. The various tools that authors use to write their stories are as vastly different as the stories themselves (not that one has anything to do with the other). I'm not referring to the habits authors have when writing, or techniques for things like clearing writers' block (I'll save that for another post). I'm referring to the actual, physical tools they use to write. What do I use? I'm glad you asked. I wrote "In The Dark" on my MacBook and it was great. But I've been using my new iPad to write my second novel "Lies That Bind". It's much more portable and the keyboard is surprisingly accurate (and fun) to type on (and if you REALLY want to handwrite your novel, it has an accessory for that too). 

The tools I use to write aren't so uncommon. But, for some authors, new technology is not the path to creativity. For example:- Neil Gaiman (Author of American Gods, among others) writes his novels with a pencil and paper. My hand hurts just thinking about that.- Danielle Steel is known to use a manual typewriter. Like, an old-school metal one….with no backspace key.- J.K. Rowling wrote up the draft for the Harry Potter series using loose leaf paper, and a good ole fashioned ink pen. I've seen images of it. It looks like the work of a mad scientist. - George R.R. Martin (Author of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. You might know them as "A Game of Thrones" on HBO) still uses a DOS based computer without internet access. Yep, DOS. Many of you won't know what that is, but let's just say that it's basically a computer without graphics. Just words. No mouse... Like, a digital typewriter (without Spellcheck or AutoCorrect). I shutter at the thought. For some reason, I find these strangely interesting. That's it for today. I'll see you next week! (Maybe with a full-blown cover reveal and release date! Woo hoo!)