Calling All Matchmakers

Henry and Neal have often traded places, both literally and figuratively. They can imitate each other's voices. When they were younger, they looked enough alike that they could switch identities. They've also reversed roles. Henry assumed the role of big brother when Neal was an 18-year-old runaway. But Neal is always on the alert to act as protector for Henry when he gets into trouble.

The Clueless Con: A Winning Strategy

Neal and Sara invented the Clueless con as a way to date in secret. By pretending to date others who are actually avatars of themselves, they hope to foil the machinations of well-intentioned friends. At the start of Harlequin's Shadow, the con has primarily been a subject for pleasant conversation. Because of business trips, they've yet to go on a date. Even so, the con is already paying dividends.

Job searching is like an AU

There are probably people who enjoy searching for a job. I'm not one of them. I've just wrapped up a job search, and still have my sanity intact -- mostly. Looking back on the process, I can relate my experiences to writing a story, particularly a fanfiction alternate universe (AU) story.

The Artist and the Supernatural

In Harlequin's Shadow, Neal is ecstatic to have a reason to visit Auvers-sur-Oise. He's not the only one. This picturesque village west of Paris had my plot bunnies hopping for joy too. In my series Crossed Lines, I've blended Neal's ability as an artist with supernatural themes. Normally I relegate supernatural plots to the sidelines in the main Caffrey Conversation series, but the unusual predicament Neal finds himself in made that impossible for this story. There's no better site than Van Gogh's former home to explore the mashing of the real and surreal.

Neal's Lost Years

In Harlequin's Shadow, many of the scenes have their origins in what I call Neal's lost years. This period in his life begins in March 2001 when he flees the States on his twenty-first birthday and lasts until he is recruited by Peter in December 2003. Neal's flight to Europe was caused by his cousin Henry's father who blackmailed him to keep him from associating with Henry. Robert was one of a succession of poor mentors Neal latched onto. This is also the period when Neal landed on the radar screens of the FBI and Interpol. The Caffrey Conversation stories begin at the end of Neal's lost years, but we've been slowly lifting the veil on those earlier events.

The Beta Reader Conversation

Our post about this year's writing retreat mentioned a new method for giving feedback. When we received a request for more detail, it inspired us to write about the evolution of our process. Here's a look back and a glimpse forward at how we're providing feedback as beta readers, and what has made our beta/writer relationship successful.

Writing Retreat: 2018

Last year's writing retreat was such a blast that we had to plan a sequel for this year. We went for warmer weather and a different venue, while retaining the fun and creativity of the original retreat. It's a challenge to do it justice, but I can't help trying to share the joy on our blog, so here are the highlights.