USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Hart

Curiosity. It's a natural and very intrinsic part of human nature. The five W's (Who, what, when,where,why) and the honorary H(how) are intrinsic part of our daily lives. Try and guess how many times in a day you ask questions, either of others or yourself. They range from "How do I work this infernal device?" To, "Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?" The clearest indicator of this universal trait is children. I've lost track of how many times my mind was on the edge of something brilliant only to be interrupted by "Mommy, why did that guy on the movie last night..." You get the idea. Their favorite tends to be why, a constant headache for parents. Why is the sky blue? Why do I have to brush my teeth? I try answer them to the best of my abilities whether to relay information I already have or to later look it up with them. I try and pass this on in my characters, to make them believable by having them ask questions. Even if the questi...

Before you start the contest/ submissions/ conference circuit ask yourself this one little question. Am I truly happy with my work or am I simply ready to move on? For the love of grief, make sure you answer the former before you begin the submission process. Why, you may ask. Well you know me, I have an answer for all questions, even if it's a snarky one. First, why would an editor or agent or even the host of a contest pick your work over someone who is happy? Let me tell you folks, if you haven't been there yet, those rejections sting like a mother, so make sure it isn't due to the quality of the submission. Does your plot make sense? Has the main conflict been resolved? Does your hero/heroine break out of his/her shells to save the day/town/world/universe, or just stop acting like a big old tool and behave like a quality human being? A little resolution is necessary or the reader will not be coming back. Did you use your words, kiddies? Both to paint a vivid picture and...

And the Winner is... Susan! Here is what Susan said about the perfect hero "I guess I am more down to earth or old fashion but my idea of a hero still is..the man who respects the woman and still opens the door for her. The man who stands up and says..we will get thru this together after the woman hears bad news from her doctor, the man who doesn't feel he is a sissy when he gets up from the dinner table and says" you go rest..I will do the dishes tonight" because he knows the woman is in so much pain but she still wants to do what is expected. I married my hero almost 47 years ago and he is all MAN no matter if he does do things that most housewives feel are their jobs. I can not find anyone more devoted and caring then the hero I have and he is known as my Husband. Not bragging..just stating a fact and giving credit where it is due." Really girls, do we want more than this? (Snarkerella says maybe he could put the seat down sometimes;-) Susan, shoot me your ad...

Do you spend hours debating the difference between a writer and an author? Do you come down on anyone who dares to criticize the brilliance of your work? Do you not follow the rules then blast the people who do? Is it always someone else keeping you back? If so, give yourself a swift kick in the ass, from me. Quick reality check. 1.) If you have time to debate the difference between a writer and an author you are neither. 2.)If you don't accept criticism, you will never improve. I know, the sun shines out your ass right now, why in hell would you worry about improving? Is your name, Stephan King? Tom Clancy? Janet Evanovich? Oprah? No? Then you have a ways to go. 3.) Stop worrying about plagiarism. Ideas are not really all that unique, it's the delivery, the feelings associated with stories that make them special. Look at it this way, if you can't sell your own shit, then why would anyone else want to take a whack at it? 4.) The people who run contests are busy and set up ...

Gimme an E! Gimme an R! Gimme an O! What's that spell to you ? Part of being a decent writer is power of description. Everyone sees the world through his/her first person POV. Letting others see the world, or in this case, a hero, through yours is the trick here. In honor of St. Valentine, the poor bastard who must wear a diaper and a quiver full of arrows and smite the unwitting for eternity, I want you to describe to me your idea of the perfect hero. What does he look like, sound like, smell like? Use those senses! What does he do for a living? What are his hobbies and interests? Tell me why he's the ultimate hero. I will comment on every entry, because as a feedback junkie I know how important it is to a writer, no matter what stage of the game they are playing. And I won't take off for spelling, because I'm not a total hypocrite! To make things interesting the winner gets an autographed copy of Jackson Corners , or as I like to call it these days, what not to do ...

Culinary Carnivale: At Home With The Laundry Hag

Ah winter, football, and chili cook off season. I've never entered a chili cook off because I don't deal well with the five alarm kind. Gringo chili is more savory than spicy. The trick with this recipe is having everything on hand. I coupon shop the spices every few months so I always have cumin, chili powder and the rest ready to go! We Need: • 2 pounds ground beef or turkey • 2 carrots or two handfuls of baby carrots diced • 2 stalks of celery washed and diced • 1 green pepper diced • 2 Tablespoons Onion Powder • 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder • 2 Tablespoons Sweep Paprika • 1 teaspoon crumbled basil • ½ teaspoon ground coriander • 1 teaspoon cumin • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 35 ounce can tomato puree • 1 small can tomato paste • 1 12 ounce can of beer (You can lose this if you want gluten free, but I'd add a little water and maybe some extra spice to make up the difference.) • 2 15 ounce cans of Kidney beans- rinsed and drained DIRECTIONS: Saute meat in a little olive oil until b...

While Stellar Timing is not entered in the textnovel contest (I don't enter contests until I'm happy with my work,) it was nice to go check on the story and see that it was awarded Editor's Pick at textnovel.com. Yeah for Ellie, Brennigan, Snark and Sass!