Articles written by Michele Bardsley

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About me - Michele Bardsley

Nationally bestselling author Michele Bardsley is multi-published in several genres, but she is best known for her vampire mom series set in the fictional town of Broken Heart, Oklahoma. The adventures of her paranormal PTA parents have garnered excellent

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Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: Suspense: 6 of 180
Excerpt from The Dark Heart Claremore, Oklahoma. Wednesday. 3:04 a.m. "Daddy?" Sullivan O'Malley jolted awake. He sat up, snapped on the lamp, and looked into the pale face of his six-year-old son. "Trevor, what's wrong?" Trevor clutched his father's arm with small, anxious fingers. "The bad man killed her, Daddy," he ... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Drug addiction: 29 of 303
Co-DependenceBeer and vodka and rum and winemy husband drinks alcohol all the time.He drowns his sorrow and his shameand submerges me in anguish and pain.He passes out when he's done.I envy his escape because I have none.I care for the kids, the pets, the house.He's too far gone to help methe louse!Confrontation never offers ... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Memories: 63 of 540
Fruit from the Bitter Tree The bedroom window frames the backyard: Blue sky, green grass, old memories. There is an old oak tree with gnarled limbs. Once, a tire swing dangled from it. Birds flutter branch to branch: Chirp. Chitter. Chirp. The oak tree has a story, too. It remains silent. It knows how to keep secrets. On... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Advice for new writers: 27 of 88
WORKSHOP CRITIQUES: FOUR WAYS TO CONVEY CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMWriters who seek out critique workshops want to improve their writing. They must. Why else would they allow their works to be judged by other writers?While writers who offer their manuscripts to the group must be mentally prepared to accept criticism, it is the gro... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Finding writing inspiration: Lessons from accomplished authors: 6 of 18
Twenty years ago, when I started writing with the intention of being a published novelist, I read books, I joined organizations, I took classes, and I went to a weekly critique group. I did it all. I wanted to learn everything I could about writing and I somehow hoped that I would discover some magic or secret way to get pu... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Mythology & Folklore Similar deities from different cultures that represent love: 1 of 3
Goddess myths, indeed, most ancient myths continue to enthrall readers today because the stories are juicy, scandalous, heartbreaking, funny, strange, and scary. The gods and goddesses of the good ol' days acted out melodramas that were, in essence, primitive soap operas. Most goddesses linked with love also seem to get lu... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Tips for editing a manuscript efficiently: 4 of 11
Five Key Steps to Editing Your Manuscript Learning to effectively edit your own work is more important than ever. You're not only competing with other writers in a tight market, you're competing for an editor's valuable time. Good plotting and radiant talent won't mean much if it's obvious that your book needs a lot of co... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Road to rejection: Common mistakes that writers make: 10 of 21
Eight Ways to Tighten Your Prose1. Write first, edit later.Get your words onto the page before worrying about how to re-work your prose. Let your creativity flow and allow yourself tomake mistakes. Grammar, word choices, tepid descriptions-noneof it matters in the first, or even the second, draft.2. Remove or change words tha... More..
Arts & Humanities > Thoughts on Writing Writing on a budget: Time saving writing tips: 8 of 16
Six Ways For Writers To Produce In VolumeDo you have too many ideas and not enough time to write? Do you wander from project to project with the vague hope of completing as many as possible, yet you don't finish any of them? Don't let frustration and disorganization disable your ability to create viable, marketable works.The ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) Great reads: Dark Fantasy Books: 1 of 2
Street Magic by Caitlin KittredgeIn Caitlin Kittredge's dark fantasy, Street Magic, the urban landscape of London provides more than just a backdrop for an engrossing story about ghosts and magic and redemption. London is almost a character, particularly the secretive shadowy world called the Black that dwells within its nook... More..