Premise vs. Theme: What’s the Difference—and Why It Matters Writers often use the words premise and theme interchangeably, but they serve very different purposes in storytelling. Understanding how they differ—and how they work together—can deepen your writing and give your story the focus it needs, whether you’re writing fiction or memoir. The Premise: What Happens […]
The issue of Endnotes recently came up in conversation with a memoirist, so I thought I’d address it here. To have them or not to have them? When most readers think of endnotes, they imagine heavy biographies, scholarly works, or history tomes where every statement must be documented and sourced. Endnotes reassure readers that the […]
As I mentioned when I described what constitutes a “scene,” whether it’s in a memoir or fiction work, there are other building blocks that go into telling a story. Today I’m going to talk about Setting More Than Just Background When I think about writing, whether memoir or mystery, setting is one of those elements […]
Definition of a Scene in Memoir Wendy Dale defines a scene as a piece of writing that occurs at a specific point in time—marked by a clear time anchor such as “one day,” “that Thursday at 3 p.m.,” or “four hours later.” It’s the part of the story where the reader actually lives through the moment […]
From Memoir to Mystery When I wrote my memoir, Cuba, Adiós, I never imagined I’d end up writing a mystery novel. Memoir felt like my natural space—I was telling my own story, sharing my family’s history, and trying to make sense of the past. But stories have a way of leading us down new paths. […]
My relationship with Yves starts to unravel on a Sunday morning while we sit on blankets in Central Park enjoying Brie on French baguettes and sharing a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. The sun hangs on the sky like a ripe apricot, a perfect complement to our lunch but an incongruous backdrop to the news I’m […]
Bach and the Power of Friendship New York City. Early fall. 1969. The sound of calliope music tells me I’m approaching The Carrousel, one of the most visited sights in Manhattan’s Central Park. The wooden horses, all in bright colors, carry someone on their backs. Some are adults. Most are children whose smiling faces tell […]
Susan B. Bernhardt is one of those authors a reader waits with anticipation for her next release. Well, the wait is over. With Dress to Kill, her 7th cozy and the second book in the Irina Curtius series, Ms. Bernhardt has reaffirmed her position as Queen of the Cozy. Cozies are known for featuring an […]
Originally posted on LORENZO PABLO MARTINEZ:
Farewell to Donny Saying goodbye to a friend after an enjoyable evening of dinner and drinks leaves us with a smile. When we lose a parent, spouse, sibling, child, or pet, however, our goodbyes come laden with grief rather than joy. Why have I included a pet on the…
On the way back to Santiago, Violeta remembered Doña Ana’s crumbling the pieces of paper with Diego’s and Carmina’s names, rubbing them between her fingers, and with the lit tip of the cigar burning them. Afterward, Doña Ana threw them into the pile of wood that would become the fire for her meal that evening. […]
LORENZO PABLO MARTINEZ 