Shelley Sommers

I remind myself that I’m a fiction writer now, no longer a journalist reporting on non-fiction. If the improbable happens, it’s time for me to take notes and use it for raw material for my characters and their situations. But

When developing and writing about characters, I find myself conflicted about how bad to make the bad guy. Let’s distance ourselves a level and call the character the antagonist. The antagonist’s role provides tension, scary moments, and characteristics that give

Recently, I’ve been working on a final edit before A Vision of Home, Book 3 in the Louisa’s Vineyard Series, heads to my formatter and, finally, publication. It’s ironic that the book title foretold what would happen in my life.

On a recent Thursday, my husband and I set out on a new adventure. After over 20 years, we moved east, way back east. The temperature had climbed to 118° a few days before in our soon-to-be former home, but

Lately, life has given me greater insights into what could cause a person to explode. Circumstances can escalate. Confrontation seems certain, eventually. I’m in the process of packing, organizing, and moving. With the house decorated in “advanced ransack,” it’s difficult