Author: Brenda Poulos

Answer These 10 Questions

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Please give your opinion on current books vying for your consumer dollar.

Do you look for books which have:

1- A story spanning a number  of years -or- a story that is more of a “snapshot” of an incident or brief period of time?

2- A mystery, suspense, emotion-packed, roller-coaster of a book -or a lazy, slow-moving, descriptive, “feel good” experience?

3- A book that has a moral or truth to be discovered and applied to the reader’s life?

4- A historical book, whether fiction or non-fiction?

5- A shocking read, the product of a writer’s imagination that will “blow your mind”? A funny, light-hearted read?

6- Non-fiction or fiction?

7- Having a satisfying ending -or- a conclusion that is left “up in the air”– to the interpretation of the reader?

8. Is about 250 pages -or- more than 250 pages?

9. Even though the story might be fiction, it contains real information about a topic you might be interested in. For example, you may want to read ROMANCE, but are intrigued to learn about the life of Olympic skaters (who are the main characters in the love story), the way they train, the role of coaches, the process of being “discovered”, and so on.

10. Inspirational, changing your thinking or the direction of your life . . . having emotional impact?

**Thank you for taking the time to respond. Your answers will help guide writers in their quest to give you the best possible choices in contemporary literature!

Writer Beware

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Here’s a new twist on an all too-familiar scam.

For months now, authors have been receiving emails from scammers pretending to be people interested in helping a “select group” of up and coming authors. They claim to have read their latest book and are puzzled at why the author hasn’t sold more books. Their writing is “that good.”

They offer to help—for a fee.

Now, there’s a new twist to the scam. I know because it happened to me.

The writer of the email claimed to be a literary agent—one with ties to a great PR marketer. She asked if I’d like her to introduce me to this person. Maybe she could help me sell more books.

The so-called agent would monitor things and if everything went well with the marketer, the agent would be interested in talking with me about representation.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

I googled the literary agent and the company she represents. There is a real agent by that name. Also, a real company.

However . . .

Come to find out, the scammer is impersonating the real agent and company. 

A new twist on an old theme.

Writer beware.

Watch Out!

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What a time it is for writers!!!

Although advances in technology have made our lives easier, it has also made us vulnerable to the deceptive practices of scammers. There isn’t a day that goes by that don’t I hear of some new way they have devised to take advantage of us. 

Many times, they represent themselves as as marketers, publishers, or agents when, in fact they are not. 

As much as we may want to hear that we have been “discovered” and are destined for stardom, we need to be careful to research many different sources in order to verify whether or not individuals are trustworthy.

I recently heard about a woman who was duped by someone impersonating a Hollywood producer. Even though she should have been skeptical, she signed a “contract” with him. She found out later that his “act” was a scam. Fortunately, not too much money had changed hands.

Do your homework and pass along warnings to your friends. We need to watch out for each other.

America Reads the Bible

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Psalm 119:105- “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

From April 18-25. 2026, a week-long event, America Reads the Bible took place in our nation’s capital. 

Lasting eighty-four consecutive hours, nearly five hundred people read scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

Pure Fix carried the reading into homes nationwide. 

There was no commentary. Just reading from the Word of God. 

Pastors, worship leaders, entertainers, and so on honored God in this reading of the entire Bible, hoping to see families awaken back to simple Christianity.

Tips for Writing Tiny Stories

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My last blog was about micro-fiction.

Today I go a step further, with tips for writing your own tiny story.

As with all writing, begin with a hook—an attention grabber.

Then, focus on a single event or moment in time.

Use vivid imagery to stir the reader’s emotions.

Limit the number of characters.

Limit the number of words—somewhere around 500.

End your story with a statement that will leave a lasting impression.

The Tiny Story

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I recently came across a term I hadn’t heard before. 

Micro-fiction. Also known as Flash Fiction.

A few minutes of research later revealed the following:

Micro-fiction is  a VERY short story, often 500 words. 

Featuring strong imagery and emotional impact, this type of writing is often found in magazines and online platforms.

This type of writing forces writers to convey character, emotion, and plot in only a smattering of sentences.

Research You’ll Love

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According to a 12-yr. research study (published in 2026) readers may live as much as 20% longer than nonreaders.

The study states that reading produces changes in “brain structure, emotional intelligence, and long term-health”. 

Scientists say the human brain is capable of repeatedly reorganizing itself.

And one of the most powerful drivers of brain reorganization is reading.  

These changes are mostly found in the brain’s left hemisphere, in which white matter pathways connect comprehension, visual processing, and language. 

And guess what?

Reading fiction in particular, helps readers socially, in that they better understand how others feel (empathize).

All of these benefits can be due to reading only one chapter, or 30 minutes per day!

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It’s Been a Dream of Mine

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“Writing a book has been a dream of mine for years,” Sam told me. “But I don’t know what to write about.”

“You said it has been a dream. How about starting there—with a dream that was particularly memorable? It may have been just a short snippet, but use your imagination and take it from there,” I told him.

That’s what I did, in fact.

A recurring dream was the springboard for my first book, Runaways: The Long Journey Home.

In the dream, a boy leaves a remote cabin in the middle of the night. No coat. No shoes.

He shivers in the cold. I see his breath in the air as he looks back toward the cabin. I pray he has the strength to keep going.

I had this dream countless times. When I retired from my job as school counselor and did what I just encouraged Sam to do.

I followed my dream (of being a writer) and wrote a novel based on my dream about Jake.

Being my first book, it is not perfect. But you will feel my passion and the emotional connection I had with my characters. 

That’s why it is still my bestseller to date.

Where did he get that coat on the cover, you ask? You’ll have to read it to find out!

Coming Soon

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It’s important for authors to know the optimal time to schedule the release of each book in a series.

If books are lengthy, publishing them farther apart gives readers enough time to read them before the next book comes out. If an author waits too long, their audience may lose interest.

So what do experts consider “optimal”?

Experts seem to agree that somewhere around six months allows readers time to get excited about the next book without making them wait so long that they lose interest.  

Taking their advice has been difficult for me. 

The first book in my new series, Sunset Pointe: The Baby Between Us has been “ready” for publishing since December of 2025. (I even announced that it was Coming Soon!) However, I am just now nearing the halfway point in writing the second book in the series. That puts me out of its six month “window”.

And I must consider the timing of the third book, too.

While you’re waiting, consider reading my Simon Says series of four books: Simon Says, Truth or Dare, Tug of War, and Cat’s Cradle. (All available on Amazon, of course!) While you’re there, please browse through my other titles, as well!

Have You Noticed This?

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You may have noticed that James Patterson’s books often use the words “with” or “and”, along with another author’s name on the front cover.

For example: James Patterson with Joe Jones (fictional author name).

Why?

Because he often hires a writer, gives them a lengthy, detailed treatment of his story idea, and collaborates with them frequently. 

This allows Patterson to mentor inexperienced writers, helping them in their careers. They split the profits and the writer is exposed to Patterson’s huge fan base. 

Five of his most popular of such writers are: Maxine Paetro, Michael Ledwidge, Mark Sullivan, Marshall Karp, and Howard Roughen.

A co-author must already be known as an author or in another field. For example, Viola Davis, actress, co-wrote with Patterson for her title, Judge Stone.

Want to land a gig with Patterson? 

Like I said, become semi-famous in some field (preferably writing, like Davis, who already had published a memoir) and perhaps Patterson will find YOU.