novel

Runaways: The Long Journey Home

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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It’s unbelievable, but this is the 10-Year Anniversary of the publishing of my first novel, Runaways: The Long Journey Home. 

I wrote the book as a promise to myself to do so when I retired from elementary school counseling/ teaching. 

I had long “suffered” from a recurring dream in which a boy ran away from his abusive father. My book uses that dream as a springboard for a story which takes the reader inside the mind and emotions of both the abused and the abuser.

I’ve found that readers’ tastes haven’t changed that much in a decade. They still want to be taken into the depths of the human psyche… inspired by the struggle of identifiable characters who confront their fears… and ultimately win over the forces of evil.

If you’ve read and enjoyed A Child Called It, and The Lost Boy by David Pelzer, you will find my story equally compelling. With its underlying message of forgiveness, it is sure to inspire and encourage readers to become overcomers in their own lives.

As a a way of celebrating my anniversary as an published author, please enjoy the Runaways e-book free this week, October 6-10,2025.

Here’s the URL:  amazon.com/dp/B01A5X5LZK Be sure to choose the e-book!

The Averages

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

At one time or another, we have talked about word count for short stories, novellas, novels, non-fiction, etc. However, if you missed one of those blogs, here they are for you. All in one place. 

These are averages because almost every article I read on this subject reported different word counts. Each publisher or contest will furnish writers with guidelines, including minimum and maximum word counts.

Fiction

Novel: 55,000-300,000

Novella: 30,000-50,000 (Average: 17,500)

Novelette:  7,700-17,500

Short Story:  Less than 7,500 (The “perfect” S.S.= 6,000)

Flash Fiction: Works under 1,500

  Non-Fiction

Biography:  80,000-110,000

Memoir: 60,000-90,000

Business & Money:  40,000-80,000

History:  60,000-100,000

Self-Help & “How-to”:  20,000-70,000

What I Learned Today

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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A couple of days ago, we had new countertops installed in our kitchen. As I stood there afterward, admiring them, I said something to the installer about my having heard that Windex is a good cleaner.

“Oh, no!” he said. “Please never put Windex on your granite.”

“Oops,” I answered. “I learn something new every day.”

And I do.

I either learn through the circumstances of my day—just as from the installer—or by purposefully seeking the answer to a question I’ve had.

One of my friends is writing a Novella. I asked her exactly what that was (I was already considering writing one myself the instant that she said the name. So beautiful it sounded to my ear: No-vel-la.)

She said it was a short novel.

Ok. I knew there had to be more to it than that., but I was too embarrassed to tell her I didn’t know.

So, I went to the computer with my question. Here is what I found:

A novella is a work of fiction. It can be thought of as a short novel or a long short story.

Whereas a novel has over 50,000 words, a novella has an average of 30,000 words.

A writer may plan to write a novella ahead of time, as my friend has. It’s alright if the novella ends up to be longer (then you’ve written a novel) or shorter (then it qualifies as a short story).

Novellas are not the most popular or best-selling format. You may not find a publisher that will readily accept a novella, but it may be perfect for someone self-publishing.

So, there you go. Perhaps we’ve all learned something new, today.

Whatever you decide to write—a short story, novella, novel, or magazine article—writing is a most-rewarding form of self-expression.

So, don’t miss the opportunity to try your hand at writing.

Why not start small?

Perhaps a novella…