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My Book, Dread and Splendor, Has Been Named a Finalist in the International Book Awards

My new book, Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth (Shanti Arts) has been chosen as a Finalist in General Poetry by the International Book Awards. Irene Christensen is my artist/collaborator. The 2026 International Book Awards (IBA) is one of the world’s largest international book award programs for mainstream, indie and self-published books. Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of…

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A Book Launch Event

For Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth A book launch is usually a defining event for a new book. If you have a new book, a book launch is expected.It’s an official declaration that the book is published. You’ll want to let people know about your book through readings. Also different literary organizations that have readings will request you to read. I did eight readings…

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Query Letters to Editors

Photo by Olya Kobruseva on Pexels.com All query letters, regardless of genre, have one goal: to get an editor or agent interested in knowing more about your manuscript. To do this, you want to be specific and concrete. The first sentence should include the full title of your manuscript, the genre and sub-genre, if applicable, and word count. The next sentence or two should be the hook that…

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My New Book, Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth Is Out from Shanti Arts Press

Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth is now out from Shanti Arts Press. My collaborator, Irene Christensen, and I have been working on this book together for several years. We met at an artist colony in Costa Rica, with a shared appreciation for the natural beauty. of the rain forest where we lived. I was there for the creation of these wonderful paintings about the feminine…

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IGNITING YOUR SPARK

A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark.—Dante Photo by Karol Josef Fadallan on Pexels.com There is a quiet spark of an idea in each writer, especially as winter approaches. You will be aware of this as something that wants to come out. You may think that you must wait until you have something to say—an idea, an insight, or something known. When I feel this way, I start writing onto the page,…

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Why Self-Publish?

Photo by Valeria Palesska on Pexels.com I have never self-published. I have published three books, with the fourth in production at a small, independent publisher, Shanti Arts. It’s called Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth. It’s a collaboration with the Norwegian artist, Irene Christensen, and will be out in early 2026. So why am I blogging about self-publishing? I know…

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Starting the Writing Process

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels.com Whether you’ve had six books published or you are a new writer, getting started can be a challenge. Writing is a process, not merely a product. The quality of your writing will be reflected in the thought and time you put into it. Having a deadline can be helpful. If you have an editor waiting for your final draft or you have an assignment due,…

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I Will Be Reading from my new book Dread and Splendor at Wordshed, NYC on September 28

Come join us if you are in the area. I will be blogging again monthly about the new book.

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Jane McPhetres Johnson Reads at the Lava Center, Greenfield, MA on August 3

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Titles

Photo by Mark Neal on Pexels.com Titles of books, short stories, poems, are very important. Corporations spend millions to find the name of a product. Thought should be put into how you title your creative product. Let’s discuss book titles. The first thing anyone hears about is the title of your book. It even precedes the cover. Once the artist knows what the title is, he/she can work on the…

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Putting Together a Poetry Chapbook

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com If you’ve published poems in literary journals, your next step might be a poetry chapbook. A poetry chapbook is a small poetry collection that is significantly shorter than a typical printed poetry collection. Typically running in the range of 20 to 40 pages, a chapbook can be affordably published by small presses and is therefore a more economical…

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From What Perspective Do You Tell Your Story

Voice is a rather abstract concept in writing and fiction generally. But it’s so important that it deserves mention as one of the core aspects of writing. Voice, quite simply, is what the narrator sounds like. Voice includes the narrator’s emotions, attitudes, perspective, and tone. As you read the piece, you can hear the narrator’s voice in your head, and the voice leaps out in a particular and…

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Putting Together a Manuscript for a Full-Length Poetry Book

Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com Many poets have published in literary journals, online or print. I wrote a blog about publishing in literary journals, if you want to research my site. But if you are at the stage of having published in a number of journals, you may want to start compiling a manuscript of your poems for publication. There are two big categories of poetry manuscripts. One is a…

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Reflecting on Your Writing

I like to reflect on my writing, the drafts that did and didn’t make it to finals, publishing, and what’s next. I plan my reading at this time. For some reason, many writers don’t make a habit of reading for their writing. If you plan to write poetry, you need to read poems, for instance. Photo by Alena Darmel on Pexels.com I read closely whatever it is I’m in the process of writing. If I want…

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Writing in a Foreign Country

Photo by Kevin Malik on Pexels.com If you are a writer, you write. Even if you’re traveling or just put down for awhile in a new place. I find traveling stimulating for my imagination and a natural time to write, even if it’s just in a travel journal. For about the past twenty years, I have been spending winter in Costa Rica, where mostly I writeThe change of location seems to effect my writing…

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The Writing Process: Enjoying It

“Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.” —Albert Einstein Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com Many artists focus on the final product, but the secret is in enjoying the road to creation. The process itself is a reward. The creative journey should interest you far more than reaching the…

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Keeping a Writer's Notebook

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Every writer should keep a notebook or journal. A stray piece of paper wouldn’t do. I have always had a notebook, but I have been using my iPhone as a notebook these last few years. I find that I lose my notebook, but always have my phone. You can also use apps, such as My Journal. I was thinking about the long relationship that I’ve had with notebooks, and their…

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