This year’s Mountainside Novelist Retreat faculty brings together bestselling authors, industry professionals, and creative experts who are ready to invest in your writing journey. Whether you’re polishing your manuscript, seeking guidance on publication, or building your author platform, these mentors will walk alongside you with wisdom and encouragement. Kara Swanson…

by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @khutch0767 As authors, one of our biggest challenges isn’t always the blank page—it’s comparison. The urge to judge ourselves by book sales, publishing opportunities, or the visibility of others can gradually drain our joy and silence our unique voice. I’ve experienced this firsthand. There was a time…

By Darlene L. Turner @darlenelturner 5-star? 4-star? 1-star? Most authors cringe over reviews. Should we read them? Or…should we even be writing book reviews? This is a question I ask myself quite often. Why? Because writing book reviews take time. As we all know, time is something we writers cherish. In…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 I have a confession. I like to take pictures of my shoes. I don’t have a shoe fetish, just a travel one. When I go somewhere new, I like to take a picture of my feet on the unique paths I discover—cobblestone streets, mosaic sidewalks, bricked…

By Tammy Karasek @tickledpinktam Writer, are you engaged? No, I’m not talking about wearing new shiny bling on your left hand. I’m referring to engagement related to your writing. Stick with me, here. I have three questions regarding three Rs of writing, and then I’ll explain what I mean. Question…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin Because I’m involved in publishing, publishers and authors will send me books to review. As a literary agent or editor, writers will send email pitches or book proposals or manuscripts in the mail for consideration. If I am not consciously organizing this material, it does not…