Writers Tricks of the Trade Vol. 5, Issue 4 | Page 24

PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY” TO PURCHASE THE BOOK Do you have a Life TEN WAYS TO UPGRADE YOUR MANUSCRIPT (CONT’D) Story 10. MAKE YOUR DRAMATIC SCENES LONG . . . AND LONGER (Cont’d) SECOND REQUIREMENT FOR DRAMATIC SCENES: HEART-STOPPING EVENTS.  Think of the books you’ve loved—you always know those dramatic scenes when you see them. They’re about Danger; Passion; Murder; Betrayal; Sabotage; Death. Remember—most readers read most novels for the sheer emotional pleasure of their dramatic scenes.   you would like to see published in Writers’ Tricks of the Trade? See the submission guidelines at the front of the eZine. ABOUT MARALYS WILLS Maralys Wills’s fifteen published books span several genres and publishers. Her fiction works include four romance novels published by Harlequin and Silhouette and a techno-thriller Scatterpath, about airplane sabotage. (Presidio Press). Among her ten nonfictions are two books on writing: Damn the Rejections, Full Speed Ahead won its category in Best Books (Stephens Press); a treatise on addiction (Hazelden); and four memoirs. Two light-hearted memoirs include A Circus Without Elephants, and A Clown in the Trunk. Her dramatic personal story, Higher Than Eagles, enjoyed five movie options, including from Disney. Her recently-published, memoir, The Tail on my Mother’s Kite, drops back into her childhood, when she and her brother were raised by a rich, beautiful, and oversexed mother . . . and relates how she and her brother overcame the chaos created by a mother who was married seven times. Three of Wills’ volumes have won national awards. For 30 years Wills has been teaching novel-writing and memoirs, and in 2000 was named Teacher of the Year. With her lawyer-husband, Rob, she raised six children, five boys and a girl. We are looking for stories with humor, or nostalgia, or drama Just about everyone has something they have experienced and would like to share with readers. Check the Life Story Feature in past issues by visiting the Writers Tricks of the Trade blog archives. Contact: Maralys (at) Cox (dot) net Editors Note: The above is a good example of a short bio. WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE PAGE 13 JULY-AUGUST 2015