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The Milford-Haven Novels, Novellas & Novelettes have now won more than 75 book awards!
Prequel Novella
Novelette
#1 Artist AdventureNovella
#2 Artist AdventureNovella
#3 Artist AdventureNovel One of the Pentalogy
Novel Two of the Pentalogy
Novel Three of the Pentalogy
Novel Four of the Pentalogy
Holiday Novelette
Holiday Novelette
Holiday Novelette
Author Archives: Mara Purl
Anne R. Allen Writers Blog – Mara’s post “All About Novellas”
Do you know what George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, and H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds have in common?
They’re not novels.
They’re novellas.
Novellas went out of style in the mid-20th century, but now they’re back.
“Everything old is new again,” says the Peter Allen song. Novels, novellas, novelettes (and short stories and flash) have been around for decades. Make that centuries. In today’s publishing and authoring landscape there is less opportunity but more freedom.
Less Opportunity but More Freedom for Shorter Fiction
What I mean is there’s less opportunity to get your short fiction published in magazines—because so many great magazines have disappeared.… Read more
Posted in novellas
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Writers in the Storm – Mara’s post “Women’s Fiction versus Men’s Fiction”
“There’s no such thing as Men’s Fiction.” This was Andrew Klavan’s immediate response to my question about whether he’d want to debate this issue at the then-upcoming 2008 Ventura Book Festival.
More recently, fellow authors and readers alike have expressed surprise, saying they didn’t know Men’s Fiction was “a thing.” Is it? It seems to me, it’s been hiding in plain sight all along.
Good or Bad Fiction?
“Fiction” used to be the comprehensive name for all books that a weren’t non-fiction.
I remember a conversation with my father, an omnivorous reader. I described some of the sub-genres that were emerging at the time: mystery, thriller, romance, and several others.… Read more
Writers in the Storm – Mara’s post “Romance versus Women’s Fiction”
“What genre do you write?” This has become as ubiquitous a question as “What kind of books do you write?” and both questions often receive the same reply.
It should be an easy answer for an author to provide, but sometimes isn’t, as genres have grown more complex. The added “categories” were supposed to make specific kinds of books easier to find. Yet, to some extent, the added complexities have made finding what a reader of shopper or librarian wants harder. And, despite the added listings, there are times a book gets slotted into an ill-fitting box.
This business of being stuck in the wrong genre can be frustrating, and even damaging to a brand, a book, or an author.… Read more
Posted in Romance - genre
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Auntie-Mothering Heart to Heart
The first time I saw a picture of my darling nephew, he was making the thumbs-up sign in an ultrasound image. Close to the time of his delivery, my sister asked, “If he comes in the middle of the night, should I call you?” I answered, “Every other woman does!” This was literally true, since my husband’s an obstetrician. We laughed, and then dashed to the hospital at the appointed hour. Read moreStep-Mothering is All Heart
One of my favorite roles in life is that of step-mother. Any more than one can plan or train for motherhood, one can’t schedule the unexpected eventually of becoming a step-parent. The job comes with its own prickly difficulties, but also with a series of gifts that continue to leave me, by turns, breathless and grateful. Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Books for Baby Boomers, Domestic Violence, Family values, forgiveness, Head & Heart, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, life's purpose, Live Your Best Life, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Personal Essays, relationships, self-growth, sychronicity of life, transformation through AHA moments
Tagged family, Mother's Day, parenting, personal fulfillment, personal growth, step children relationships, step-daughter, step-mother, step-parenting
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God-Mothering from the Heart
Nothing could have been a greater honor than my friend's request that I be her baby's God-mother. We didn't know exactly what that might mean, as this special relationship would occur without religious affiliation. But since Erin and I refer to one another as spiritual sisters, it made perfect sense that I'd be involved in the spiritual life of her daughter. Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Books, Collaboration with other writers, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, Family values, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Head & Heart, life's purpose, Love of Books, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Personal Essays, self-growth, Women authors, Women's Fiction
Tagged God-daughter, God-mother, God-parenting, heart lives, Mother's Day Gift, women's fiction
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A Year for Mom: January Foreshadows
“A Year for Mom” is a collection of posts written during 2013, the year of my mother’s final illness and of her passing. Some of the most heartfelt and extraordinary communications I’ve ever sent or received took place during this challenging year. I feel I learned so much that ultimately it was as much a year of gain as of loss. Many of my friends and readers have expressed a wish that I share my experiences. These personal moments are shared . . . from my heart.
My family all had a fabulous Whirl-Purl of a holiday season. I’m sure you’ve had years like this.… Read more
Posted in AHA Moments, Authenticity, Family, Family values, Gratitude, head and heart connection, Heart, Intuition, Live Your Best Life, Love, Mara Purl, Personal Essays, relationships, self-growth, Transformation, transformation through AHA moments
Tagged mother and daughter conversations
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