In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss keeping your author bio paragraph concise; the need for causality in a plot paragraph; paying attention to the language you use in a query so you don't create confusion surrounding the book's premise; knowing who your protagonist is and highlighting their interiority and inner life over other characters'; the stakes in rom-coms; centering your protagonist's experience; making plot details realistic so your readers are on board with them; avoiding pages that seem crafted for the reader; and the 'blank canvas protagonist' issue.
After which, Carly interviews award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Jo Piazza. They discuss Jo's upcoming novel, The Sicilian Inheritance; how she decided on a dual POV/dual timeline structure; whether Jo is a plotter or a pantser, and how she approaches her first draft; mirroring current themes in historical fiction; what a 'book club' book is; weaving elements of personal life into her work; how Jo views herself as a creator; the idea of letting fiction lead the way; the process of film and TV adaptations; and Jo's advice for emerging writers.
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