Deanna Hoak

I got notice that my story “Mutual Feelings” (a sexy and disturbing one) has made it into the final reading pool for the Horrors Beyond II anthology. I’m sure it’s up against some great stories, but it’s exciting anyway. The editor noted, “I enjoyed the tale a great deal–you have a solid prose style; I [...]

Some of you will remember my coral snake post from last year. That was a baby (or a normal-sized one). Our neighbors found this giant coral snake–about three feet long, I think, and I swear it must be a record for a coral, though it’s not surprising with all the lizards, birds, toads, and woodrats [...]

gakked from . Your brain: 60% interpersonal, 80% visual, 140% verbal, and 120% mathematical! Congratulations on being 400% smart! Actually, on my test, everyone is. The above score breaks down what kind of thinking you most enjoy doing. A score above 100% means you use that kind of thinking more than average, and a score [...]

I thought you all might like to read this funny copyediting story from author Elaine Cunningham. It’s always helpful to have as many people reviewing manuscript and proof as possible.

I went up to OASIS just for the day, to do the panels I was on. It was fun. I sat next to Piers Anthony in the “Ask the Pros” panel, and he was very nice to me. (I was somewhat surprised because, well, I’d somehow gotten the notion that he hates copyeditors.) At one [...]

I’m on two panels tomorrow at OASIS in Orlando, if any of you are going to be there: Sat 11am If I’d only known… – Anecdotes and advice from the pros. Anthony, Castro, Courtney, Hoak, McDevitt, Simon, J. Mitchell (m) Sat Noon An Hour with Travis Tea – Meet the hot young writer of ATLANTA [...]

I just got a phone call from an author whose books I normally copyedit but whose latest novel I had to turn down. He said that he’s going to request in his contract for all future books that I be hired if I’m available. I don’t know what emotion to write about that. Proud? Touched? [...]

For anyone considering moving their blog, or even just creating a backup of it, I’ve discovered the most incredibly useful piece of software: ljArchive. It created an archive of my entire blog–including all 2225 comments!–in less than a minute. I can convert into formats readable by, say, WordPress (which is not owned by Six Apart, [...]

Those of you who know me even moderately well know that I am a very strong advocate of breastfeeding. I’ve nursed both my children, and I’ve done so at any time and in any place that they needed to be fed. It is my right, and the right of my children, that I be able [...]

It’s a day for pulling pictures off the camera. :-) Evan was giving me a concert the other day with the guitar I bought him while shopping with the inimitable Esther Friesner at WFC last year. He and I were playing and having fun; I took some pics of him, and he took some of [...]