In case you still haven't jumped over to my new website, charlottebennardo.com
you won't know about the cool things on there, like the most recent giveaway. Here's the most recent post: https://charlottebennardo.com/2025/10/28/and-the-winner-is/
So sign up at the bottom of any website page.
Here's a peek:
If you're still coming here or a curious new drop in, I don't really post here, BUT! I post blogs and news on my new website: Charlotte Bennardo
and guest post on YA Outside the Lines: YA Outside the Lines
and guest post on Smack Dab in the Middle: Smack Dab in the Middle
You can also find me on Instagram
and X/Twitter: (2) Charlotte Bennardo - Just another writer querying (@charbennardo) / X
and Bluesky: (3) Charlotte Bennardo (@charbennardo.bsky.social) — Bluesky
and Threads: (1) Charlotte Bennardo (@charlottebennardo) • Threads, Say more
and TikTok/BookTok: Charbennardo (@charbennardo) | TikTok
Yeah, I'm all over the place, but authors HAVE to be! Stop by, say hello, chat, take a look at my books. And... if you subscribe to my newsletter/blog, I will be doing a giveaway in the next few weeks of this bookmark to go with my newest YA release:
Hey all, if you're still coming here, go to my new website! More than just a blog site! It's got lots of good stuff- pictures! stories! news! book info! Go here:
This Book is…Cursed – Charlotte Bennardo
Or simply charlottebennardo.com (Isn't that easy?)
I'm doing a book giveaway, but only for those who sign up for my blog/newsletter. Pop over! (and no, I won't be bugging you with constant emails. Who has time for that?
Char
I've moved my blog to my new website, charlottebennardo.com. Don't miss new books, content, pics, and contests. Stop in and sign up for my newsletter (which is really just my blog at this point. And don't worry, I won't post more than once a month, unless something BIG happens. You don't have the time and I don't have the motivation for more.
To tempt you, here's a picture of my newest book to release:
Think Arthurian mythology, magic, Excalibur, time travel, witches, secret knights...
Here's the back cover blurb:
Wystan, a gifted blacksmith, does the unimaginable; he breaks a sliver
off Excalibur while sharpening it. Bound by honor and guilt—and fearful of the
sword’s magic—he vows to return the piece but Arthur dies in battle. The
sliver’s magic catapults Wystan into present day England on the verge of civil
war whether to dissolve the monarchy.
To fulfill his blood vow, he must reunite the sliver with Excalibur or its rightful heir while fending off those who would claim it; the mysterious witch Ann, and a secret Knights society. Jenna, an unlikely young woman he's drawn to by magic, might be Arthur's last heir and rightful owner of sword and throne. It's a race to find Excalibur before Parliament ends the monarchy, a powerful witch finds the sword first, or it loses its magic.
It's available for Kindle preorder HERE. Both Kindle and paperback release May 12th!
Yes, I know I told you I was giving up blogging. And I did. But I finished my MFA and now I'm going full steam ahead in my writing. I have a new blog set up here:
https://charbennardo.wordpress.com/
I created the site as part of my MFA requirements. It's rudimentary at the moment, but upgrades will be coming. My blog will be under the "Let's Chat" page. Eventually I'll add a newsletter. First, I'm working with an editor for some independently published novels that will be coming and am waiting on the editorial letter from my thesis professor (she's awesome!) on my thesis novel. That novel, and some others, I plan to sub to traditional publishers and editors.
So pop in to the website or right into my blog: https://charbennardo.wordpress.com/2023/07/21/3-2-1-launch/
Feel free to send suggestions (but not here, this blog and site will be phased out). You can send me an email at: charlotteebennardo@gmail.com. (NO SPAM)
It's good to be back!
Photo by Andrew Neel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-woman-sitting-beside-table-while-using-macbook-3178818/
Char
Alas, the time has come.
To give up this blog.
To move onto other uses for my time.
The sad fact is few people read blogs anymore- people have progressed to Instagram and TikTok. This blog is a dinosaur. And while I loved writing it, there are better uses of my time. Being in a graduate writing program takes a LOT of time. I'm currently in two classes and each one demands at least 15 hours a week (only more with me because I'm paranoid about being out of school and want to make sure I have done everything possible to complete my assignments). Plus, I have so many writing projects:
1. Finish book I started writing.
2. Write book which will become my thesis.
3. Find an editor to help polish the other books I've written which have kind of languished.
4. Independently publish my novels (traditional takes too long, it's a draining process where I have no control over any aspect, and there are fewer publishing houses for hundreds of thousands of writers).
5. Create a new website and social media platform (which means I have to learn more of that stuff).
To those who've stuck around, thanks. I'll post when I have my new website up. I'm hoping to recapture those who've left and draw in new readers. For now, I'm leaving this blog site up. Just one other announcement: I'll be here! Come out and say hello! I'm so excited about getting back to normal!
I'm hoping to hear about another festival in Bucks County, PA. If I'm accepted, I'll post those details here, on FB, Twitter, and Instagram.
So thanks for the memories... Being seeing you around, kid.
Char
Spring is definitely on the way, even if it is taking its sweet time. Soon, our thoughts will turn to spring cleaning (won't they?). Here are the top 5 things I want to clear out:
1. Putin, Trump, O'Connell, Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Fox News, and a long list of politicians on both sides of the aisle. I think we've all had enough and need some fresh faces who aren't destructive.
2. Winter. I'm so done. Bring back sunshine and flowers, and not shivering my freckles off when I traipse through subzero temps and/or snow on my way to the Y to swim.
3. Use of the word "unprecedented." I may have mentioned this before, but after 3 years in the pandemic, nothing seems unprecedented anymore.
4. Clutter. I'm cleaning out books I don't want, papers I don't need, and clothes I won't wear. And old stuff in the medicine cabinet.
5. Any show or mention of the Duggars, the Kardashians, Snooki, OJ Simpson, Antonio Brown, Caitlyn Jenner, Melania, (Kan)Ye, and all the other media hogs. Let's clean out the TV listing also, there are a lot of shows that I'm so tired of because they've been overrated, overdone, redone, or bad from the start. We all have a bunch on our hit list, so you don't need me to list mine; and we probably agree on a good number of them.
Now, back to work. I'm cleaning out my email, making notes for my MFA final project, thinking about a new romance series for after graduation, and cleaning off my desk.
Remember: 53 days until spring, 109 until I open my pool.
Char
Yep, I've been absent. Not because I'm being lazy, or went on vacation, but well, holidays and my son visiting from California, and finishing up the first term of my Master's degree. I've drafted a few posts, but then forgot to post them. I'm sure you understand.
But it's time to get back into the routine. Here are five things I've learned after finishing my first term (which you can apply to high school or secondary school):
1. It's better to order the MLA citation book rather than try to figure it out online (even with those sites that offer to put it in the right format; you either have to go through your school or pay for it). The book shows you in a simple, easy to understand format how to cite anything. It was well worth the $20 I spent. And surprisingly it's quicker than going the online route.
2. Start reading ahead of time- don't wait until the first day of class (or even the day before). There are novels and articles, videos, and so many other resources that you need to be familiar with just in the first week. If you wait to read, you'll run out of time when you have to write your papers and submit them.
3. As you read, even the novels, first write down the citation. It's best to keep a Word document with the citations listed in MLA format so when you write your paper, all you have to do is copy and paste the citation. Saves a LOT of time.
4. Also, as you read, take notes on your novels. I use Post-Its with notations on anything that I think is important, like plot twists, characters, etc. Then I do a chapter-by-chapter summary, a few sentences so I can quickly determine where certain information or quotes I need for my papers is located.
5. Print out copies of articles for easier reference. When I have to write a paper, it's easier and quicker to have the articles at hand rather than going back online to access them, even if they are bookmarked. Plus, I can keep them for future use.
Let's see what I'll learn by the end of next term. But I'll be checking in before then.
Char
Yep, it's crazy time with the first term of grad school coming to a close, but I wanted to take the time to
1- Thank my friend, Darlene Beck Jacobson
Yep, it's been a while since I've put up a new post. I've been busy with all the papers for my MFA classes. Then I was sick with bronchitis, things with the 'rents and other issues. So, I'm still alive! Now with the holidays closing in, things will get even crazier. One thing I skipped this year was NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) because it would just be too much. The things I learned in NaNoWriMo, though, are helping me during my quest for my MFA:
1. Make it (school) a priority. Just like with trying to get the daily word count in for NaNo, getting the papers and schoolwork done has to come before exercising, socializing, and yes, sometimes even family. They don't need me to cook every meal, fix every little thing.
2. Don't wait till the last minute. I didn't start my daily NaNo writing at 8 p.m. when I was tired after a full day of family and home. Some assignments are posted early, so I start them as soon as I can. The rest are posted on Monday, by which time I've finished the other assignments. Basically, I'm a half week ahead. Life comes up and emergencies happen. By working ahead, I'm not caught off guard.
3. Get supplies and resources ahead of time. Whether it's books or sticky notes or a daily calendar to keep word count, have everything at hand. That also means eating before you sit down and getting your water bottle filled. I have everything I need when I sit down to work. The only reasons I get up: bathroom, doorbell, and to stretch after sitting so long.
Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels
4. Do the prep work. For writing, that means the research so once you sit down, you can write without having to stop when you're in the midst of a scene. For my MFA, it means reading the resources ahead of schedule so when I start my assignments, I'm familiar with what I need to do and have an idea what I'm going to write.
Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels
5. Make a punch list or simple outline. When I write a novel, I always make a list of things that need to happen. This way, I always know where I'm going. With MFA papers, I have a guideline when I list the things I need to address in my papers.
Yes, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Day, so go GET CHECKED! Get that mammogram! You may just save your life, and encouraging others may save theirs!
But what I was referring to was rather checking in on how it's going with my MFA. I've always wanted to get my Master's, as I may have previously said, but jobs, marriage, kids, and life got in the way. But I made the commitment.
Honestly, I thought about dropping out after the first week. It has been decades since I was in school. I didn't doubt my intelligence (my mom says I'm smart), but I doubted my ability to handle the tech aspect. I had to learn how to navigate different software programs, and since this degree is online, everything is electronic, from discussions to book groups to chatting with your professors. Several times I had to reach out to younger classmates, my professor, and my advisor and admit my confusion.
Well... I never expected the encouraging support I got. It really humbled me. All the times I'd spent encouraging other writers that they could finish their novel, that criticisms were meant to help them, that the journey may be arduous but worth it- I now received that encouragement back. I'm feeling more comfortable with my progress (I've gotten 3 A's!) even though at the beginning of each week (they're called modules), I have that momentary panic attack. I tell myself to sit down and write something- that it can be fixed later. After a day or so to mull over my draft (actually, I think about it all day and sometimes into the wee night hours), I know what I have to do. Strictly following the rubrics of what is expected in each assignment keeps me on track. Every Monday a new module begins, but I don't wait until then to start; some writing assignments are posted already because resources need to be read and analyzed. So, by Wednesday, I have half the work done for the following week. Staying ahead by a few days allows me to feel no guilt for biking/hiking/swimming, going out to dinner, etc.
July 2023 is graduation, and early starter that I am, I'm already thinking about what to wear when I walk across the stage to get my diploma- and what my gift to myself should be. (I'm thinking a nifty little sports car....but in red.)
Char
This world is a strange, beautiful, confusing, amazing, and weird place. And sometimes very annoying. This is what's bothering me today:
1. HOW MANY TIMES DOES MICHAEL MYERS HAVE TO BE KILLED BEFORE HE'S REALLY DEAD? What are we up to, like Halloween 6? Enough. There are so many great authors out there with fabulous scary stories. Make one of their books into a movie and move on from Michael, Jason, Freddy, the Blair Witch, etc.
2. When you record a show, like, say the Buccaneers vs. Falcons game (Go Tom Brady!), or, a favorite TV show like Manifest, and it goes over a few minutes, the last few are cut off so I MISS THE ENDING!!!!!! I hate that. It made me say some bad words. Cut out a few commercials so it doesn't run past time! (At least I can watch it online... but still!)
3. How come we don't see more women like Halle Berry, Angelica Houston, Bette Midler, and other greats? These women are fabulous, yet... we see all roles played by 20-30 somethings.
4. Why are most people ignorant when it comes to using apostrophes? "...more record's will be..." NONONONONONONO. NO APOSTROPHE! If it's plural, just add an s. If you're showing possession, like "Mikey's car" then yes, apostrophe and s. For all that's (contraction of that and is so yes, an apostrophe!) holy, LEARN THIS!
5. WHY do my cats just nibble their food, then walk away, only to sneak back to eat from the other's bowl? IT'S THE SAME FOOD. EVERY. DAY.
There are a lot of things that annoy me and I don't understand, but I'll stop here. Next post, only positive things, to balance the energies.
Till then,
PEACE!
Char
Before I start diving into academic reading, writing, and angsting, there are a few things I need to do first.
1. Clear the calendar. I've resigned as a trustee from my church, left the critique group I started years ago. I've declined volunteering opportunities. I've alerted people that I need as much time for schoolwork as possible.
2. Clean out. The office, old files, and junk on my computer have all been tackled. I don't want to wade through stuff I don't need or use.
3. Buy it now! As soon as I know what books and supplies I need, I'll get them that day. It will give me time to not only make sure I get everything I need, but look over things and start reading and assignments early.
4. Plan for the unexpected. Homework and quizzes are due on 11:59 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays. I have handbell practice on Tuesday (I had to keep one social activity), so I need to make sure that I don't wait to the last minute in case something comes up.
5. Believe and breathe. I know I can do this, but I have to keep believing, especially when things get tough. When things get tough, and they will, I have to breathe through the panic and push ahead.
I think I'm ready.
Char
Ok, I've finished the book I was reading/critiquing. I'm happy to say that it did improve. BUT... still a few things to rant and whine about:
1. During a love scene, too many authors have their female characters make a 'mewling' noise. What the hell is that? Does she have cat DNA? There are groans, moans, grunts, gasps, whimpers, whines, murmurs, sighs, pants, gulps, and breaths. The Oxford American Thesaurus doesn't even list 'mewling' and Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language lists 'mewl' as: "verb, the sound of a crying child." Soooo not what should be used in an adult love scene. Please authors, stop using it, it sounds wrong on multiple levels.
2. I understand there are regional and cultural trends for some words, like y'all for all of you, and some authors don't use swear words (after all, your mom or kids could be reading your work), BUT... don't use stupid words: freakadilly, freakadilly circus (really, you had to go there twice?) crapple, and Christmas on a cracker. And if your alpha male character uses them? I'm liking him a little less. If you can't use the milder 'damn' or 'hell' then be nebulous- "He swore" and save us the cringe.
3. If a character, male or female, constantly lectures, I'm out of there. No one likes a nag. And to have a strong male character sit still for two or more pages of being lectured and nagged means he isn't so alpha. And, honestly, I think he's a twit. Who would stand for that? I love my parents, but I didn't listen to that much nagging. Ok, the character needs some tough love and brutal, honest words, but after a while, I wanted to tell the lecturer to shut up and look at her own life. She was sounding like a mother, not a lover. And life always comes down to learning the hard way; few of us learned our lessons by being lectured into a coma.
4. Even after a thorough lecture, what character or person has instant understanding of their psychological or emotional issues? If it were that easy, every person with an issue could go to someone to lecture them extensively and fix the problem. Self-realization. Takes. Time.
5. This one issue irritates me not only because the author used it, but because she should know better: misused clichés. The saying is NOT "eat on me." It is "eat at me." Again, there may be regional or cultural differences, or even current slang that change a saying, but this one is just WRONG.
I finished that book and went on to the next one. Here are two more things that irk me:
1. When I submitted a romance story, I had two editors tell me that the romance/attraction had to be immediate.
No.
1- Many readers and authors, even other editors and agents, hate the 'insta love' aspect- falling in love immediately. I can see attraction, but I refuse to do it in the first chapter because I need to show readers who the main characters are; a little background, a little trouble in their life, etc. I refuse to have two characters meet in a dumb way- like the overused 'spills his coffee on her' trope. I need at least 2 chapters to set the scene. A great number of books don't get to the romance/meet/attraction for several chapters and that feels more 'organic' to use a cliché. Heck, even Cinderella and Snow White didn't meet their true loves for at least two or more chapters.
2. Covers. I have heard many times that the cover should accurately reflect some aspect of the novel. Don't show me a cover with a guy/gal on the cover who doesn't look anything like the character described- wrong hair/skin color, or a setting that doesn't appear in the book, wrong dress for the era, etc. I feel like the publisher cheated; offered me something and pulled a switcheroo.
Okay, I think I'm done with my criticisms, rants, whines, and desk poundings.
Wishing you all sunshine, unicorns, world peace, and great hair days-
Char
I'm doing some fun reading before I delve into required reading for school.
I'm annoyed.
I understand authors have different styles from mine, but there are certain habits that just irritate me to no end. It doesn't matter if the author is a newbie or a world famous figure. The book I'm currently reading boasts that the author is a NY Times bestseller, and the category is contemporary romance. To set the scene, it's 'alpha male, self-made rich CEO type.' Here are my Yes - Def No notes:
YES - alpha male, muscular, tough, worldly cowboy.
NO - I just met the character and I KNOW he would NOT use a word like "freakadilly." That silly word is more suited to the effervescent, optimistic female main character. If the reader can pick this up, why didn't the agent/editor/copyeditor?
YES - Describe the scene, the mood, the thoughts, the kiss, etc.
NO - Don't stay stuck in the 3 -3 pattern: 3 lines of 3 adjectives. That's a total of 9 descriptive adjectives (especially when you repeat them....). Overkill and tedious.
YES - Show the kiss.
NO - Diminish the tension because we're so in her head that there was no kiss back action from her. this gorgeous guy is giving her a lethal kiss and she's.... contemplating.
YES - Tell us he left town ten years ago; we get a picture of a strained homecoming, tense relationships.
NO - Don't keep repeating it, we remember.
YES - Close eyes during a kiss.
NO - Don't give me 2 pages of thought and action before she closes her eyes. Is she staring at him the whole time?
YES - There are always doubts about a budding relationship.
NO - Please don't make the 26-year-old female character sound like a high school teenager: yes he likes me, no he doesn't, yes, no, yes, no constantly.
Also, the punctuation and sentence structure didn't always jive; too many times the sentences were choppy and there were too many unnecessary exclamation points. It made the text read as juvenile.
Purple prose. Too many times the prose got out of hand and I found myself skipping ahead a few lines.
Crepuscular? Who uses that word? As Beatrix Potter (Tales of Peter Rabbit) said, "the shorter and the plainer, the better."
I get irked when a love scene is so dragged out with too much thinking; the character is stopping in the middle of physical action to give us a treatise on life, love, and the future.
I'm barely halfway through the book. I don't think the second half will be much different, but I'll finish it with the hope that it will improve. I'll let you know how it goes.
Char
The end of August brings a few last hurrahs; swimming on the more rare hot days, planning the last summer BBQ/party for Labor Day, enjoying the final theatrical production of crickets and fireflies. Soon to come, if not already, there are chilly nights, back-to-school and work routines, and gearing down to indoor living.
Those changes are happening in our house. Two sons return to college in the next few days, we're planning when to close the pool, and fall cleaning will soon commence. The biggest change for me will be that I will work for one year and nine months on one novel. No #NaNoWriMo this year. That one novel will be the project for my MFA- my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (emphasis on speculative writing- Science Fiction and Fantasy- with a minor emphasis on Romance). It's long been a dream of mine to get my Master's and with the chaos, uncertainty, and upheaval in the publishing sector (like many other sectors), I feel this is the time. My boys are pretty much independent and my husband retired, so this is 'me' time. I'll still be doing my blog, although I can't promise a better regularity. It may even get worse... I've cleaned out my office and files, set up new files for coursework, and have resigned from several groups, one being my critique group. It feels strange to pull back from them, but I know the demands of school will make me glad I did withdraw.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
I will make one final book event appearance, at the beloved Collingswood Book Festival on October 2, 2021 (info https://www.collingswoodbookfestival.com/ ). It will be great to see old friends, make some new ones, talk writing, sign books, and generally have fun. I hope to see you there.
So, wish me luck, and I wish you all luck in your upcoming endeavors, and don't be afraid to send chocolate for those hard days to come.
Char
The controversy surrounding Simone Biles' decision to withdraw from several events at the Tokyo Olympics has shown all too clearly how many judge her. Without discussing any merits (or lack thereof), Simone and other public figures face the same thing authors do- constant judgement.
In no way am I equating the difficulty of her position nor the harshness of public commentary to what other authors and myself receive, but it's akin. Authors are constantly judged: by editors, agents, bloggers, libraries, booksellers, review organizations, readers, other authors, and even family and friends, to say nothing of our own judgements. Too many people say "toughen up" to athletes, artists, authors, and others in the spotlight because we "chose" to be in the spotlight.
Um, not necessarily. Like Simone, I want to use my talent. She does impossible, death-defying leaps and flips, I write stories. Just because we exercise our talents and the world views them, doesn't mean that we should be open to any and all criticisms. Yes, it comes with the job, but no, that's not a free license. While most of the criticism and judgement I've received as an author has been constructive and made me a better writer, not all of it was, even by industry 'experts.' Sometimes it felt patronizing, condescending, even cruel. Kind of like a middle-aged broadcaster sitting on his butt who never excelled in anything athletic telling Simone that she's weak and an embarrassment and she needs to toughen up mentally because he doesn't understand the sport or the situation. Armchair gymnast. But she has shown herself to be graceful, poised, and defiant. A class act all the way. That's the lesson, hard as it is to bear (trust me, I know), that authors, especially beginning ones, need to learn. We are creating an entertainment and as such, it opens us up to criticism from all sides. Some can deal with it, others can't. Even with a bestseller, there's always commentary from those who don't write about the next success, the next achievement, and how long till then, and what the public expects. One can study and memorize all the moves a gymnast makes, but in the end, without having performed them, the person criticizing is not a total expert. Likewise, one can read all the books, write critical essays and point out flaws, but if it's from the perspective of someone who doesn't write, well, it's not the absolute. I've been given bad advice from experts, but the thing to remember is the perspective- it's theirs and it won't necessarily be the best from my perspective.
I'm not going to tell anyone to get a 'thick skin' which new writers are constantly advised. Take from the criticisms what you will, what you agree with, what works. In the end, it's your journey and sometimes you have to ignore the noise from the crowd and do your own thing.
Keep writing- and believing in yourself. Be a Simone Biles.
Char
My posting has been sporadic, but hey, pandemic, now it's summer, things are opening up again (at least for now), and I'm considering some life changes. I'm not going to say now because I'm only in the thinking stage, but no, I'm NOT going to:
Move.
Give up writing.
Enter a nunnery.
Divorce the hubs.
Join a biker gang.
Renounce all worldly possessions and live off the land.
Fly into space.
Sometimes, we need change; it wakes up the emotions, makes us feel vital, gives us a needed charge, or gets us out of a stale situation. Drop in and check up on me.
In the meantime, do something for yourself, I'm sure you deserve it.
Char
My meditation garden looks FABULOUS! this year. 😁 I've worked hard on it, but I do every year. Whether I'm contemplating going on strike because the males in my house are making me insane, or killing off a character, I find that putting my hands in the dirt and planting flowers, pulling weeds, and trimming bushes helps me think. Here are the results of my gardening:
