Jennifer Frost Writes

“We write to create the books that we would like to read, that haven’t yet been written—possibly.”—Joyce Carol Oates

  • Giving Up the Ghost by Hilary Mantel

    by Jennifer Frost

    In her memoir, Giving Up the Ghost, acclaimed novelist Hilary Mantel conducts her reader through the story of her life as if she were giving a tour of a rambling manor house. “Here in the foyer, you’ll see the staircase haunted by the ghost of my step-father,” she might have said, leading us inside.

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  • National Novel Writing Month 2021

    by Jennifer Frost

    National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 when I heard about it from a college friend, a writer who took the craft more seriously than myself in those days. When she explained that the task was to write 50,000 words starting on November 1st and ending on the 30th, I marveled that anyone could be…

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  • Book Review Archive

    by Jennifer Frost

    Below, you’ll find full reviews of the books I’ve included in past Reading Room posts.

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  • The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) by Jack M. Bickham

    by Jennifer Frost

    Bickham’s extensive credits include 65 published novels, books and articles on fiction writing, and a stint as a lauded professor at the University of Oklahoma. His brief introduction summarizes his vigorous approach to modern fiction writing, a form recognized for its forward motion, its ability to engage readers from the first line and draw them…

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  • Reading Room Recommends

    by Jennifer Frost

    29 October 2021 Welcome sweet November, the season of senses and my favorite month. Gregory F. Lenz Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game by John Thorn The World Series is underway and this scrupulous look at the origins of baseball shows how far the modern game has come.…

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