In “The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald introduced us to the fictional places East Egg and West Egg, which refer to Long Island, New York. In Anne Tyler’s “Accidental Tourist,” we are told straightaway that the setting is Baltimore, the author’s beloved hometown. Is it better to invent a location or use a real place in your novel?

There’s something fascinating about watching a physical fight. Whether it’s witnessing a group of high school boys duking it out during a basketball game or watching Rocky getting bloodied in all six movies in the franchise, the effect is similar. A fight is thrilling.

Why do men like boxing? I think it’s the same reason they used to gather behind the school at lunchtime when they were 10 years old. They wished they were the toughie giving the school bully a good whooping. They like watching a good fistfight. I understand that, but why do women love boxing?

You can make your novel come to life by engaging the reader using all five senses—sight, touch, smell, sound, and taste. You don’t have to be a foodie to indulge your reader’s sense of taste. I no longer remember much of “Chocolat” by Joanna Harris about a chocolate-shop owner in a small French village and “The Book of Salt” by Monique Truong about a Vietnamese cook, but I do remember their effective use of food. It’s a lesson I’ve kept in mind all these years.

In novels like “High Fidelity” (Nick Hornby) and “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” (Rachel Cohn and David Levithan), music is central to the story. But even if your novel doesn’t focus on music, you can use it to establish the mood of a scene or strengthen your depiction of a character.

People say writing a book is like having a baby. Since I’ve done both, I can tell you that the analogy is only partly true. Yes, there are similarities, but also major differences.

A Forbes article titled "3 Career Reinvention Tips From A Reporter Turned Romance Writer" coincided with the one-month countdown to the release of my debut romance book, “In His Corner.” The article, featured on the magazine’s Personal Finance blog, described my long journey toward publication. It also offered three tips for career reinvention.

Romantic Times Book Reviews, a monthly magazine dedicated to the romance-novel industry, recently published an article I wrote about the inspiration for my debut romance, “In His Corner.”

What was your first thought when you saw this book cover? I hope it’s fighter or sports or romance or sexy or just plain sizzling hot guy! My debut romance, In His Corner (published under my pen name Vina Arno), features an Olympic gold-medalist boxer known as the Juggernaut. For all of his ferocious power inside the ring, he melts at the sight of the beautiful doctor who treats his injuries.

While there are many good reasons for using a pen name, choosing one and getting used to it is another matter. My pseudonym—Vina Arno—has a special meaning for me. Still, it’s taking time to sink in.