Author: Tiffany Renee Harmon

Tiffany Renee Harmon is a poet and mystery enthusiast originally from Cincinnati, OH. She has an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University. Her first novel Suburban Secrets debuted in July 2020, and her second novel Crooked was published by World Castle Publishing in 2023. She is the former Editor-in-Chief of the poetry journal Ephemeral Elegies. In her spare time, she loves spending time in nature, knitting, and doing crossword puzzles. She lives with her husband in a forest nestled in the Ozark mountains.
Book Review

Review: The $12 Million Stuffed Shark

Tiffany Renee Harmon

I love going to art galleries and museums, but sometimes I do feel truly baffled by some contemporary art. However, when my best friend found this book and suggested I give it a read, I found that it started to make a bit more sense. I think art lovers and those still on the fence will both enjoy The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art by Don Thompson. 

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There was something really mesmerizing about this book. I think it was just fascinating to learn more about the business side of art which deals with people who are able to spend more on a piece of art than I will probably earn in my entire life. The book deals a lot with the difference of cost and worth and shows how marketing and jealousy can really work to a an artist’s advantage when selling art.

I can’t say that I will enjoy contemporary art more after reading this book, but I do have more of an understanding and appreciation for it on the whole.

 

Book Review

Book Review: The Ruins

Tiffany Renee Harmon

Every once in a while, I get on a kick where I just want to read and watch horror movies. There’s something exciting about being  scared sometimes, especially when you know you’re really safe on your couch. One horror novel that I really enjoyed recently was The Ruins by Scott B. Smith.

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The general plot of this book is that a group of travelers who are exploring the Mexican jungle find themselves at the mercy of some very dangerous ancient plants. I don’t want to give too much else away about the plot in order to avoid spoilers, but I definitely enjoyed trying to figure out exactly what was going on.

I can’t say that any of the characters really stood out to me. This one is definitely more focused on plot than character, but it was still a really exciting read, and it moved very quickly. The atmosphere is consistently creepy and the plot is not as predictable as many horror novels. I also really loved the setting of the Mexican jungle. It was exotic and much different than a lot of horror novel settings which rely heavily on cliches.

I haven’t read any other books by Scott B. Smith, but I’d definitely love to read another one to see if it is just as good as this one. Also, for those who may have seen the movie based on this book, I can assure you that the book is MUCH better!

Personal

New School Quarter!

Tiffany Renee Harmon

This week, I am starting a new quarter of my MFA program at Lindenwood University. I’ve really enjoyed my experience at the school so far, and I’m excited to start another quarter. It’s hard to believe that after this quarter, I’ll be half finished with the program!

I definitely feel like I’ve already grown a lot as a writer, and I’ve had so many great ideas for large products emerge from my work in the MFA courses. Sometimes, I worry that I have too many ideas! I just need to sit down and write something. I have been writing every day and things are coming along slowly but surely. I have fully outlined four large projects and I’ve started writing two of them. My biggest pitfall when writing is that I want to stop and edit each sentence after I’ve written it, and that leads to me getting frustrated and going nowhere. I want to just write the full drafts this time and the edit afterwards, but what if I spend months writing crap?

I wonder if accomplished writers have these same anxieties and hurdles to overcome or if they just create formulas and patterns that work for them. I hope I find out someday.

Book Review

Book Review: A Discovery of Witches

Tiffany Renee Harmon

It’s very rare that I reread books. I just find that there are so many things I want to read that I often don’t make time to reread something. There are definitely exceptions to this like with the Harry Potter series which always helps me to relax and find an escape, but for the most part, I don’t often make time to reread things.

Another exception is the book A Discover of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I believe I have read this wonderful work of fantasy three times now, and I feel like something new stands out each time.

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This book is essentially about a powerful witch who falls in love with a vampire. It’s sometimes marketed as a grown-up version of Twilight, which I suppose is fair in some ways, but I think that this book is so much more than a love story. Diana, the witch and main character, is a really interesting character and she grows a lot throughout the book and the trilogy. She is complicated because she seems to be simultaneously strong-willed and unsure of herself. She has very relatable fears and hopes. And while the love story is interesting, I find her discovery of herself and the journey of her coming to terms with herself to be an even more gripping aspect of the book.

While this is fantasy and has an amazing amount of world-building, I am so impressed at the other things contained in this book: vast descriptions of history and science (especially when it comes to genetics). This is a well-researched book that shows off Harkness’ prowess as a historian as well as her great imagination.

At 579 pages, it is quite long for a novel (although most fantasy novels do tend to be longer generally). There is a lot of description and the pace is quite slow. These are things that don’t bother me, but I think it is fair to mention them since I’m sure they will deter some readers. Overall, however, I think that it will be worth your time if you’re interested in the subject matter and want a character-driven magical realism book. Also, if you adore history, you’ll want to definitely continue on to the second book of the series Shadow of Night, which I thought was even better than this first installment.

Book Review

Book Review: Creating Magic

Tiffany Renee Harmon

Have you ever been to a theme park run by Disney? If so, it was probably a pretty magical experience. I remember going to Disney World when I was seven and being just enamored by everything, and I’d love to go back some day.

Disney has thrived as a company for a very long time, and so I was intrigued when I saw a book called Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a  Life at Disney. This book was written by Lee Cockerell, a former executive at Disney, and it is an astounding read for anyone who works in a leadership position.

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This book contained some of the most practical advice about leadership that I’ve ever read. It was incredibly inspiring, and it helped me to feel a little better about my own situation because it helped to renew my focus of providing the best version of myself for my coworkers and customers. Work places are incredibly varied, but I believe that this book has a little something for everyone. It does contain some Disney-specific anecdotes, but there are many principles that can apply to anyone who leads any number of people in any context. I believe that even leaders in non-customer service-oriented industries can benefit from this book because it focuses so much on communication and employee treatment.

I appreciated how quick of a read this was. It didn’t get bogged down by jargon. Instead, it was very accessible and fast-paced. I also just really loved that the focus was people, customers, communication, and employee satisfaction instead of just the bottom line of profit. The book explains why top-down management just doesn’t work anymore, and it provides some excellent alternatives. I am not in management, but I do train people, so I still found that this book was very helpful even if I was not it’s target audience. If you have any sort of leadership role in your work and you’re feeling a bit flustered or stuck, I would definitely encourage you to read this book.

 

Personal

New Year, New Opportunities!

Tiffany Renee Harmon

It is 2017! I think that this past year felt like it went by so much faster than previous years. It seemed like 2016 was the year of reflection for me. I spent so much time thinking about what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be. I want 2017 to be a year of action instead!

I’m hoping that 2017 can be my most productive year yet. I have a few goals that I want to share with you (so I can feel somewhat accountable):

  1. I am going to write every single day! To be a successful writer, there are no shortcuts. It takes persistence and practice.
  2. I am going to continue blogging 6 times a week (3 times here and 3 times on my lifestyle blog Cincy Couture).
  3. I am going to complete a novel manuscript and have it ready for an agent or a publisher by the end of the year. I feel like I spend so much time planning and outlining future projects – but this year, I want to actually complete something.
  4. I am going to read at least 200 books. I want to make sure that I’m reviewing and sharing great works with you, and to do that, I need to continue reading a lot. I’m going to try to also read a better variety of things in 2017, since I feel like I read predominantly cozy mysteries in 2016.

I know that these are pretty big goals, but I also think they are attainable with enough hard work. I’ll try to check in throughout the year to mark any progress I’m making on these goals.

So, what about you? What are your goals for 2017? Feel free to leave them in the comments section, even if they’re not related to reading or writing.

And to anyone who’s reading this, I hope you have a really wonderful 2017!

Book Review

Best Books of 2016!

Tiffany Renee Harmon

To be completely honest, I felt like I didn’t read as many masterpieces in 2016 as I have in previous years. I had several readings slumps where I just didn’t like anything, but some gems did still appear! Here are the top 7 books I read in 2016:

1. The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

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This contemporary fiction novel follows the lives of four siblings who have to restructure their lives after the nest egg that they were expecting is suddenly threatened. Read my full review here!

2. Peach Pies & Alibis by Ellery Adams

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This is the second book in this cozy mystery series which centers around a witch who bakes magical goodies. It’s a fun bit of fluff that I found more engrossing than the average cozy mystery.

3. Love Your Enemies by Sharon Salzberg

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I’m sure we all have that one person in life who grates our nerves. This self-help nonfiction book helped me change my perspective and find compassion instead of irritation.

4. The White Magic Five and Dime by Steve Hockensmith

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This was a great mystery about a tarot-card reading con artist who has to solve her mother’s murder while considering whether or not she’s making the right choices in life.

5. Girl Online by Zoe Sugg

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This was such a fun bit of YA fiction. It centers around an anxiety-ridden blogger whose worst fears are realized when her online persona becomes public.

6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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I know I’m late to the party on this one, but I love it. This one is historical fiction about a family in Afghanistan. It was heartbreaking but beautiful.

7. Murphy’s Law by Rhys Bowen

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I really enjoyed this book that launched a historical cozy mystery series about an Irish immigrant. I appreciated that, while still cozy in tone, the series has been dealing with a few darker issues. I’ve only read the first three books so far, but I’m very curious to see where everything is headed.

I’m very excited for 2017! I have a lot of reading and writing goals, and I hope I’m able to share some great content with all of you. Have a lovely rest of your 2016!

Book Review

Review: Stars of Fortune

Tiffany Renee Harmon

With the holiday season, I have been wanting lighter things to read. The other day, I picked up a book at the library mostly because it had a beautiful cover: Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts.

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Before this book, I had never read a book by Nora Roberts except for two of her In Death series, which she writes under the pseudonym J.D. Robb. I was a bit afraid that this book would be a bit too frothy and romantic for me, but it ended up being just what I needed to chill out and relax.

This book is hard to describe because it crosses so many genres. I think it’s apt to call is a contemporary magical realism romance. There are fantasy elements, but it takes place in our current world. There is also quite a bit of romance, but I thought it was offset nicely with the plot. I certainly don’t mine romance, but I dislike when it is the primary plot and there is little else in the story. Thankfully, this one had an exciting fantastical plot and a traditional quest often found in fantasy and magical realism. Also, while this was definitely plot-heavy rather than character-focused, I did find myself really liking the character of Sasha. I felt like I could see my own insecurities in her, and I was definitely rooting for her.

In this story, 6 strangers band together to find 3 mystical stars that have fallen in order to keep them out of the hands of a dark fairy who wants to destroy the moon. As you may have guessed from that sentence, this book does require more suspension of disbelief than most that I recommend on this blog. If you love intricate character development and detailed world-building, this probably isn’t the book for you. It’s imaginative and fun but it is very fluffy and a bit shallow. Still, I really enjoyed it and I’m excited to read more of Nora Robert’s works when I’m looking for pure escapism. I think I’ve found a new guilty pleasure!

Book Review

Why do YOU Read?

Tiffany Renee Harmon

As a creative writing MFA student, I feel like I hear a lot of people tell me why they read. I’ve always been fascinated with this because I sometimes feel like an outsider when this question comes up. I love exploring the human condition and learning something new, but really the main reason that I read is pure escapism!

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Credit: Creative Commons 

Academic crowds don’t seem to value escapism very much, and I’ve been told several times that this is a very shallow reason. But it’s still my honest reason. I read so that I can have a break from my life. I have a great life, and I know I should appreciate it more, but I also have a lot of anxiety and occasional depression. Books help me leave this behind, at least temporarily. If that’s shallow, then I guess I should just embrace being shallow.

I bring this up because I’m curious if it will get a response – why do you read? Are you part of academic circles or commercial circles or both? Are there specific genres you always read or do you read a variety of things?

My life at the library is a lot different than my life in academia. I work in a public library, and I see all sorts of people – those who love literary fiction or academic subjects, those who only read for escapism, and those who really prefer not to read at all and would rather get DVDs. I think that all of these things are okay – I don’t like passing judgement regarding how people are entertained or spend their free time. But I’m still curious – why do you read?

Industry News

Where to Submit Your Writing?

Tiffany Renee Harmon

Becoming a successful writer is hard work (I assume, since I’m not yet a successful writer). Still, you will never get published if you don’t put yourself out there and submit your stories, essays, poems, etc. Once you’ve written something you’re proud of – what next? Where do you go? I have found one resource that helps me with these questions – Duotrope.

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Credit: Duotrope.com

Duotrope is a website that helps connects writers with publishers. It mostly deals with places to submit shorter works like individual poems, short stories, or essays, but there are a few publishers listed that take unsolicited larger works for consideration as well such as novels and poetry or short story collections.

There is a $50 annual fee to use Duotrope, but I think it’s worth it. If you’re not so sure, consider giving their free trial option a try and check it out for yourself. Duotrope allows you to search for the perfect home for your writing. You can put in your genre and the length of your work, and it will give you places that are looking for that. You can even limit it by how much you want for your product: no payment, token payment, semi-pro payment, or professional payment. They are constantly adding new publishers or contests for you to consider. This website has helped me cut down on my googling considerably by bringing the publishers to me.

I have wanted to be a writer since I was six, but I still feel like I’m still at the beginning of my journey as a writer. I’m taking baby steps and still trying to find my voice, but I’m going to get there! And you can too! I’m glad that I’ve found Duotrope to help me along the way, and I just wanted to share it with you in case it helps you too.