Homelessness is a devastating problem for many of our big cities. Sometimes in extreme weather, shelters aren't able to accommodate all the  people who need protection from the elements. There are some homeless, however, who want their independence and refuse to go to shelters. (I know because they've told me!)

In winter, it's rather common to get on a train and find a homeless person sleeping. Most of the time, they are simply are looking for shelter out of the cold. However, occasionally, you'll come across one who is either mentally off-balance or very angry with the world. One morning, there was one guy who was probably a combination of both.

There was a section of seating shaped like an L, and this homeless man was using it to sleep. He was taking up four seats.

A professional man got on the train and walked over to the homeless man. He politely asked if he could sit in one of the seats. The homeless man stood up, allowed the other man to sit down and then began harassing the professional man about how rude it was to wake someone up. Mr. Professional was trying to be nice about it, but nothing he said or did calmed the homeless guy down. The homeless man did something I'd never witnessed in my life and hope to never see again. WARNING: If you're squeamish, skip the rest of this paragraph! The homeless man vomited on cue -- no finger down the throat or anything like that, just opened his mouth and threw up -- onto the professional man. We were all horrified and gagging, trying not to get sick ourselves.

At the next stop, the homeless man left the train.

The next day, when I got on the train, I saw another homeless man. He was slouched down like he was sleepy but still awake. Scarred by the event of the previous day, I stayed as far away from this man as I possibly could. During the ride, a couple of people got a little rowdy, and I saw this man sit alert and closely watch them. That's when I realized, this was no ordinary homeless guy. We had an undercover policeman watching over us! I was so grateful the city had taken precautions to make sure we didn't experience the other homeless guy again!

I LOVE epilogues!

When I end a book I really loved or watched a great movie, I look forward to the bonus material at the end.

​In the movie theater, I'm the person sitting in her seat until the very last second while the poor theater workers wait for me to leave so they can clean the room. I watch the people leaving as the credits role, and I'm always so tempted to ask them if they know there's more to come. Whether it's bloopers, a cute bonus scene or a hint of what's to come in the sequel, I want it! I'm actually disappointed when a movie doesn't have a little something extra in the credits.

​The same thing goes for the stories I read. Some, I realize, won't have epilogues because it doesn't make sense. If the book ends with a cliffhanger for the next in a series, then an epilogue won't work. But if it's the final book in the series or a stand-alone title, then I want to know that the characters I loved so much really did achieve their happily ever after. That's why in A Boy Named Justice (and of course, the series compilation) I added an epilogue to let you know that all the "boys" had great futures ahead of them.

I don't feel the same about prologues. I'll read them, but usually I wish the author had found a way to sneak the information I needed to know from the prologue into the main body of the story. I know some people who skip the prologue altogether and will only read it if it's obvious they're missing key information. (I wonder if these are the same people leaving the movie during the credits....)

​What about you? Do you read prologues and epilogues, or do you wish they weren't there?

Let's talk about money and fame! Do you want to make a livable wage from your book sales? if you research a thousand different authors, you'll get just as many answers. Everyone's journey is unique to them, just as yours will be unique to you.

Regardless of whether you follow advice that says you need to pursue a traditional publisher or you should self-publish or you need to be active on Goodreads or Wattpad or Instagram or (fill in the blank) -- the common thread through these writers' sage advice is this:

Write often and write well.

When I find authors I love, I'll read everything they write. If they only have one story out there, then I try to remember to check on them later; however, I don't always. It may be years down the road when I remember them and see if they have anything new (if it happens at all).

If you want to make money from your writing, you need to have multiple titles. When that reader finds your story and loves it, she'll be thrilled to see you have more, and you'll be thrilled that she buys them all. The more titles you have, the more likely readers are to discover you.

Just don't forget about the last part of the advice. Give them your best effort.

There was a writer I discovered when she had a few titles. Her stories were cute; although, her writing occasionally grated my nerves. I still read her works because the stories were so engaging. Fast forward a couple of years, and she had over 50 titles! 50!!! I picked up a book and began reading it, expecting the quality I'd seen in the past. It was gone. It felt like she'd thrown the story together, and the things that had irritated me about her writing previously were now amplified. I could be wrong in assuming that the quick release of so many titles meant that she'd rushed through it. All I know is her new stuff turned me off.

​So, find that balance of producing new works quickly while taking the time to make sure it's the best you can give your readers. Both you and your readers will be happy you did.