I have thick skin. I'd like to say it's my natural personality, but I don't really think it is. I suspect if I'd been born in any other family I might have ended up a very different person, and probably a sensitive one at that. My parents did a great job of teaching me how to let negativity and Continue Reading
General Information
Learning the Ropes
While I was in Michigan at Waterfall Press/Brilliance Publishing, one of the fascinating things we got to do and see was Sarah Price's An Amish Buggy Ride being recorded. About twelve of us packed into the tiny little engineer's studio to listen to Amy McFaddon in the other room as she recorded a Continue Reading
5 Reasons You Should NOT Read My Books
“For one who reads, there is no limit to the number of lives that may be lived, for fiction, biography, and history offer an inexhaustible number of lives in many parts of the world, in all periods of time.” ~Louis L'Amour The soap opera claims we have but "one Continue Reading
3 Ways I Torture Characters
I get emails almost weekly--often multiple times a week--and the question invariably goes something like this. "How could you do that to him/her?" In other words, "How could you torture that character like that?" So, I thought I'd give you a bit of insight into why I do the torturous things I do. Continue Reading
When Did I First Know I Had to Be a Writer?
What do salt breezes, palm trees, sand outside the door, and the Santa Ana winds have to do with turn-of-the-20th-century Brooklyn? Not much—only my introduction to Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a defining moment in my life. (This is a revised post from 2014 and contains affiliate Continue Reading
Strange Inspirations
Confession: About 10 years ago, I heard the Brothers Four singing "Night Before Christmas" and it sparked an idea I'd never heard before. For fun, this silly mom, who never "did" Santa with her kids, began writing a "Santa story." So... because it is pure fantasy--with no Christian basis other than Continue Reading
“Oldie Friday”: Noble Pursuits
Once upon a time, an aspiring author was writing about a young college graduate who inherited her sister's eight children. It was the first time the author had attempted to write in about fifteen years. I tell you this, because it goes to show just how much said author didn't know about herself AS Continue Reading
Winner of the boxed set of books!!
Did a little drawing tonight for the boxed set of books I mentioned on my previous blog post. And the winner IS: Betty Landesman!! Congratulations, Betty. If you would be so kind as to email me and let me know if you'd like the boxed set or one of my books, I'll get it sent out to you as soon Continue Reading
The Californian’s Guide to the Eastern US- Part 2
It's my unprofessional opinion that those in the Southeastern US are GENIUSES. I mean, these folks are pretty much amazing. I am not being hyperbolic or sarcastic/facetious/snotty. I believe this with all my heart. Proof? Street signs. You see that sign to the left? That's supposedly one Continue Reading
The Californian’s Survival Guide to the Eastern US: Part 1
Or TCSGTTEUS (Looks like Betelgeuse's red-headed step-child's name, doesn't it?) This summer, I took two major trips. The first was to Minneapolis where our family rented a car (okay, a 12 passenger, gas-guzzling van the likes of which we haven't driven in five years!). So we all piled in said Continue Reading
Welcome to…
What have I been up to? Why do I feel like "I've arrived" once more? I'll tell you! See, last Wednesday, I flew to AsheVOLL (I'll explain that in another post) North Carolina. I spent Labor Day weekend laboring on Project Stephen and then began the long drive from Buladean, NC to Morgantown, WV Continue Reading
Lessons Learned: in Speak Now
"You're really good at authentic dialogue." I don't remember who said it, but I remember thanking her and going back to look at my work. I agreed. Most of it was rather realistic. But I noticed something. Most of my scenes were very dialogue-driven. And that got me thinking... What would Continue Reading
