Just days before November 1, 2006, a friend asked, "Have you seen this NaNoWriMo thing?" My response? Totally predictable. "NaNo-what, what?" But, of course, when I heard it was about writing--you know, that "wri" part?--I went to look it up. And signed up. Needed a book idea. I went Continue Reading
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5 Eco-Friendly Things Writers Love (or should)
I was writing along the other night, working on Cassie from The Vintage Wren, when it occurred to me that modern writers are an eco-friendly lot. After all, many of the things that are a part of the modern writer's toolkit are digital! So, I thought I'd spell a few out--just to make Cassie feel Continue Reading
She Doesn’t Have to Settle: A look at relationships
I read a Facebook post the other day. In a group of people discussing planning methods, she spoke up. The post went something like this (going on memory but not trying to remember details to provide some semblance of privacy): I had a fight with my boyfriend. It was ugly, and he almost hit me. So, Continue Reading
Book Review: A Memory Worth Dying For
When I received the invitation to review A Memory Worth Dying For from CelebrateLit, I had to try it. I mean, who doesn't love a good mystery. And Joanie Bruce writes a good mystery! I hadn't read her first book, so I started with Marked For Murder. When I figured out who it was right away... Continue Reading
Winning Without a Word: Works for Men, Too
What is this "winning without a word" thing? Let me set the scene. 1985. Ninth grade. Peniel Christian School. Noel, Missouri. By the time we got to I Peter 3, it was May and getting pretty muggy every day. Our school room was in the church basement, so it was fairly comfortable down there. Continue Reading
Why Don’t You Get a MacBook?
I'd have to say it's the number one question people ask when they find out that I use a Toshiba laptop instead of a MacBook. If my laptop glitches at all, they say, "You need a Mac." If I lose some of my work, through fault of the laptop or not, I hear, "It's probably a virus. You should get a Continue Reading
Art or Fan-Fiction? Does It Matter?
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a thousand words should create a picture, right? And if those words create that picture, then the one writing creates art with the sweep of a pen or pencil on paper much like the artist paints his masterpiece with a brush and paint. (Note: links Continue Reading
Life’s Pendulum: Why do we hop on for the ride?
As a child, I sat mesmerized by the pendulum on the grandfather clock my Uncle Oscar made for Grandma. My father talked about the cool crank used to wind it and how the weights would drop lower and lower every day until day seven when it had to be rewound or it would stop. Then, he'd start singing, Continue Reading
It’s Not Easy Going Green: How Characters Can Irritate
Green Schmeen (whatever that means): Something happens to authors when we begin a new novel. We see words, scenarios, situations--we see them all in entirely new ways. Take the word "green." When I was a kid, if you said someone was "green" it meant they were new, unsophisticated, and likely from Continue Reading
Why Coke Is the Most Dangerous Drink for Authors
I almost didn't get this week's special up. Why? I'll tell you. Coke. It isn't my friend. Not this week, anyway. *shhh... don't cry Coke. I'll love you tomorrow. I promise* Note: Links in this post may be affiliate links and as such, I may receive a small commission at no extra expense Continue Reading
5 Reasons Workouts Stink (or something like that)
I promised a while back to write a bit about my gym journey, and I'm here to do it with why workouts stink. Literally. Look, I'm not a huge fan of the gym. Never have been. Probably never will be. I've reconciled myself to this. In fact, instead of having a goal of "loving workouts more than Continue Reading
A Rebel in the Making: My Father’s Influence
Anyone who knows my father knows that "rebel" sounds incongruous with his strict rules and expectations. When other kids wore blue jeans, t-shirts, and "sneakers," my siblings wore leather soled shoes, slacks (for the boys), buttoned up shirts, or dresses (my sister). The boys had crew cuts when Continue Reading
