Here we are again at the start of a new year. Many people view January as a month filled with darkness, the post-holiday blues, and slush. Although it can and often is all of those things, I still enjoy January. Though I am someone who likes winter. Yes there are pitfalls like driving in snow, but that’s about it for me, the rest is sheer beauty. Well, when puffy, white snow is falling and it’s…
Somehow I got trapped between playing with my dogs, enjoying everything stereotypical about Fall–I’m looking at you PSL and flannel shirts–and let this blog fall to the wayside. So here I am offering a sincere apology to my readers. All three of you. And yes, I realize I’ve used that joke before, but come on, it never really gets old. In all seriousness, I’ve been spending my time polishing my newest manuscript. It’s a women’s…
They say that writing is rewriting, and nowhere is that truer than when it comes to the opening of a book. At least for me. One of my author friends likes to ask, “Are you starting this story in the right place?” Spoiler alert—I never do. At least on the first go. And the second. And sometimes the third. We’re not even going to talk about the fourth. At this point, I’ve finished the first…
I have finally emerged from my mountain of tissues, cough medicine, and self-pity. Yes, after a solid week of sniffling, sneezing, coughing, and feeling like an extra on The Walking Dead, I’ve finally rejoined the world of the living. By that I mean I’m actually sitting at my computer and not lying in bed while creating a fever induced outline for my next book. It’s a cozy mystery, stay tuned…yes, all three of you my…
Let’s talk about writing contests. A few months ago, I came in runner up in the Spring WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction contest. It earned me a small prize and publication on their site. But that wasn’t why I entered. Yes, the glowing feedback I received did wonderful things for my ego and confidence as a writer. Ultimately, for me, writing contests are a great way to flex my creative muscles. Each contest has…
How many ‘I am such an idiot’ moments have you had in your life? If you say anything in the single digits, you’re probably not out of your twenties yet. Mine span the decades of my life all the way back to when I was eight years old. Two friends, my sister, and I all climbed into what we thought was our friends’ mom’s station wagon at Pizza Hut. Spoiler alert—it wasn’t. In fact, the…