Could you live in a lopsided house? We are accustomed to straight lines, parallel sentences, and the value a sense of uniformity. But is this the best way to live, or to write? Some writers recommend using outlines, and have many valid reasons for doing so. I was always the kind of student who wroteContinue reading “Enjoy Lopsided”
Category Archives: writing
Seeing a Project Through to the End
I am currently working on finishing a writing project that I began at least nine years ago. Yes, nine years. It was the project I was working on before my trip to England and the inspiration for The Gate House, my first published novel. After that I wrote Lydia’s Story, a follow-up to The GateContinue reading “Seeing a Project Through to the End”
Believe in Your Work
I was delighted to find out that my latest book, Lydia’s Story, is one of the top two sellers at my publisher, Sage Words Publishing. This is a small publisher and hardly puts me on the New York Times bestseller lists, but it still tells me that people out there are reading my book, andContinue reading “Believe in Your Work”
Forward to the Past
Writers never throw anything away, or at least they shouldn’t. This week I pulled out an old “almost novel” that I wrote before my first one, The Gate House, was published. This one, tentatively titled Nara of the Islands, is really the original story of my protagonist who appears in both The Gate House andContinue reading “Forward to the Past”
Do You Want to Hear about My WIP?
Sometimes people ask me, “What are you working on now? Can you talk about it?” It is always a difficult question to answer. On the one hand, I like talking about writing. And it does help sometimes to bounce ideas off someone else. But on the other hand, it’s kind of like talking about theContinue reading “Do You Want to Hear about My WIP?”
Killing a Cockroach with Kindness
I was walking through the hallway of a local high school where I sometimes substitute teacher, and encountered a teaching standing in the hallway holding a small spray bottle in her hand and staring into a trash can. “I’m trying to kill a cockroach with essential oils,” she said. She gave it another squirt. “OrContinue reading “Killing a Cockroach with Kindness”
Look for the Beauty
I was delighted to see this beautiful and innovative way that a high school English teacher had decorated her classroom. The actual windows offered a few a nothing more than the roof of the next wing of the building, and a tiny patch of sky. But the teacher had taken one wall and covered itContinue reading “Look for the Beauty”
NaNoWriMo (What the Heck Is That?)
This year, for the first time, I participating in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. The goal is to write 50,000 words during the month of November. This is a pretty short novel, but a darned good start. I have been so caught up in the release and promotion of Lydia’s Story thatContinue reading “NaNoWriMo (What the Heck Is That?)”
Reading Outside the Box
I read mostly mysteries and suspense novels, because that is what I write and because I review books for Suspense Magazine. But occasionally I read something outside of those genres. I find that a different type of book and writing style can spark my own writing and stretch my creativity. Last night I downloaded TheContinue reading “Reading Outside the Box”
Giving Birth to “Lydia’s Story”
My newest novel, Lydia’s Story, is now available all the major book sellers. If you are a writer, you know what a wonderful rush comes along with writing those words. If you are not a writer, just think of any major project you have embarked on in your life — giving birth to a child,Continue reading “Giving Birth to “Lydia’s Story””