The Writing Life
Reflections On a Career Day Visit
On Friday, I was a presenter at an area high school as part of their career day. They asked me to do two presentations, one on my experiences as a professional dancer and dance educator, and one on my current career as a novelist. Preparing for both was an experience. For one thing, a tsunami…
Read MoreMISSED CUE Is Now PISTA PERDIDA!
Entire industries have grown up around providing services for authors—publicists, book coaches, freelance editors, writing teachers and workshop leaders, promotion services, advertisers, audiobook readers, the list goes on! Sadly, some “services” turn out to be scams—like the ones promising to turn your book into a film if you’ll just pay oh…a few thousand dollars for…
Read MoreThe Magic Works When I Least Expect It: Writing When I Don’t Feel Like It
I had one of those crazy weeks where fitting in writing time was a definite challenge. First there were the days working on taxes which unfortunately reminded me that yes, writing really is a business. Then there was the meeting with our tax guy, the health scare for my husband which had a happy ending…
Read MoreThe Writer’s Life: Sometimes You Need a Reminder of Why You Do This
Derby Rotten Scoundrels, our local chapter of Sisters in Crime, decided to sign up for the Kentucky Flea Market, a three-day affair. Not only could we hopefully sell some of our books, but we might attract some new members to our group. After spending Friday, Saturday, and Sunday making small talk with passers-by, people-watching (which…
Read MoreThe Other Part of the Writing Life
I have a confession to make. One of the things I miss about graduate school is the singular focus on writing. Yes, we also did some coursework, but mainly, the idea was to get that novel written! I loved it and had written the drafts of two novels by the time I graduated. But now…
Read MoreMy Thankfuls (and My Unthankfuls)
I’ve often told the story of how when my sons were growing up, we used to pass the candle around the dinner table on Sunday nights and talk about what we felt thankful for. One Sunday, our younger son announced, “Let me just start with my un-thankfuls.” Of course, he was right. There are invariably…
Read MoreIt’s Almost Here: MISSING MOM’S Official Release
I admit it. It never gets old to welcome a new book I’ve spent long hours working on. Tuesday, January 14th, MISSING MOM’S official release day, is just three days away. Even though this is my sixth novel, the thought of holding a copy in my hands still makes all those hairs on the back…
Read MoreFeeling Grateful (And A Bit Overwhelmed!)
As 2025 is about to begin, I’m feeling so grateful for my wonderful family and the lovely husband I get to share my life with. How did I get so lucky to marry a man who’s not only hilarious and incredibly caring, but whose hobby is cooking? I have no idea, but I’m not asking…
Read MoreThe Strange Thing About Writing
Do you ever have weeks where a bunch of little things go wrong and somehow, it feels overwhelmingly distracting and frustrating? Well, I had one of those weeks recently. My PayPal account was hacked, and suddenly, I was sending out hundreds of invoices for hundreds of dollars to folks I’d never heard of. It took…
Read MoreWriting Just Because…
For the past two years, I’ve been working with a gifted teenager on her writing at the Louisville Academy of Fine Arts. She’s currently writing a novel, and the quality of her work excites me. Our weekly sessions include reviewing her pages, as well as discussing craft articles and talking about writing-related challenges. I often…
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