Some people don’t have the capacity to dream. Perhaps they are lacking imagination, life experience or confidence. Regardless, they make their way through life living from one event to the next never striving for much more.

I dream practically every night. I daydream. I sometimes spend far too much time in my dreamland. But I’m so thankful for the ( Read more... )

I have a lot of goals as a writer.  Some of them are simple; like word count or face time with child readers. Some of them are lofty; like selling one manuscript per year or hosting SNL w/Josh Groban as the musical talent. (I had a dream once that was, frankly, awesome!)

But there is one goal that I’d love, love, love to achieve.  Writerly ( Read more... )

The downside of being a fiction writer? Realistic nightmares.  I had one last night. An epic, natural disaster type of dream, like Earthquake or Dante’s Peak. My husband and I were desperately trying to save the kids. Our house was collapsing beneath us. The groans of wrenching beams filled the air, the crack of splitting wood drown out our shouted ( Read more... )

This is a strange business.

I’ve been working on a manuscript for nearly two years. The edits have been particularly hard on this one.  I’m very excited about the story and that has created a sense of urgency that I’ve waged many battles with.  I would commit myself to crafting as perfect of a novel as I could and then the excitement of the story ( Read more... )

Here is a great stick figure video which depicts the ups and downs of being a writer.  Don't let the stick figures fool you, this is deep!  Besides anything that gives me an excuse to use the jester hat mood is okay by me. Thanks YA Rebels!

Click to view

Some of my favorites:

• Dark chocolate dipped in Skippy.
• My youngest son's maniacal giggle.
• Characters whose depths enchant you.
• Belting along with Heart's "Crazy On You" - loudly.
• Hugs from my youngest daughter who still holds on tight.

Funny how this blogosphere can lull us into a false sense of community.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the online communities that I participate in.  However, I think we get the feeling that we’ve really gotten to ‘know’ someone when in fact we only know what they’ve chosen for us to see online.

That being said, I have developed a cyber crush on ( Read more... )

May 1st is Buy Indie day.  Support your local independent bookstore. Hmmm, let's see...which book should I buy.  If you have a book on the shelves currently, add a comment telling me the title and your one liner about it.  Or perhaps you've recently read a book you think everybody should read.  I love reading suggestions!  Some day I'll have a book ( Read more... )

For the summertime blues.  I have a dozen or so different submissions out right now.  The only reason I have that many is because the responses have slowed.  Dramatically! This aspect of summer turns me into an email obsessing, mailbox lurking maniac!

No news is good news, right? Maybe they are taking their time to consider? No, it just means my ( Read more... )