Stolen innocence. That is what Marsha thought as she stared out the window at her garden below. That’s where it had happened—just two years ago while she was weeding her vegetables, when John stomped over. “You’re a fool!” he’d snorted, waving a paper in his hand. “I told you not to trust her.” Marsha sat…
Best Gingersnap Recipe Ever with an Optional Healthy Twist
Today I modified America’s Test Kitchen’s recipe for gingersnap cookies to fit into my non-refined sugar criteria. That mean basically just substituting white sugar with maple sugar. The results were excellent. The cookies have a real snap and they are filled with freshly ground ginger for a nice little kick. I’m going out on a…
Sharing My Story at Vroman’s in Pasadena, Southern California’s Oldest Independent Bookstore
Join me on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. for a book reading and signing of Hope in a Time of Dying at Vroman’s Bookstore, Southern California’s oldest and largest independent bookstore. Located at 695 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, this historic store offers a beautiful, dedicated event space. We’ll have time for a short…
A Small Refuge of Beauty
When feeling overwhelmed by all the ugliness and vitriol being hurled around our country right now, may I suggest you take a few minutes and listen to these three short but evocative pieces by Erik Satie. You will feel better, I promise, just knowing there is such pure loveliness in this world
Flash Essay: The Comfort of a Stranger
Several years ago, I learned a lesson I’ve never forgotten: sometimes unexpected kindness arrives from the most unlikely places. It happened when I first learned that my dear friend Peter was gravely ill. My husband, Ray, waited two days before telling me about Peter’s diagnosis. I was buried in work with several students on their…
Lessons from the Page: Writing, Coaching, Living (Personal Interview Continued)
Yesterday I wrote about the earlier part of my life—including my husband and family. Today the focus is on my writing life. Again, this topic is inspired by a college essay prompt that one of my students received: interview yourself. Here’s the second part: Tell me about your writing. I began to write when my…
In Conversation with Myself: Work, Marriage, and Adventure
This was inspired by a writing prompt given by one of the colleges one of my students is applying to. It is not a thorough interview, just one aspect. 1) You have clearly done quite a few jobs in your life. Was that by design or did that just happen? I started out as a…
SCN Webinar: Making Fiction Out of Life: Finding the Emotional Truth
On Wednesday at 4:00 pm Pacific Time, I’ll be leading a webinar on autobiographical fiction. Using my novel Hope in a Time of Dying as a guide, we’ll explore how to transform lived experience into fiction. Together, we’ll look at the form’s history, examine authors who have used it successfully, and consider its strengths, challenges,…
We’re More Than Labels
Today, I did something a little unusual. I was tired and while resting I started mentally listing all the people I knew growing up. I’m from a little Texas town of 7,000, and there were 125 people in my graduating class. Most of those people started with me in first grade and went all the…
A Song That Still Speaks
Sam wrote this song in 1964 in solidarity with the Civil Rights Movement. His outrage was personal: in 1963, while touring in Louisiana with his wife and brother, they were turned away from an all-White motel. He later admitted he was inspired by Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind” and felt ashamed that as a…
20 Minutes a Day 